Balsa strop

[Titleist]

Ah. Yes, absolutely. The only down side is that balsa that thick and wide is usually soft balsa, easy to identify by being very white and not having any visible grain. Soft balsa absolutely work perfectly but you will have to be careful to use very little pressure so as not to leave compressed areas in the balsa. I normally prefer hard balsa specifically because it will not easily compress but again soft balsa will work find if you are gentle with it.

Balsa varies wildly in hardness and density; very soft balsa is easy to compress between finger and thumb, not unlike Styrofoam. Hard balsa is not readily compressible through hand pressure. And I am not talking about Olympics weight lifters here- any average, non- athletic woman can leave finger and thumb pad depressions in soft balsa using one hand and not grunting

But still, be gentle and that block of balsa will last two lifetimes.

Enjoy the experience of balsa stropping! In my own opinion, it makes it easy to get truly amazing edges on razors with nothing more than just a little care and can be done in a few minutes right in your 'shaving den' (bathroom ) No setup, no break-down and nothing else needed- just a minute or two of gentle strokes on the charged balsa and you can maintain a truly outstanding edge on your razor(s) indefinitely.

Best of luck going forward and hopefully lots of satisfaction keeping your razors in excellent sharpness and comfortable shaving condition.

The blocks that I purchased were/are very hard balsa with plenty of grain visible. It took me a little while to lap it in preparation for the paste application. I'm using them now as a test to see whether or not I want to use that progression in lieu of my finishing toma when I run edges over my JNATS. So far, I have no complaints.

 

[BDF]

Ah, excellent! Then I would opine that you have the best of all possible worlds: a nice size block of balsa that is also hard enough to maintain its surface.

OFFTOPIC: I have just started using a Japanese Natural (coming from film) and am enjoying getting the hang of it. It has been about 6 months and I can now produce a decent (though not outstanding) edge from the coarser side of my stone. I do not strop my Jnat edges on charged balsa simply because I am chasing a Jnat / stropped edge just for the knowledge and a bit of skill building. But most of my razors still have a charged balsa edge and shave wonderfully while the Jnat edges are decent, absolutely workable but not outstanding. No matter, this is more of a personal interest than looking for a different method. I do have to say though that honing on a Jnat with a slurry is very simple and easy compared to using film- only one stone and diluting the slurry is similar to going through a film progression.

As to the progression on charged balsa from natural stones, I believe going from any natural stone finish to balsa charged with 0.25 micron abrasive, diamond or CBN, will eradicate the previous stone's honing finish on the razor and replace it with a very high shine, virtually no groove finish. Moving to 0.1 micron abrasive on balsa will yield a very highly polished edge with an extremely fine finish on the bevel- virtually a true mirror finish with an almost incredibly sharp edge. In my experience, the only edge that is sharper than a commercial Feather double edge razor.

Anyway, best of success going forward and as much as possible, enjoy the trip!

The blocks that I purchased were/are very hard balsa with plenty of grain visible. It took me a little while to lap it in preparation for the paste application. I'm using them now as a test to see whether or not I want to use that progression in lieu of my finishing toma when I run edges over my JNATS. So far, I have no complaints.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I used balsa strops from Chef Knives to Go attaching the magnetic backing to a cheapo diamond plate. Worked fine.

 

[Titleist]

As to the progression on charged balsa from natural stones, I believe going from any natural stone finish to balsa charged with 0.25 micron abrasive, diamond or CBN, will eradicate the previous stone's honing finish on the razor and replace it with a very high shine, virtually no groove finish. Moving to 0.1 micron abrasive on balsa will yield a very highly polished edge with an extremely fine finish on the bevel- virtually a true mirror finish with an almost incredibly sharp edge. In my experience, the only edge that is sharper than a commercial Feather double edge razor.

I did just that this morning from bevel set, through full JNAT progression and instead of the finishing tomo or laps on just water, I went right to the balsa and then to linen and leather.

