Diamond paste concentration?

[Jasper J.]

Gentlemen, I want to buy some diamond paste, do you recommend 10%, 25% or 50%? Thank you.

 

[rbscebu]

For diamond pasted balsa stropping, I would recommend either 25% or 50%. I have used both (not 10%). I find 25% easy to spread but, with a bit of practice, the 50% also becomes easier to spread and you need less of it for the same effect.

Your choice should not be of a great concern. At about USD 10 to 15 per 5g, a 5g tube should last you a few or a lot of years, depending on how much diamond pasted balsa stropping you do. I lap and re-paste my 0.1um balsa strop (used daily) about every 3 months. I also have three other diamond pasted balsa strops; 0.5um, 0.25um & 0.1um. I only use these three for full balsa strop progressions when needed. They normally get lapped and re-pasted after being used for about 20 full progressions. Very rarely would one of my SR's ever need a second full balsa progression.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Gentlemen, I want to buy some diamond paste, do you recommend 10%, 25% or 50%? Thank you.

TBH it doesn't seem to matter. If you can't walk away peacefully without a recommendation, then pick the middle one.

 

[Jasper J.]

Thank you, I will get 25%.