Hi Guys,
Is there a particular sandpaper grit to use when you lap a balsa strop? I just made a paddle strop and I'm at that point now. Thanks.
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Hi Guys,
Is there a particular sandpaper grit to use when you lap a balsa strop? I just made a paddle strop and I'm at that point now. Thanks.
The Balsa Strop I got today came with Chromium Oxide 0.3 Micron Power and Ferrous Oxide 0.1 Micron Power, I'm not sure if u should use sand paper on a SR. Mine came from whippeddog.com, poor mans strop
Thats got to be one of the best deals goin to get you on the road, as it were. Thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by blugill
I'm talking about using sandpaper on the balsa wood to get it flat.
I would get it flat with 325 grit and then use 600+ to get it smooth.
Most hones are fine with just the 325 but balsa can get those little tufts on it which I try to avoid, hence using the slightly higher grit to finish it off. It only takes about 5 swipes on the 600 grit to get rid of those.
Thats just been my experience working with balsa!
Going up to 600 is a bonus, but not necessary. You should be fine with 325.
That being said sandpaper, unlike hones, is cheap so if you want to experiment by all means go ahead.
Hi,
Balsa is so perfect for stropping with ultra fine grit materials. It does a lot of things right. It is highly porous, holding lots of your abrasive. The wood is extremely soft, deflecting as you draw your razor along, subjecting the blade to the abrasive.
In my experience, the strop requires very little sanding. Of course, if get a ding in it, or by accident, push the blade into it- a sanding might be in order. Use whatever you need to set the bevel,er...make it flat. Say, 60, 100,220. I don't mind the little hairs. I think they hold abrasive while they're there. They flatten and fall off.
After months, it seems the abrasive sort of becomes like a paint, and begins to flake off, maybe the surface breaking down. Also the edges get a little rounded. I sand it like above, on a flat surface(tablesaw) and recharge the surface.
My two cents,
Ed
quicknicker