Okay - thought i'd open a can of worms.... For CrOx paste on a paddle strop {specifically} who prefers felt and who prefers balsa and why? http://straightrazorpalace.com/images/icons/icon7.png
Adam
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Okay - thought i'd open a can of worms.... For CrOx paste on a paddle strop {specifically} who prefers felt and who prefers balsa and why? http://straightrazorpalace.com/images/icons/icon7.png
Adam
Actually I prefer leather.
LOL!!Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
Please note that I raise both hands for "felt".
And... wait for it... I love using Balsa lol!! I have used leather, preferred balsa. And that preference is purely subjective.
And I like none of the above. A few swipes on the finisher and then neckid leather for me.
Though I have used balsa in the past and it was nice, I like the 'crisp' feeling of an edge finished/touched up on a hone best.
Pure subjectivity;)
I've been using felt on an SRD modular paddle strop with good results. However, I've read so many posts about balsa that I'm going to give it a try. I wish SRD made a balsa component for their modular strop.
I think the sprays work best on the felt. I also feel that the pastes work best on either the linen or poly webbing of strops. I also have had good success with the pastes on the back side of leather strops. I have tried the balsa many times with both the pastes and sprays and just have never been a fan but that is purely my experience. Lot of personal preference on all this.
My problem (and I'd be surprised if it's not relevant to others, as well) is finding diamond sprays in lower-grit/higher-micron ratings. Yes, I know that SRD sells several -- 0.25-, 0.5, and 1.0-micron, if I'm not mistaken -- but I'll be darned if I can find 3-, 7-, 14-, 28-, 40-, 80-micron (or others) sprays (in any concentration, or quantity). I found that some pastes spread acceptably/usefully on felt, but way too many leave me with the feeling that I "sacrificed" too many 3"x11" pieces "for science". Any pointers?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynn
Tried cro-ox on most materials and the balsa has been my workhorse for a long time. Works the best for me. For sprays I favor nano cloth. In the end you have to use whatever you feel gives you the best result and feedback making it a very personal choice.
Someday I will find a source for nano cloth that isn't out of stock!!!
I have tried both leather and felt. I preferred spray on felt. In my experience it is dramatically superior than putting crox on leather. I've never tried a Balsa strop and have no plans to. I put this all in past tense since I now jump from a 12K stone to a finishing stone (Zulu Grey) then to a leather strop. I can get the same or even better sharpness but achieve much more 'smooth' by going this route. If I was super lazy (lol) and needed a quick touch up I guess then I would pull out the felt paddle strop and give the razor a few swipes on a Crox sprayed felt then 0.25 diamond sprayed felt.
I tend to use homemade paddles w/leather for pastes like crox and diamond. Sparys, I use felt, and just recently tried CBN on balsa.
You are comparing effectiveness.
The base for the Sprays or Pastes is partially determined by what you put it on
Basically it runs from most effective to most gentle
Balsa
Linen/Webbing
Leathers (these vary also)
Felt
Nano Cloths
Which you choose comes down to the edge that you start with and the feel that it gives on YOUR face...
I'm a little lost on this regarding effective.
My list for effective is:
Felt (with sprays and some pastes)
Webbing
Leather
Nano
Balsa
But as you indicate, it is a matter of what YOUR preference is.
Have fun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
In my list the "Effective" is how much of the grit is on the surface of the strop..
ie: Felt allows the grit to sit "lower" into the surface then Balsa, so it gives a more gentle cutting action
Which is exactly why I find it to be so effective.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
You know... this stuff just kills me lol. I love absolutes :). I demand absolutes. Science!! Give me facts! All this "I feel," "you feel" is just crazy voodoo and a ploy to get me to buy more stuff to try lol!! What's a guy like me who's just starting to think when two gents like this differ in opinion lol??
But then it dawns on me. The reason that straights are so much fun is because in this world of sterile science and absolutes... there be voodoo in honing a straight lol. And I do get to buy other stuff and give it a try and... ultimately creating my own science lol.
Thank goodness lol!!
Lol!! No absolutes. Just preferences which may change at a moments notice.Quote:
Originally Posted by earcutter
Yo
So true, I am constantly changing my mindQuote:
Originally Posted by Lynn
I've only tried crox on a leather bench strop so I can only speak in reference to that. For me, that has produced excellent results. No reason at this point to try anything else.
Wow! Thanks All.
Lots of interesting points. Guess it just comes down to the old shell out the cash and spend the time playing to determine differences.
The main point for me is that here in The Land Down Under i can buy enough balsa for a strop for about $2. So far i have not found a local supplier for strop quality felt so that means spending about $20 US and shipping it over. Done that for a test strop. So methinks that economics will win unless i feel a real difference... i do not want to even consider the differences in steels, heat treat, etc amongst various razors. :dropjaw:
Thanks for the feedback.
Adam
I really like this idea of yours: "Create your own science." Could even be knighted with CYOS!Quote:
Originally Posted by earcutter