How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop

[Slash McCoy]

Assuming that you have the strop perpendicular to your body (i.e/ longways going away from you)rather than parallel,

Pull stoke = starting with the razor at the far end of the strop and pulling it towards you (edge is eyeballing your belly)
Push stroke = starting with the razor close to you and pushing it to the far end (you see the spine)

Actually no. Perhaps I use the wrong word. But what I mean is drawing the razor straight across the balsa, or nearly so. This must be done carefully to avoid slicing the balsa. But apparently it is an old trick used for sharpening japanese swords. Anyway it seems to lessen the incidence of fin edge. With the strop oriented to/away from the user, the razor in the right hand and laying across the balsa, the razor is drawn carefully about 1/2" to 1" directly toward the right, then flipped onto the otehr side and drawn across again.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Oops, that's what I get for not reading the thread back a half dozen posts or so.

The answer is yes AND no ... depending.

If you're sharpening on film or a hone, the edge leads. If you're doing just a minor refresh/touchup on very high grit surfaces, then the edge trails as it would on an normal unpasted strop.

Yeah. On diamond pasted balsa, the spine leads during normal stropping. Leading with the edge is like playing Russian Roullette with all 6 chambers loaded. You will probably filet the strop.

 

[rockviper]

Ah, the 1/2" sideways pull. 90 degrees from the normal honing/stropping motion.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Ah, the 1/2" sideways pull. 90 degrees from the normal honing/stropping motion.
View attachment 803656

Precisely.

 

[Hoka Hey]

Precisely.

Thanks Slash for documenting your continued experience. When I get around to trying Straights, it will be this thread and the film honing thread I plan to follow.

 

[rockviper]

Precisely.

Sometimes it takes me a while to catch on. It's why I tag myself as "subpar honer extraordinaire!" in my sig.

 

[Dirk X]

OK i feel better now lol.
I understood what the result you wanted was and I kind of suspected it was the sideways thing but wasn't sure.
It still seems like something I'll need to be VERY cautious in trying but balsa is cheap enough to replace when I slice it.
Thanks for the explanation.

Perhaps I missed it but when you apply the diamond paste on the balsa do you just rub it in with your fingers as evenly as possible then wipe it down with a tee shirt and that's all there is to it?

 

[Slash McCoy]

OK i feel better now lol.
I understood what the result you wanted was and I kind of suspected it was the sideways thing but wasn't sure.
It still seems like something I'll need to be VERY cautious in trying but balsa is cheap enough to replace when I slice it.
Thanks for the explanation.

Perhaps I missed it but when you apply the diamond paste on the balsa do you just rub it in with your fingers as evenly as possible then wipe it down with a tee shirt and that's all there is to it?

Yeah, that's pretty much it. You could have a Mayan shaman come in and do the animal sacrifice, incense, and incantations, but I like to keep it simple when possible.

 

[Dirk X]

Simple is best.
I'm going to order a couple of those acrylic plates and pick up some balsa and give this a go. Seems cheaper to do this each time when starting out than sinking next months rent into a bunch of rocks. Not that I won't do that eventually of course, I mean it is an addiction after all.
Thanks Slash!

 

[IMightBeWrong]

Possibly a silly question but what are you rubbing the paste into the balsa with? Simply your bare hands after a wash? Or do you scrape it down with something?

 

[Slash McCoy]

Possibly a silly question but what are you rubbing the paste into the balsa with? Simply your bare hands after a wash? Or do you scrape it down with something?

My hand. Fingertips, then palm. Yes. No, no scraping. Counterproductive. After the balsa is lapped, apply the diamond, sparingly, and rub it in well. If you think you might have put too much, an old tshirt can pick up the excess... just rub it down a bit with the tshirt and all is right in the world.

 

[captnronfl]

the film honing thread I plan to follow.

Could you paste that thread for me here.
I have been working with an old Gem razor hone stone that has a leather strop on the other side.
I'm just playing with it now trying to get to a point where I know enough how to hone my own razor.
I want to have everything I need to hone with by then.
I have passed on razors because I could not honed them.
Ron

 

[Hoka Hey]

Could you paste that thread for me here.
I have been working with an old Gem razor hone stone that has a leather strop on the other side.
I'm just playing with it now trying to get to a point where I know enough how to hone my own razor.
I want to have everything I need to hone with by then.
I have passed on razors because I could not honed them.
Ron

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Lapping film, try it.

 

[captnronfl]

Lapping film, try it.

Thanks Ron

 

[IMightBeWrong]

Pastes aren't working for me. At least the .1 isn't, it's too aggressive and feels like it wants to bite into my skin and not just take off hair. The .5 isn't bad, feels like CrOx to me but a little more aggressive also. I can see enjoying this if you're after the sharpest and most polished edge possible, but I get a more comfortable shave with CrOx or just off a finishing stone and stropped.

 

[captnronfl]

a finishing stone and stropped.

What are you using for a finishing stone?
Ron

 

[IMightBeWrong]

What are you using for a finishing stone?
Ron

Just a CNAT currently. I would like to invest in a JNAT at some point but the lower cost Shoubudani and Ozuku Asagi Koppa stones aren't available right now that I can find. Another member has offered me an Arkansas Translucent as well at a good cost, just haven't had the cash. Either way, the CNAT edge isn't scary sharp but it's comfortable.

 

[captnronfl]

I think I will try out the 3m film first.
I think the stones are cool and all but the prices of some of them...
Really???
They are just rocks.
Got to go before they track me down and beat me with them

 

[Slash McCoy]

Could you paste that thread for me here.
I have been working with an old Gem razor hone stone that has a leather strop on the other side.
I'm just playing with it now trying to get to a point where I know enough how to hone my own razor.
I want to have everything I need to hone with by then.
I have passed on razors because I could not honed them.
Ron

View attachment 821321
View attachment 821322

What you have there is called a barber hone. In very skilled and experienced hands it works okay. There is a learning curve to getting a reasonably good edge from one. Not an ideal newbie hone. Your strop is toast. Basically unusable.

I would go for some 3u and 1u lapping film, and a proper hanging strop. And start with a razor that is already shave ready! This is very important. If you aren't already getting good shaves with something in way of a straight razor, don't try to hone yet. It will only confuse and frustrate you.

When you have made your first shave ready edge, set up your balsa strops. Then you will be cooking with gas.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Pastes aren't working for me. At least the .1 isn't, it's too aggressive and feels like it wants to bite into my skin and not just take off hair. The .5 isn't bad, feels like CrOx to me but a little more aggressive also. I can see enjoying this if you're after the sharpest and most polished edge possible, but I get a more comfortable shave with CrOx or just off a finishing stone and stropped.

Too much pressure, maybe. I get nice comfy edges from .1u. Be sure to include some pull strokes during the finish.