I am looking to make myself a wooden strop and planning to use either a 3"-3" or 4"-4" 12inc long piece of lumber. It seems that everyone is using balsa wood but have been having trouble finding balsa wood I have gone to the local Home-Depot and local craft stores. Either they don't have balsa wood in stock or don't have at all other then balsa wood what other pieces of lumber would make a good wooden strop? I am either planning to paste with diamond or chrome pastes .