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Thread: Balsa Prep

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Default Balsa Prep

    Uninformed question.
    The Balsa I find seems quite smooth as purchased. What, if any further sanding or prep is needed for use as a strop before applying abrasives?

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    illegitimum non carborundum Utopian's Avatar
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    I suppose you could sand it with whatever degrees of fine sandpaper you have available. You could also take a newspaper and use that to buff the heck out of it. As you said, it comes pretty smooth so necessary prep is likely minimal. Personally, I hate what balsa does to edges.

    Would you like something better?

    Pitch the balsa and use the inside layer of a cereal box. Attach that to a flat board and even that is a better surface than balsa, in my opinion.

    Want something even better?
    Spring for some hard felt!

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    Senior Member deighaingeal's Avatar
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    As someone who has never used balsa, I would want to make sure that it is lapped flat before anything else.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Gentlemen, Thank You both!

    Utopian, the cerial box - are to meaning the uncoated cardboard of the box itself? I've seen cardboard used.

    I have to go against my own thinking to even mess w/ sprays or pastes, but don't wish to remain ignorant about them.

    So Balsa would seem to have a distinct affect that you don't like. Harshness? Brittle or frail edges?

    Felt: 'would certainly give the most cushion to the edge. Maybe even make larger abrasives work (like slurry from a Coti?)

    Maybe best to simply ask what your fav setups are for using pastes/sprays. Felt, okay - which pastes or sprays have you liked best? Maybe w/ a word on what they provide that your like.

    Again, I appreciate your help.

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    I shave with a spoon on a stick. Slartibartfast's Avatar
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    I have used balsa & chromium oxide together. It seems to do the needful. May the needful be done for you in many ways.

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    Texas Guy from Missouri LarryAndro's Avatar
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    I use chromium oxide on balsa, and also iron oxide on balsa. I also use diamond on felt. I don't think you have to choose one or the other, but I believe they are somewhat complementary surfaces.

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    illegitimum non carborundum Utopian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pinklather View Post
    Utopian, the cerial box - are to meaning the uncoated cardboard of the box itself? I've seen cardboard used.

    So Balsa would seem to have a distinct affect that you don't like. Harshness? Brittle or frail edges?
    Yes, the uncoated cardboard surface that faces the cereal is a nice smooth free (if you eat that crap) surface that works just fine.

    Personally, in my opinion only, the balsa is not a good surface for pastes. It seemed to produce a more harsh edge. I experimented with it for quite a while and did not like the microscopic damage it did to edges in comparison to pasted linen, leather, or felt. Others seem to like it though.

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to Utopian For This Useful Post:

    pinklather (06-21-2011)

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    At this point in time... gssixgun's Avatar
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    I have written this a few times and heard it quite a few more times, and seen it even more over the last few years...

    New Guy to pastes: I want to try a pasted strop but I don't want to spend too much

    "Expert": Well you can put the paste on balsa and that works but I think pastes are harsh..

    New Guy: Oh yeah great idea..

    Takes the balsa and applies (over applies more like it) Diamond / CrOx /Whatever and proceeds to try this set up usually over using it too....

    2 months later

    Another New guy to pastes : I want to try a pasted strop

    Former new guy to pastes: Oh man I tried pastes but the Diamond is way to harsh but you can try it on balsa and it won't cost ya too much...


    And so it goes

    Felt = Least harsh
    Linen/webbing
    Leather
    Balsa =Most harsh

    If you think honing has variables, here is an eye opener, so does paste

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    Texas Guy from Missouri LarryAndro's Avatar
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    The common wisdom seems to be pretty harsh toward pastes and balsa. I can't agree. You can misuse diamond on felt, or chromium on linen, or plain leather, or almost anything.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Quote Originally Posted by gssixgun View Post
    I have written this a few times and heard it quite a few more times, and seen it even more over the last few years...
    Yes! I hope its no surprise that I remember your kind help here in another post - to the point I copied and saved it for reference. Its appreciated more than I can say.

    What I'm hearing most is that the pliable strop (felt>leather) is the consensus of the experienced guys. My hones don't seem to be giving me issues w/ harshness, so I'm guessing that messing w/ some diamond spray would be possible without getting too carnivorous. More guys seem to complain of harshness w/ .25micron spray vs the .5 micron. I'm sure either could be overdone. Would there be a rule of thumb about how many strokes, assuming .5m diamond on an SRD Felt strop? I'm thinking last strokes after stones.

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