Thread: Subsitute for balsa pasted strop?

My balsa strop with the paste has rolled a bit on the edges making a bit of a "c" shape. I was wondering what I could use to put paste on besides balsa. Cardboard? Denim? What would yall recommend?

You could do denim, or leather. But I think you could also fix your c shaped strop. I don't know how. But I'm sure a little searching here in the forum would get you there.

Hey Tex! Sprinkle with Comet or Ajax. Scrub it with a soft-bristled scrub brush, rinse it good and let it dry.
Block sand it flat with some rough sandpaper and repaste it. Works good!

Go buy another piece of Balsa, it is pretty darn cheap

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Go buy another piece of Balsa, it is pretty darn cheap

Indeed, it is cheap! Scraping it off your base and adhereing a new piece is a pain too!
I found that scrubbing and sanding is not only cheaper, but easier. YMMV

You got a point there Tom, I have never actually used a Balsa strop so I was thinking just replacing the surface I just found 3" x 1/16" by 36" for $1 and that was my first search

get a pce at least an 1/8 thick,than use some good contact cement,the edges curling up will not be a problem again.I think you had a faulty bond.

My balsa strop is 1/4" thick, no problems with curling I can report

For a mere 20x the price of a balsa strop, you could look into the Wood Is Good WD401 Large Hone Strop. It's a hard rubber slab (2.75 x 8.5 inches) glued to a wooden base which serves as a handle. I've got one coated with quarter-micron diamond spray, and I'm quite pleased with the performance. The surface is porous enough to hold the compound in place, and it's got just a little bit of elasticity. There's a smaller (cheaper) model, but I haven't tried one.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

My balsa strop is 1/4" thick, no problems with curling I can report

Indeed, with a piece of balsa 1/4 thick, You might not even need a base!