Thread: Balsa strop

I've been shaving with a straight razor for about 3 months now and I'm really liking it. Bought a vintage stone which I'm sure is a coti on e-bay. I've got 2 functional razors now. One is a Clover (German) and it still pulls a bit. I have hone knives for 40-50 years, so I believe my touch is OK. I know that at first I was a little heavy handed, but have re-honed with a very light touch. The other SR is a wedge without legible markings and takes a much better edge. It has a curved edge, which I find follows the contour on my neck better, giving me a closer shave. so I just made a balsa strop and bought some CrO paste from Classic Shaving. How many strokes on each side would be optimal to refine the edge? any other tips to give me a great edge? Thanks

Phil

Originally Posted by drphillipt

I've been shaving with a straight razor for about 3 months now and I'm really liking it. Bought a vintage stone which I'm sure is a coti on e-bay. I've got 2 functional razors now. One is a Clover (German) and it still pulls a bit. I have hone knives for 40-50 years, so I believe my touch is OK. I know that at first I was a little heavy handed, but have re-honed with a very light touch. The other SR is a wedge without legible markings and takes a much better edge. It has a curved edge, which I find follows the contour on my neck better, giving me a closer shave. so I just made a balsa strop and bought some CrO paste from Classic Shaving. How many strokes on each side would be optimal to refine the edge? any other tips to give me a great edge? Thanks

Phil

Well I'm far from an expert as far as sharpening goes, but when my edge tugs a bit then I'll go 5-10 passes on CrO and then strop as normal and shave. If it still pulls then I'll go to my finishing stone; either a Swaty barber hone or my Naniwa 12k. Then strop and shave.

Originally Posted by commiecat

Well I'm far from an expert as far as sharpening goes, but when my edge tugs a bit then I'll go 5-10 passes on CrO and then strop as normal and shave. If it still pulls then I'll go to my finishing stone; either a Swaty barber hone or my Naniwa 12k. Then strop and shave.

+1 i do 10 laps on my balsa strop with crox followed by my usual stropping procedure. It seems to do the trick for me.

I have been using the same Lynn honed razor for 2 months now and when it appears to pull I hit it about 4-6 passes on the Diamond then the same on the CrOx then back to the strop. Only had to do this twice.

Problem is its real hard to tell if the CrOx on balsa is really doing anything-
The diamond pasted felt pad (on the modular paddle) will leave a tiny bit of dust behind but no so the CrOx.

Originally Posted by Oldfalguy

...Problem is its real hard to tell if the CrOx on balsa is really doing anything-The diamond pasted felt pad (on the modular paddle) will leave a tiny bit of dust behind but no so the CrOx.

Originally Posted by commiecat

... I'll go 5-10 passes on CrO and then strop as normal and shave. If it still pulls then I'll go to my finishing stone; either a Swaty barber hone or my Naniwa 12k. Then strop and shave.

I think you, Old Falguy, and anyone else ought to be able to know when you've done a good job on the balsa - if it doesn't tug/pull anymore then it's ready. You know tugging already since it's what sparked the thought to use the pasted strop.

I also agree with Commie: if 10 laps on the CrOx don't do it I just go to a finishing hone. I think there's room for preference here, though, but that's just my, like, opinion.

Thanks for the tip. What grit diamond are you following up with the CrO? Thanks

Phil

I think the diamond is the .5 sprayed very, very lightly, dried overnight and repeated again. My pad wash great for 5 weeks but it appears to have developed 2 bumps so I just avoid them best I can.

On the CrOx balsa it just feels like there is little to no draw to speak of but I feel I must do something after the diamond before going back to the strops- At my rather pedestrian stropping speed on the modular I do 24 passes per minute so I time it rather than count. When I use the paste I follow with the linen to make sure no paste is transferred to the strop and then do 100 passes-
So far so good-
I really do not have what I think the folks here would term a finishing hone.
My 8k is the end of the line. Heck I am not sure what the definition of a finishing stone or barber hone actually is but I figure its over 12K.

Mark

Originally Posted by Oldfalguy

I really do not have what I think the folks here would term a finishing hone.
My 8k is the end of the line. Heck I am not sure what the definition of a finishing stone or barber hone actually is but I figure its over 12K.

Mark

Here's a nice guide on grits and what their function is in a honing progression:
What hone(s) do I need? - Straight Razor Place Wiki

You can shave off an 8k -- the higher grits just polish the edge further and make it a bit more smooth when shaving.

Originally Posted by drphillipt

I've been shaving with a straight razor for about 3 months now and I'm really liking it. Bought a vintage stone which I'm sure is a coti on e-bay. I've got 2 functional razors now. One is a Clover (German) and it still pulls a bit. I have hone knives for 40-50 years, so I believe my touch is OK. I know that at first I was a little heavy handed, but have re-honed with a very light touch. The other SR is a wedge without legible markings and takes a much better edge. It has a curved edge, which I find follows the contour on my neck better, giving me a closer shave. so I just made a balsa strop and bought some CrO paste from Classic Shaving. How many strokes on each side would be optimal to refine the edge? any other tips to give me a great edge? Thanks

Phil

i never understood the balsa strop...why not just use leather

Originally Posted by vai777

i never understood the balsa strop...why not just use leather

I don't have balsa, but some pros are that it's readily available, inexpensive, and stays flat when being used.