Balsa strop/s?

[losing]

I have been doing a lot of reading about balsa strops. In the info Traditional Straight Razor Shaving Instructions for Beginners posted by @rbscebu (a lot of work went into that bit of info, greatly appreciated and an amazing job) he mentions to make 3 balsa strops each with finer oxides. Are three needed? Or can a single balsa strop with the right oxide be sufficient?

 

[rbscebu]

@losing, it depends on where your blade is coming from. If your blade's edge has already been taken to perfection (by someone else) through 0.5μm, 0.25μm and 0.1μm and you believe that the edge will never degenerate, all you need is just one 0.1μm pasted balsa strop.

I have degraded enough edges through poor stropping technique, poor shaving technique and other causes, that I need a full set of of pasted balsa strops. Also, I could not find anyone within cooee who could provide me with a blade having a perfect pasted balsa strop edge.

I also like to very occasionally give a blade another full pasted balsa strop progression, just to be sure that edge hasn't been degraded. Degradation can sneak up on you without you even noticing.

I am now finding that I could do away with (but I won't) all pasted balsa strops by using my rather unique Chinese natural whetstone. I say unique because you may have to buy many to find one that works for you. Those that don't work, make good but expensive door stops.

My First Natural Finish

This morning I received a Chinese natural (Cnat) by Adaee. They rate it at about 12k. It's a monster at 30mm x 75mm x 200mm with a specific gravity of 2.77. Why this stone? The only reason is ecause it was within my budget at about USD 50 including shipping. The stone had mixed reviews. Some...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[losing]

Alright, so I will start out with a 0.5 one since I added some to a Maggard's soap sample order I made yesterday. The others will come as I can get the kit together. Thanks again for all the help, you are a fountain of information.

 

[rbscebu]

Just remember that many, myself included, have found that the best shaving edges come off (in order of best to worst):

1. 0.1μm
2. 1.0μm (film)
3. 0.5μm
4. 0.25μm

 

[haggis]

Now did the Lord say, “First thou stroppest the Holy Balsa. Then thou must strop to 0.1.

0.1 shall be the number of the stropping and the number of the stropping shall be 0.1.

.01 shalt thou not strop, neither shalt thou strop 0.25, excepting that thou then proceedeth to 0.1.

.001 is right out."

 

[Steve56]

Then use a PHIG !

 

[Frank Shaves]

Depends on what you want to accomplish. I have limited experience using 0.5, 0.25 and 0.01 micron diamond paste on balsa. If your goal is to get to 0.01 then conventional wisdom is you need to use 0.5, 0.25 and 0.01 in that order.

That said, there are people who use a little Thiers Issard strop paste on leather (or denim or balsa?) to add a little sharpness to a 12k or natural stone finish.

 

[rbscebu]

Depends on what you want to accomplish. I have limited experience using 0.5, 0.25 and 0.1 micron diamond paste on balsa. If your goal is to get to 0.1 then conventional wisdom is you need to use 0.5, 0.25 and 0.1 in that order.

That said, there are people who use a little Thiers Issard strop paste on leather (or denim or balsa?) to add a little sharpness to a 12k or natural stone finish.

Corrected.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Thank you, @rbscebu.

 

[JPO]

Depends on what you want to accomplish. I have limited experience using 0.5, 0.25 and 0.01 micron diamond paste on balsa. If your goal is to get to 0.01 then conventional wisdom is you need to use 0.5, 0.25 and 0.01 in that order.

That said, there are people who use a little Thiers Issard strop paste on leather (or denim or balsa?) to add a little sharpness to a 12k or natural stone finish.

The 12k synthetic to Thiers Issard paste on balsa is a really nice type of edge. Particle size is just a tiny part of the equation, as the TI paste is quite coarse. I thick it is much coarser then a 1 micron (12k stone) is. The particle shape, hardness and the substrate it is used on makes a big difference. If i use it i only do 5-10 passes. As you do more you might risk setting the edge back because of the convexity you impart. You might improve the HHT, but the cutting efficiency will gradually start to drop. That is just my experience.

I am not able to tell the difference between a 0.01 micron and a 0.25 micron on balsa. The felt difference might just be caused by more time spent on the balsa in total. Believe me i have tried, but i guess it requires a little leap of fait.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I have been doing a lot of reading about balsa strops. In the info Traditional Straight Razor Shaving Instructions for Beginners posted by @rbscebu (a lot of work went into that bit of info, greatly appreciated and an amazing job) he mentions to make 3 balsa strops each with finer oxides. Are three needed? Or can a single balsa strop with the right oxide be sufficient?

Set up all three, exactly as instructed. Use them exactly as instructed. It is a proven recipe for incredible results. Your part is to just follow instructions without doubt or question. Believe me, you will be very glad that you did. Substitute method or substitute equipment gives substitute results.

EVERY beginner asks if this or that will work just as well. The answer is universally NO. It has all been tried. When you as a beginner choose to depart from the path, you are randomizing your results and not refining them. Early and overwhelming success depends on simply following instructions perfectly. Think of it as a sacred ritual that the shave gods are watching with a critical eye and the hand of divine wrath and punishment barely held in check.

You CAN do this any way you like. Your razor. We only show the way of The Method, and you may follow or not follow. Take all the detours you want, but that will not be following the path and will not give the same results. The instructions are tailored for the beginner, specifically, with choices and decisions and wild cards eliminated.

 

[aussie]

I recommend all three grades, but with the added recommendation that you strop on normal leather before paste stropping. In my experience this gives a much smoother edge. Possibly doing this in reverse order will give the same result.