Thread: Subsitute for balsa pasted strop?

Art stores often have balsa in 1/8, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch thick. As someone stated above, use a quality adhesive and apply the balsa to a three inch ceramic tile.

Correct me if I am wrong here, but I thought you wanted the thinner Balsa and to have it suspended so it would have a tiny bit of flex ????

Just an aside; you can bevel the edges of the balsa wood just the same way as you would bevel a freshly lapped stone.

Jerry
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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Correct me if I am wrong here, but I thought you wanted the thinner Balsa and to have it suspended so it would have a tiny bit of flex ????

YES I use that type of balsa strop for CroOx. It works nicely. Most guys use a piece of Balsa glued to a base for diamond pastes, etc. I found that the thicker a piece gets, the harder the surface. Thinner ones are softer and work best, IMO. I have one on a hard base with 9.0 diamond paste which greatly lowers the scratches after the DMT and before going to the hones. Works quite well!

Well I've got chromium oxide an iron oxide pastes that I do use as well on the balsa strop. I'm just a bit confused about a good base that I could use for my pastes. I know I could buy another piece of balsa but even the thicker stuff worries me now that my first one has warped.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...trop-hone.html

These are still my go to pasted strops, I made them 3+ years and have never had an issue since, I have one with CrOx one with CeOx and one with a beautiful tanned leather that Mark/speedster got from White Boots in Spokane that I have still not pasted..
They cost me less then $12 each to make not including the one that Mark got the leather for free they are long and flat yet still give just that tiny bit of flex that I like.. Just a thought for you, call a local shoe repair shop and ask them what they would sell you a 3x24 piece of Boot tanned leather for..

I think the problem is in the construction,Have built many paddles and have never had the issues the O.P refers to.
As Glen said,Use Dap contact cement on a well sanded surface (the brush on kind).

Yes, I never had any issues with it "curling". Here are the ones I spoke of, a suspended piece with the green and one glued down with 3M trim adhesive with 9.0 diamond. I have washed, sanded and repasted the diamond one 3 times over the years as it becomes black!

Yep that top one was EXACTLY what I was thinking of Tom, that is what I would build if I were to make a Balsa strop

It works well with the green. It is easy to "tune". Stiffer as both ends are tightened, loosen one end or both for more limber action. I just leave both ends loose and strop lightly. Somehow, I think if used with diamond or more aggressive stuff, tighter would be better, though.