How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop

[Slash McCoy]

Slash, a friend in town that I hone for asked me how that I honed his razor. I told him. He showed my PM to his wife who said ‘all those words are English, but I have no idea what he’s saying.’

ROTFL I guess our technojargon gets a little thick at times. We inhabit a very obscure little corner of the universe, don't we?

 

[Steve56]

Yes we do! How’s retirement going? Best wishes sir!

 

[Slash McCoy]

Another inquiry @Slash McCoy can you make a fin on pasted balsa - if you try? And if so how do you do it?

I guess it would be possible but not sure. Heavy pressure? I never really considered it before. I always tried not to make one, or to remove one that got made anyway. You could make a dandy fin edge on film, I guess. Or most any unslurried stone. Just use plenty of pressure and keep going long past the first stiction. And perhaps you could run the 3 stage balsa progression and maybe retain that fin edge and have the world's sharpest fin edge LOL. I am sure someone will have some ideas. And intuitively you would think that leading with the spine would sort of drag steel down off the true edge and make one, but it doesn't seem to work that way.

BTW not all fin edges are easily spotted under a microscope. At least before the first shave. When you start out shaving effortlessly and it is pulling badly by the time you are done, sometimes it was a fin edge, and sometimes just too acute a bevel angle to support an edge properly. You can see the damage in the scope after you shave.

 

[steveclarkus]

When you’re not a noob? Send your edges to Slash, Bill, Alex, Seraphim, and when they tell you that you’re good, you probably are.

I’m not a noob by the way. I was the first to receive Slash’s Method pass around. No discernible difference in his edges and mine. That’s the beauty of the Method - follow the instructions and you get the same results. Slash did an excellent job putting all that together. It made honing a razor as simple as making a cake. The biggest difference between stones and film is the lack of MoJo. Honing a knife takes a lot of skill and practice, a razor not so much as the angle is preset by the spine. Not a lot of MoJo there either. A normal razor is a piece of cake, just boring.

 

[Twelvefret]

That’s would only mean it’s good for them. Here in lies the myth of SR honing. Only if the edges performance shaves your face is its quality verified.

Having shaved off reputable vendors, even they lack the skill to know what will work for everyone. This is why Jim’s experience with his vendors edge is noteworthy.

 

[Steve56]

My apologies sir for any offense taken, but I don’t understand the offense.

 

[Slash McCoy]

LOL nobody is really a noob after making a half dozen Method edges. They are better than pro edges.

 

[Steve56]

Very true!

 

[Twelvefret]

When you’re not a noob? Send your edges to Slash, Bill, Alex, Seraphim, and when they tell you that you’re good, you probably are.

If they lived close, I would be happy to let them shave with my edges. When was it that you sent your edges to them? Apparently we live in the same city. If you want to shave with my edges some time, let me know.

 

[Twelvefret]

Slash, a friend in town that I hone for asked me how that I honed his razor. I told him. He showed my PM to his wife who said ‘all those words are English, but I have no idea what he’s saying.’

That's unfortunate. When I started Steve did some hand holding and made it clear what I was doing. I tend to want others to understand clearly how to perform a task.

I burn firewood and cut my own logs. I would not say I enjoy sharpening the Stihl or Friskars, but I do enjoy the results.

 

[Steve56]

If they lived close, I would be happy to let them shave with my edges. When was it that you sent your edges to them? Apparently we live in the same city. If you want to shave with my edges some time, let me know.

I sent a couple to Alfredo when I was learning, it was very helpful.

 

[Twelvefret]

I sent a couple to Alfredo when I was learning, it was very helpful.

I sent one to Steve and he said the bevel was correct.

 

[Steve56]

Good deal. I do edge exchanges with others. Most recently was 4 razors honed on some European hones that are not well known. I gave my thoughts, re-honed them and sent them back, and got comments in return. It's helpful a lot of fun too.

 

[Twelvefret]

I wouldn't want mine re-honed. Let me know.

 

[Steve56]

Let me get past my current project for the gentleman here in town, maybe I’ll send you a couple and see what you think. You can put diamond edges on them send them back?

 

[Twelvefret]

No rush. Would be good to meet face to face. Steve and I have been able to meet in Cataloochee/NC after many PM's and emails. The Wester Brothers he gave me for my birthday is what got me interested in diamond paste again.

 

[Steve56]

You’ve been wanting to try Japanese razors right? I can do that. Where are you?

 

[Twelvefret]

East Knox County/Forks of the River.

 

[Steve56]

That’s not far. Maybe we can round up Tony and have lunch. He’s started with a Naniwa 10k and getting some good results.

 

[Steve56]

He’s also using diamond paste that I suggested that he try when he wanted to bump up his Naniwa edge without getting another stone. I steered him to CKTG for a small sample to try out. Can’t remember what he’s using it on, but I suggested lapped balsa. You all should have a good discussion.