Everything looks wonderful under the loupe. But, tomorrow or Sunday's shave is the real test. You hit on something that I knew from the very beginning of my experiments weeks ago: And that it that after coming off at least Koma, one doesn't need anything more that 0.25u and 0.1u to achieve the desire results. From what I have seen under the loupe, anything more coarse than 0.25u on the balsa after JNAT is going backward.

It's interesting to me that guys who use lapping films are the one lauding pasted balsa. I grew up through the synthetic route and settled into JNATs. My edges are very sharp yet smooth. Now I'm moving to a hybrid honing method of JNAT and Balsa for the first time in 10 years.

Proves that you never stop learning.

 

[rbscebu]

.... Moving to 0.1 micron abrasive on balsa will yield a very highly polished edge with an extremely fine finish on the bevel- virtually a true mirror finish with an almost incredibly sharp edge. In my experience, the only edge that is sharper than a commercial Feather double edge razor.
....

I very much agree. Every so often I shave with a shavette and Feather DE blade just to compare. I use to find that the Feather DE blade was a little more comfortable to shave with. Then I started to include short X strokes on the 0.1μm. that brought the comfort level of the 0.1μm edges up to at least the same as the Feather DE blades.

Now with my 0.1μm edges, I often get as good or better than Feather DE blades with the comfort.

 

[Chandu]

Get some balsa, a flat backer for it and some compound. That is all you need. As long as the backer is reasonably flat you are good.

 

[BDF]

Yes, even though these compounds are extremely fine, they are also extremely aggressive. So there is no need or any advantage to a very fine finish on the razor, from either a stone or film, before going to diamond or CBN. I never use 0.5 micron diamond anymore instead just moving to 0.25 micron diamond for not more than 20 'V' strokes and then to 0.1 micron CBN. Thereafter there has never been a need to use anything but 0.1 micron CBN to maintain all my razors.

I began using charged balsa when beginning to use film. Not as a contest but using each to compliment the other. Charged balsa is not a great way to set a bevel IMO while film or a stone is because they are rigid and force the razor to have two planes that make that 'V' that is the edge. Charged balsa leaves an ultra- sharp edge but also very slightly rounds or radius's the edge making it far more durable, again IME. The very sharpest razor I have ever used was finished on 0.5 micron diamond film but the edge did not last even the entire shave before degrading. And of course, finishing on film takes some time and setting up- charged balsa is ready to go anywhere, anytime and no preparation is required at all. Back to the sequence: I leave film at 3 micron diamond and go to charged balsa. Even 0.25 diamond charged balsa will wipe out all the scratches left by 3 micron film, and diamond leaves much deeper scratches than Aluminum oxide for example, in just a few strokes. There is absolutely no point in going to 1 micron or finer film if using charged balsa to finish. So it does not strike me as odd in the least that film users would also use charged balsa, both have their tasks that they do well but film alone lacks the sharpness and smoothness that charged balsa provides, and balsa alone is not a reasonable bevel setting or 'roughing' method.

Jnats followed by charged balsa would be excellent also but a lot of Jnat users feel that the best shaves come from the stone and leather stropping. Just getting into Jnats (that should be singular, I only have one ) myself, I am also not using anything but linen and leather after the stone simply so I can tell if the edge is decent or not. One of the downsides of charged balsa is that it covers up all kinds of sins and errors.... it will even finish the bevel on a razor that did not have the bevel set correctly in the first place. It can be a good thing but it also masks lousy honing without the user even being aware of it most of the time.

Yep, only dead people should stop learning. Just recently, charged microfiber has become a very new way to finish a razor's edge. I have not tried it so cannot comment but the point is that even after learning all the nuances of honing razors, new materials will come along and make everyone again ignorant regarding those materials. Not sure how far back charged balsa goes but I know the super abrasives such as man- made diamond and CBN are quite recent. So the bestus homemeister on the planet would be as ignorant as the person buying his / her first straight razor regarding these new materials and methods of using them.

I did just that this morning from bevel set, through full JNAT progression and instead of the finishing tomo or laps on just water, I went right to the balsa and then to linen and leather.

