Thread: Balsa strops

Hay all

How have you all found best use of balsa strop?
I'm really happy with hanging thin balsa with course sanded face. I think it was gemstar who found that 40 laps on balsa post shave keeps an edge going for a long time. Thankfully this has helped me get past a handful of shaves before returning to hones.
With the corse finish balsa as light as possible seems to help me.
I wonder if lenen will have more consistent results in the future, I bet there is something I'm missing as balsa seems way more effective for me.
I also use paste on leather whenever I want sharper.

I use a lapped smooth balsa paddle strop impregnated with CrOx to fine tune an edge between honing on stones. I haven’t had to recharge the paste on the strop in over 5 years.

Hmmm I haven't really noticed any effectiveness using Crox on my balsa paddle. Must be doing something wrong.

Originally Posted by tintin

Hmmm I haven't really noticed any effectiveness using Crox on my balsa paddle. Must be doing something wrong.

LOTS of light strokes every 2 or 3 shaves works for me. If you do it frequently enough, the edge won’t seem to degrade as quickly. It’s more about maintaining the edge than correcting it once it starts to go wonky.

I use a balsa strop about the size of a honing stone and then leather strop to smooth the edge. On the balsa strop it has been sanded with 2000 grit w/d sandpaper and has a coating of 0.25 diamond paste. Haven't had any problems with my edges so far. For me, it delivers the shave that I'm looking for. Don't need all those fancy finishing stones that cost $$$$$. This works just as well, if you know what you're doing!

might have to give that a try John. Does the balsa add it's own abrasiveness or is it just a way to hold the paste?

For al practical purposes the balsa does not add any abrasive properties.

In my opinion it is soft enough to allow whatever abrasive you use to seat/bury iitself in to the balsa matrix making it have a finer abrasive qualities

Originally Posted by tintin

might have to give that a try John. Does the balsa add it's own abrasiveness or is it just a way to hold the paste?

I believe that Tim (32t) has the answer. I can't tell you how or why it works, but in the hands of the right person, it truly delivers a mighty fine shaving edge. I have two sets of these. One for the house and one for when I travel.

Here's the real interesting part - you can get balsa wood very cheap. I got some at Hobby Lobby and spent around $6.00. It produced the two sets that I referred to. You can put CrOx or BluOx and diamond paste on separate pieces. Got to love the simplicity and cost savings of that! Or you can go out and spend $400.00 and up on a stone that may become an expensive paperweight.

You just have to find that which works for you. Many people search for the perfect edge. I found the edge that delivers a close comfortable shave every single time and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg to achieve. That's what I stick with. But to each his own!

Originally Posted by Johntoad57

I believe that Tim (32t) has the answer. I can't tell you how or why it works, but in the hands of the right person, it truly delivers a mighty fine shaving edge. I have two sets of these. One for the house and one for when I travel.

Here's the real interesting part - you can get balsa wood very cheap. I got some at Hobby Lobby and spent around $6.00. It produced the two sets that I referred to. You can put CrOx or BluOx and diamond paste on separate pieces. Got to love the simplicity and cost savings of that! Or you can go out and spend $400.00 and up on a stone that may become an expensive paperweight.

You just have to find that which works for you. Many people search for the perfect edge. I found the edge that delivers a close comfortable shave every single time and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg to achieve. That's what I stick with. But to each his own!

Ah, man. My HAD is bumming hard right now.

Actually I have not spent a lot of money on hones with just a couple of exceptions. Most of my stones were either inherited or found in nature.

I have read some of CCR's posts about pasted balsa and I am intrigued. I too bought balsa from Hobby Lobby but mine is a 3"x3"x12" block. I planned on giving it 4 different sides but got distracted by shiny rocks and haven't done it yet.

Curse you expensive mineral deposits!!!