Thread: How many of you use Balsa Wood?

How many of you use Balsa wood strops with success?
Is this superior to felt or even pasted leather?

I use a balsa piece with CrO on one side and FeO on the other, and it seems to enhance smoothness (following Norton 4k/8k and the Guangxi Cnat). But I can't compare to other pasted media b/c I haven't used them.

I don't like the feel or effect of balsa. I prefer newspaper or cereal box interiors for cheap paste substrates.

I have one pasted with CBN. I use it occasionally after a final polishing hone.

I use it to touch an edge in between hones.
Sharpens nicely in my opinion.

I use a felt lined balsa board with crox, seems to get the blade more uniformly imo.

Some of my razors get stropped on balsa after honing. I think it adds a keenness to the edge.

I used a strop with a suspended piece of thin balsa strictly for two years. Nothing else. It got nicer and nicer everytime I used it.
I have gone the fabric/leather route since, but still use my suspended balsa strops for CroOx and FeOx a bit after honing.

Went to the hobby store and got a 2x3x10" piece of balsa and used a sanding block with 220 sandpaper on one side. Used chromium oxide on it and it works wonderfully as a touch up hone. Saves going to the stones to about once every other month. Cheap too.

I use a balsa bench strop with crox for touch ups.