Everything looks wonderful under the loupe. But, tomorrow or Sunday's shave is the real test. You hit on something that I knew from the very beginning of my experiments weeks ago: And that it that after coming off at least Koma, one doesn't need anything more that 0.25u and 0.1u to achieve the desire results. From what I have seen under the loupe, anything more coarse than 0.25u on the balsa after JNAT is going backward.

It's interesting to me that guys who use lapping films are the one lauding pasted balsa. I grew up through the synthetic route and settled into JNATs. My edges are very sharp yet smooth. Now I'm moving to a hybrid honing method of JNAT and Balsa for the first time in 10 years.

Proves that you never stop learning.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

There is absolutely no point in going to 1 micron or finer film if using charged balsa to finish

This has not been my experience with film and balsa. I've found that the better the edge is before the balsa, the better it is after. I do agree that diamond paste will wipe out the scratches quickly, though, even from a 3 micron film. But my preference is for a keener apex than I'm able to get off 3 micron film.

 

[rbscebu]

^^^ +1

 

[rbscebu]

This has not been my experience with film and balsa. I've found that the better the edge is before the balsa, the better it is after. I do agree that diamond paste will wipe out the scratches quickly, though, even from a 3 micron film. But my preference is for a keener apex than I'm able to get off 3 micron film.

@BDF is writing from his experience as an an accomplished SR honer. It may not be the best advice for one just starting out in SR honing.

I started my honing sticking strictly to the B&B Method using lapping films only. This got me a good shave-ready edge on my second try with my Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60. I then added diamond pasted balsa to my ST honing routine, still strictly in accordance with the B&B Method, and achieved even better results.

Since then (and many SR's later), I have modified my honing routine to suite my SR honing style to give me edges that best suite my shaving style. I do not recommend n00bies adopte or even try my current honing routine. I believe that it is best for a n00bie to first master the B&B Method before modifying to suite his own style.

Everyone is different. I believe that hey should start with a system that is known to work and, once mastered, only then venture out with their preferred modifications.

 

[Titleist]

Yes, even though these compounds are extremely fine, they are also extremely aggressive. So there is no need or any advantage to a very fine finish on the razor, from either a stone or film, before going to diamond or CBN. I never use 0.5 micron diamond anymore instead just moving to 0.25 micron diamond for not more than 20 'V' strokes and then to 0.1 micron CBN. Thereafter there has never been a need to use anything but 0.1 micron CBN to maintain all my razors.

I began using charged balsa when beginning to use film. Not as a contest but using each to compliment the other. Charged balsa is not a great way to set a bevel IMO while film or a stone is because they are rigid and force the razor to have two planes that make that 'V' that is the edge. Charged balsa leaves an ultra- sharp edge but also very slightly rounds or radius's the edge making it far more durable, again IME. The very sharpest razor I have ever used was finished on 0.5 micron diamond film but the edge did not last even the entire shave before degrading. And of course, finishing on film takes some time and setting up- charged balsa is ready to go anywhere, anytime and no preparation is required at all. Back to the sequence: I leave film at 3 micron diamond and go to charged balsa. Even 0.25 diamond charged balsa will wipe out all the scratches left by 3 micron film, and diamond leaves much deeper scratches than Aluminum oxide for example, in just a few strokes. There is absolutely no point in going to 1 micron or finer film if using charged balsa to finish. So it does not strike me as odd in the least that film users would also use charged balsa, both have their tasks that they do well but film alone lacks the sharpness and smoothness that charged balsa provides, and balsa alone is not a reasonable bevel setting or 'roughing' method.

Jnats followed by charged balsa would be excellent also but a lot of Jnat users feel that the best shaves come from the stone and leather stropping. Just getting into Jnats (that should be singular, I only have one ) myself, I am also not using anything but linen and leather after the stone simply so I can tell if the edge is decent or not. One of the downsides of charged balsa is that it covers up all kinds of sins and errors.... it will even finish the bevel on a razor that did not have the bevel set correctly in the first place. It can be a good thing but it also masks lousy honing without the user even being aware of it most of the time.

