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i do nto as of yet have a paddle strop but have ordered some 1 micron and 0.5 micron diamond compound from classic shaving that should arrive this week. I have heard that a peace of balsa wood works fine as a paddle strop. I can get good peaces of balsa wood from a local hobbie shop.
Does anyone have any experiance using balsa as a paddle strop?
John,
I use balsa regularly on my 2 and 4 sided paddles. It has been used in the past as well along with other porous woods like basswood for paddles. Usually balsa is applied to a harder wood as a base where as the basswood was used as is.
If you buy your balsa locally look it over well. Some pieces will have a tight fairly grainy surface while others will look failry smooth and not show obvious grain. I suggest the grainy on as it gives a good surface for the paste to settle into. You are trying to embed the paste into the wood surface and the pores help in this.
I use it mainly for finer pastes but there is no reason it cannot be used for any grit. I have a few 4 sided, all balsa paddle here I have not pasted yet and plan to try with the coarse grits too.
Tony
I use balsa for my .5 and .25 pastes. Wroks amazingly well. Good advice from Tony on the grain I think.