I'm going to make a pasted Balsa Strop on the weekend and i was just wondering if it matters what grit sandpaper i use to lap it flat? If so can enyone give me some guidance?
Thanks
Grant
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I'm going to make a pasted Balsa Strop on the weekend and i was just wondering if it matters what grit sandpaper i use to lap it flat? If so can enyone give me some guidance?
Thanks
Grant
I doubt it makes much difference what grit sandpaper you use, and will gladly be corrected by other SRP members.
Pasted linen strops, which are used roughly in the same function as a balsa strop, are rough by their very nature. When you strop on balsa, even with light pressure, the blade sinks into the strop slightly (due to the soft character of the wood.) I think this also indicates that the smoothness of the balsa wood is not the most important factor.
For my month's use of balsa, (warning: not an expert), I use the balsa straight from a hobby shop with good results.
+1 I went to the local hobby shop and bought 1/8"x3"x3' Aircraft balsa for like $1.49 and it was about as flat as necessary.Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryAndro
I use from 180 to 220 grit with success. It doesn't matter too much as your paste will fill the depressions in the wood.
bj
baldy,Quote:
Originally Posted by baldy
I made up a handful of 3" x 12" paddles with handles for the Upper Midwest Shaving Society's recent meeting. These were of shop scrap: Medex water resistant MDF and some yellow poplar both with an 1/8" balsa veneer. After they were glued with Titebond wood glue I touched up the surface with an 80 grit sanding block and finished with some 120. For things like this I think you can go nuts with ultra fine sandpaper which may just create smooth hills and valleys. In the shop I have sanding blocks made up with belt sander belts cut and glued to 1" particle board blocks so the resulting surface is fairly flat ( +/- .005" according to the manufacturers). ChrisL did the pencil grid marking and lapping on one and said it was pretty flat, so I think the technique is adequate for making a paddle strop.
good luck, good stropping,