Yep, only dead people should stop learning. Just recently, charged microfiber has become a very new way to finish a razor's edge. I have not tried it so cannot comment but the point is that even after learning all the nuances of honing razors, new materials will come along and make everyone again ignorant regarding those materials. Not sure how far back charged balsa goes but I know the super abrasives such as man- made diamond and CBN are quite recent. So the bestus homemeister on the planet would be as ignorant as the person buying his / her first straight razor regarding these new materials and methods of using them.

I actually shaved with this particular razor this morning. Absolutely amazed at how smooth and sharp it was after skipping the finishing tomo and going right into my pasted balsa. Like you, coming off the stone (at Koma), I went right to 0.25u and then 0.1u for 100 laps each. Then to leather.

At least with this particular edge, I'm extremely satisfied that I made the jump from tomo to balsa.

 

[BDF]

Yes, I think this falls in the category of how we do the balsa stropping. And I am sure many different people do it many different ways. I start off with some pressure, not a ridiculous amount but also no where close to 'the weight of the razor'. I continuously lighten that pressure as I am doing 'V' strokes. Finally, I finish with very light (but not no) pressure for the ten or so draw strokes on each side. At the end of the day, I find my own balsa stropping wipes out any and all previous finishes, all the way to the edge of the razor. So basically the entire bevel and edge are 100% generated by charged balsa with nothing left of the previous honing.

You may be using far less pressure for the entire sequence of balsa stropping. I know when I read about people doing 100 strokes on balsa strops it makes me think the razors are coming out of that about a mm less wide than they went in. I believe the difference is due to individual techniques; I do not use many laps on charged balsa or linen and leather strops. Perhaps others are getting finer, sharper edges? No reason to think that is not the case.

What would be great would be for a bunch of us (what is the herd term for straight razor shavers? Gaggle? Pod? Neanderthals?) to meet in person and swap honing techniques and try shaving with as many others honed razors as possible. I am absolutely sure I would come away from such a meeting with new skills and processes as well as different perspectives. Too bad the world is so big......

This has not been my experience with film and balsa. I've found that the better the edge is before the balsa, the better it is after. I do agree that diamond paste will wipe out the scratches quickly, though, even from a 3 micron film. But my preference is for a keener apex than I'm able to get off 3 micron film.

 

[Tomo]

One of the downsides of charged balsa is that it covers up all kinds of sins and errors.... it will even finish the bevel on a razor that did not have the bevel set correctly in the first place. It can be a good thing but it also masks lousy honing without the user even being aware of it most of the time.

I have also found this to be true although I would actually consider it an upside. The edge has to be pretty good going to the balsa but not perfect. Film and balsa are much more accommodating to imperfections in razor geometry and honing technique than cold hard stone. This is one of the things that makes this system so well suited to beginner honers just starting out.

 

[Tomo]

Not sure how far back charged balsa goes but I know the super abrasives such as man- made diamond and CBN are quite recent. So the bestus homemeister on the planet would be as ignorant as the person buying his / her first straight razor regarding these new materials and methods of using them.

New methods are not always better than the old ones they aim to replace. For a new method to catch on it will usually be at least one of the following but not necessarily all three; cheaper, easier and/or better quality.

For the price, charged balsa is certainly a method worth exploring.

 

[Titleist]

Reading all of these comments as a normally "JNAT Purist", all I can say is that I see the value in a treated balsa strop. I don't own a microscope and I only really use a loupe so I don't get way down into the microscopic level. I have successfully honed hundreds of edges for myself and others in the last decade. When I find myself getting bogged down in minutia (which is where we seem to be headed), I go back to my tried and true test. My face is the true test. And yesterday's hybrid honing from bevel set, JNAT progession and Balsa yielded for me, one of the most comfortable shave in a long time.

It's the shave test for me. I thank all of the Pasted Balsa strop guys here for giving me the inspiration and "gumption" to step outside of my comfort zone and try the balsa. I may not use them just like you do, but I have added them in an appropriate place in my honing/maintenance regimen.

 

[BDF]

I agree 100% on balsa conforming to unusual and often bad blade geometry. My own experience is that the edge can really be quite poor and still turn out like a light saber using charged balsa.

