Thread: Quick change balsa wood paddle strop

My first attempt at making a balsa strop, its a little bit rough but its a first attempt.

This is an idea for an easy replacement balsa wood paddle strop as all the other ones i have seen involved gluing down the balsa wood. To me that didn't seem practical due to how soft balsa wood is.

Once the balsa wood gets damaged or worn just remove it and replace it with ease, no sanding back, removing glue and risking damaging the paddle.

This was made from a solid piece of 80mm x 340mm x 19mm jarrah. I routed the initial grove and chiseled out the majority then finished it with a hand plane leveling the center, then sanded and applied a hard banishing oil.

The inner sides of the paddle has a slight bevel so when the balsa wood slides in to place it compresses slightly and sits in very tight so it wont move at all once in place (as you can see in the video).

All it needs is a quick lap, some CrOx and its all good for stropping!

I have searched through the forums and i haven't found a design like this, not saying there isn't one already but if there is i couldn't find it. If there is one like this let me know!

Hope you guys like it and get some ideas from it!

Good idea and a great job! Thanks.

Hey that's not a bad idea at all. I like it

I made some balsa strops similar to this last year http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...er-strops.html well done on doing them by hand!

Pretty interestiing. I was wondering what holds it place. I see it just fits snuggly in there. I've never used Balsa wood to hone on, although it's popular. Is is subject to damage, once is pasted with crox?

I have never had balsa get damaged by the act of honing. But it is soft, so if you smack it against the table or something the needful will be done.

Originally Posted by zib

Pretty interestiing. I was wondering what holds it place. I see it just fits snuggly in there. I've never used Balsa wood to hone on, although it's popular. Is is subject to damage, once is pasted with crox?

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

I have never had balsa get damaged by the act of honing. But it is soft, so if you smack it against the table or something the needful will be done.

I agree, it is a very very soft and light wood but general stropping shouldn't damage it. What will damage it is if you knock it, accidentally pressing your blade too hard will dent it etc

If someone haven't felt balsa wood i would say it its very soft, soft enough to press your finder through it with a bit of force 'or' it would at least put a serious dent in the wood.

I guess it would be about the same weight as polystyrene but twice to three times as durable as polystyrene. Even if you put the spine of your razor down on it too hard it might dent it. Just don't touch it with the bevel lol

So with proper care it should last but it doesn't take much at all to destroy it.

Originally Posted by zib

Pretty interestiing. I was wondering what holds it place. I see it just fits snuggly in there. I've never used Balsa wood to hone on, although it's popular. Is is subject to damage, once is pasted with crox?

Have you ever felt balsa wood?

Yes, I have, but I never used it for stropping/honing. I prefer leather, or felt, something like that. I realize it's quite popular and was wondering if normal use is hard on it somehow, requiring it to be changed frequently, that's all. I really have no experience with it. (Other than those little toy planes they used to sell made from balsa wood....)\

Nice thing about the removable balsa, is you can paste one with Crox, and another with Diamond paste.

P.S. Funny thing, I just picked some up the other day to experiment with. The thickest I could find was 1/4 thick. I'll probably glue it to some pine, maybe make some paddles. I also found some nice material that's a cross between linen/canvas and hard wool felt. I can't wait to try it with some diamond and/or crox spray.

Results to follow...

Just added a changeable felt to it now as well. might make a leather one too

Now you can say you've 'felt' balsa wood.