Results 1 to 9 of 9
Like Tree4Likes
  • 2 Post By timj219
  • 1 Post By welshwizard
  • 1 Post By danielghofrani

Thread: Balsa strops: when to use?

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    14
    Thanked: 0

    Default Balsa strops: when to use?

    I have read a couple of posts of people using balsa strops. In all cases they used some sort of stropping compound. Is this the main use of a balsa strop? Why not use leather instead? My guess is that balsa is harder, so it can be more abrasive. But do you use a leather strop afterwards then, or does the balsa polish enough already?

    As you might infer, I am slighlty confused . When to use leather and when to use balsa?

  2. #2
    Norton convert Blix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Stabekk, Norway
    Posts
    1,380
    Thanked: 310

    Default

    Leather is used before every shave, balsa with say Chromium Oxide is more of a touch-up. If you use just one razor every day, 5-10 laps on balsa/crox once a week can keep the razor going for a while.

  3. #3
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    14
    Thanked: 0

    Default

    Thanks, Blix. So you always use balsa with a stropping compound, never without it?

    And what is the advantage of stropping with balsa + chromium oxide over stropping with leather + chromium oxide?

  4. #4
    Norton convert Blix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Stabekk, Norway
    Posts
    1,380
    Thanked: 310

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by evert67 View Post
    Thanks, Blix. So you always use balsa with a stropping compound, never without it?

    And what is the advantage of stropping with balsa + chromium oxide over stropping with leather + chromium oxide?
    I use balsa with 0.50/0.25/0.125 CBN sprays sometimes.
    Balsa is always used with a paste or spray on it, never by itself.

    Leather before each shave is always used unpasted, just clean leather, I also use linen.

    I tend to use CrOx on a leather strop, used after honing, and for refreshing now and then.
    CroX on leather is a bit less aggressive than CrOx on balsa.
    But for a weekly touch up that might be a good thing.(Balsa being a bit more effective)

  5. #5
    At this point in time... gssixgun's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    North Idaho Redoubt
    Posts
    26,948
    Thanked: 13221
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    When to use balsa????

    Never !!!


    People started using it as a way to test the pastes without having it invest in Leather or Felt strops or having to clean them up...

  6. #6
    Member timj219's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Binghamton, NY
    Posts
    51
    Thanked: 2

    Default

    Balsa is cheap. It's relatively stiff even compared to a leather table strop or paddle strop and not subject to bad technique like a hanging strop. When daily stropping on unpasted leather no longer returns your razor to shave ready condition, stropping on pasted balsa followed by leather can return the edge to shave ready condition. After some weeks or months you will eventually need to put the razor on a hone. The balsa lengthens the time between honing cheaply and easily. With any luck, periodic use of pasted balsa will allow you to become a fairly accomplished straight user before you will need to either spring for a hone of your own or send your razor out.
    cpcohen1945 and twogun like this.

  7. #7
    Senior Member welshwizard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Bucks. UK.
    Posts
    1,145
    Thanked: 183

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gssixgun View Post
    When to use balsa????
    I know it doesn't make it good, but Dovo sell a pasted balsa strop in Europe.
    Steel likes this.
    'Living the dream, one nightmare at a time'

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to welshwizard For This Useful Post:

    Steel (01-16-2014)

  9. #8
    Senior Member danielghofrani's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Ontario , Canada
    Posts
    205
    Thanked: 11

    Default

    I use a balsa loaded with Crox for quick touchups of razors. I also have 0.25 micron diamond on felt bench strop but never tried Crox on leather or anything else.

    at the end of the day: Crox on balsa works and it was probably the best $20 I spent on wet shaving.

    some people use them to finish honing but I don't do that myself, the reason: one may argue the legitimacy of this argument but I read an article by Jarrod at thesuperiorshave that stropping on pastes makes for an obtuse edge that is not the best. I myself use only 10 to 15 strokes (not laps) on Crox when my blades start pulling. and 40 laps on 0.25 micron diamond on felt.

    it works very well for me but YMMV
    Steel likes this.

  10. #9
    The Great & Powerful Oz onimaru55's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Bodalla, NSW
    Posts
    15,595
    Thanked: 3747

    Default

    My usual recommendation to beginners is to leave all hard or abrasive mediums out of the equation till confident stropping skills are mastered.

    Yes touchups with abrasives can prolong honing time ... or not ... but they definitely will magnify any stropping errors tenfold.
    “The white gleam of swords, not the black ink of books, clears doubts and uncertainties and bleak outlooks.”

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •