Thread: Balsa strop enough?

My cousin wants to try SR shaving do I'm setting him up with a razor to use. He's picking up the brush and soap but wants to make sure he likes it before buying a strop.

I'm thinking about making a balsa strop for him, question is...would a balsa strop with felt on one side and CO on the other be enough to get him by for awhile? Or would he need leather also?

I'm short on decent leather so I'd have to find some if that's the case.

Thoughts?

I've tried skipping the leather for a few days and using only my balsa just to see what would happen. I only have balsa with Crox, the shave was alright but the edge deteriorated quickly.

Maybe with some other cutting medium you would get the edge to last a little longer, but I think you'll be needing some leather.

Just my .02, someone with more time on the blade will probably chime in with a little more insight into alternatives for you.

Good luck, and enjoy the ride.

It will work for a while, but pastes tend to erode the bevel as they finish the edge. He'll eventually need a leather strop as well.

That's pretty much what I was thinking too. Thanks guys.

I've been using a red Latigo from SRD without pastes for three months and my razors all shave just as nice as day one. I'll push him to get an entry level strop.

Would you recommend using the pasted balsa say once a month to "freshen up" the blade? Daily stropping on a decent leather strop of course. Just to buy time between honing.

I should have said this the first time, but if you are using balsa/felt with any type of cutting medium daily you will quickly round off the bevel on your razor.

If that happens, it's too late for leather and you'll have to re-hone it to restore the bevel back to flat.

If you can't get leather have Him strop on newspaper till he can get one. If you go on YouTube and type in newspaper stropping2 that vid will show how to make a newspaper hanging strop

Originally Posted by ZeroCool

My cousin wants to try SR shaving do I'm setting him up with a razor to use. He's picking up the brush and soap but wants to make sure he likes it before buying a strop.

I'm thinking about making a balsa strop for him, question is...would a balsa strop with felt on one side and CO on the other be enough to get him by for awhile? Or would he need leather also?

I'm short on decent leather so I'd have to find some if that's the case.

Thoughts?

The balsa strop is used to clean off debris after honing so yes, I think you need a leather strop. The leather doesn't have to be in hanging strop form. If you want it on a wood surface you can take a look at what this guy has to offer: Laptop Strops

An alternative would be to get a Parker shavette and let him try straight shaving without stropping and honing. I would have discouraged a shavette before I stumbled on the Parker. This is where I got mine: Parker SR1 Barber Straight Razor and 10 Personna. Then if he likes it and wants a true straight, then you can revisit the honing and stropping equipment.

Hardly the best alternative, but I've met very few men that didn't carry a strop with them full time, folded with money in it in their back pocket. Keep this " travel strop" folded, do 60 or so passes and anyone can get by in a pinch.

Use newspaper or an old pair of jeans in lieu of leather if need be.

Check in with Larry Andro for the entry level leather. He can be very helpful.

Jerry