This really bit me as I have been honing, on film, for years and doing it either badly or simply not really finishing the honing. Charged balsa made my errors unimportant and simply created a great edge. I never even realized this until a very recent journey with a Jnat which showed me I was not even close to finished when I thought I was finished. Errors all the way from the bevel set to the final finish on misty slurry and without the great fixer that balsa is, I certainly found this out.

So yes, it is a great advantage as long as the person doing the stropping knows how the razor really is during the rigid surface honing.

I have also found this to be true although I would actually consider it an upside. The edge has to be pretty good going to the balsa but not perfect. Film and balsa are much more accommodating to imperfections in razor geometry and honing technique than cold hard stone. This is one of the things that makes this system so well suited to beginner honers just starting out.

 

[albsat]

I very much agree. Every so often I shave with a shavette and Feather DE blade just to compare. I use to find that the Feather DE blade was a little more comfortable to shave with. Then I started to include short X strokes on the 0.1μm. that brought the comfort level of the 0.1μm edges up to at least the same as the Feather DE blades.

Now with my 0.1μm edges, I often get as good or better than Feather DE blades with the comfort.

Have you had a chance to try an Artist Club shavette with an Ac blade? There are some nice razors on AliExpress for 15 usd.

 

[rbscebu]

Have you had a chance to try an Artist Club shavette with an Ac blade? There are some nice razors on AliExpress for 15 usd.

No. I only occasionally shave with a shavette and AC blades have to be ordered in via eBay at geat expense. I'll just stick with my Feather half DE blades. I have only bought a single 10-blade tuck of those and that was about a year or more ago.

I normally only shave with my shavette when I think that I have fluked an exceptional edge on a traditional SR and want to compare.

 

[Eben Stone]

I was hesitant to make my balsa strops because I am somewhat a perfectionist, and I had some concerns that I would not be able to make them myself to a quality that would be up to my standards. I decided to try anyways.

I made 3x balsa strops using acrylic as a substrate. Waiting for the acrylic to arrive was the most difficult part of the entire procedure. Ignoring the drying time of the rubber cement, and the sanding time for lapping the balsa, the total time to build all three was approx 10 minutes. If you're somewhat mechanically inclined I would rate the project as very easy.

I used rubber cement. The instructions on the bottle say drying time is 2-3 minutes. I clamped them and let them set for 2 hours.

I wasn't really paying attention to the time when lapping. I used both 220 and 400 grit sandpaper. I guess I spent about 10 minutes on each one.

I can see a very shallow gouge in one of the balsas. Not sure what happened, I was very careful to inspect the sandpaper and balsa surface before I started, but maybe there was some cruft on the sandpaper that I didn't notice. So I need to re-lap and re-paste it. Luckily it wasn't the one with the 0.1u paste. Otherwise I didn't have any problems.

 

[rbscebu]

I was hesitant to make my balsa strops because I am somewhat a perfectionist, and I had some concerns that I would not be able to make them myself to a quality that would be up to my standards. I decided to try anyways.

I made 3x balsa strops using acrylic as a substrate. Waiting for the acrylic to arrive was the most difficult part of the entire procedure. Ignoring the drying time of the rubber cement, and the sanding time for lapping the balsa, the total time to build all three was approx 10 minutes. If you're somewhat mechanically inclined I would rate the project as very easy.

I used rubber cement. The instructions on the bottle say drying time is 2-3 minutes. I clamped them and let them set for 2 hours.

I wasn't really paying attention to the time when lapping. I used both 220 and 400 grit sandpaper. I guess I spent about 10 minutes on each one.

I can see a very shallow gouge in one of the balsas. Not sure what happened, I was very careful to inspect the sandpaper and balsa surface before I started, but maybe there was some cruft on the sandpaper that I didn't notice. So I need to re-lap and re-paste it. Luckily it wasn't the one with the 0.1u paste. Otherwise I didn't have any problems.

A gouge often occurs due to a buildup of balsa dust on the sandpaper while sanding. I use a brass wire brush to clean my sandpaper while lapping balsa flat.