How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop

[Slash McCoy]

How are you guys spreading you diamond paste?

I spread my chromium oxide and iron oxide with a small brush that’s mean dipped in olive oil.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Just dot it around and rub it in. Perfect spreading not required. Too much gooey stuff coating the balsa will cripple your efforts. Been there, tried that. There is a noticeable difference.

 

[Gaznix]

Rub in with fingers? Slash, I still have the balsa from the straight pass around that you made, how much should I put on there?

 

[Slash McCoy]

What about diamond paste though as I’m going to set up a new balsa strop and go onto paste

No need to mix it with anything. Just apply to your forefinger and smush it with your thumb. Touch the balsa here and there. Re-smush. Touchatouchatoucha toucha touch. Finally smear what is left on thumb and forefinger randomly, then rub it in. Rub rub rubbity rub. Finally wipe it down with an old tshirt to remove all excess that did not embed into the grain of the balsa. Be sure you stabilize and then lap the balsa first. You need THREE balsa strops. You can't expect good results if you try to jump straight from a 12k finisher to .1u (200k) diamond. And you won't get as comfortable a shave if you stop at .5u or .25u.

 

[rbscebu]

I don't use any additional liquids to apply my diamond paste to my balsa strops. Just VERY small dabs over the balsa surface (none required for about 25mm to 30mm from each end). Total amount of diamond paste used should be about the size of a small BB pellet. Next run over the surface with the heel of your clean hand to spread the diamond particles (you won't see this happening). Finally wipe as much of the diamond paste off as you can with a piece of clean poly-cotton cloth (old T shirt).

After all that, you will probably still have too much diamond paste on the balsa. Next time try to put on even less.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Rub in with fingers? Slash, I still have the balsa from the straight pass around that you made, how much should I put on there?

Yes, with fingers. Refresh with enough to make two BB's worth. Rub it in and then wipe the balsa with an old tshirt.

If the balsa has seen a lot of use then you may need to re-lap it.

Keep in mind that was only the .1u stage. It only works well on an edge already stropped on a .25u or so balsa, which only works well on an edge already stropped on .5u diamond on balsa, which only works on a good 12k or 1u edge. The razors in the passaround were already .1u sharp. The .1u diamond balsa was meant to be used after every shave, to maintain the already sharp edge, not to try to make an edge get sharp.

<EDIT> Be sure to read this thread beginning to end before you do anything. You will be glad you did.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I don't use any additional liquids to apply my diamond paste to my balsa strops. Just VERY small dabs over the balsa surface (none required for about 25mm to 30mm from each end). Total amount of diamond paste used should be about the size of a small BB pellet. Next run over the surface with the heel of your clean hand to spread the diamond particles (you won't see this happening). Finally wipe as much of the diamond paste off as you can with a piece of clean poly-cotton cloth (old T shirt).

After all that, you will probably still have too much diamond paste on the balsa. Next time try to put on even less.

How much is that in inches?

 

[rbscebu]

How much is that in inches?

About 0.124 to 0.149 millifurlongs for you.

 

[Gaznix]

I only use lapping film, I only touch up on the film every few months or so on the lowest grades, from memory yellow and green films, I have them marked. Then I have iron oxide, chromium oxide bald A’s then the past few months your balsa, but the wood on yours is going a bit wispy now so needs lapping and re diamonding

 

[Gaznix]

Yes, with fingers. Refresh with enough to make two BB's worth. Rub it in and then wipe the balsa with an old tshirt.

If the balsa has seen a lot of use then you may need to re-lap it.

Keep in mind that was only the .1u stage. It only works well on an edge already stropped on a .25u or so balsa, which only works well on an edge already stropped on .5u diamond on balsa, which only works on a good 12k or 1u edge. The razors in the passaround were already .1u sharp. The .1u diamond balsa was meant to be used after every shave, to maintain the already sharp edge, not to try to make an edge get sharp.

<EDIT> Be sure to read this thread beginning to end before you do anything. You will be glad you did.

yes to keep my edge I balsa strop after every shave then on leather then leather again before next shave.

 

[Ssandstorms]

This might have been posted already but I am struggling to find a great site to purchase the balsa and glass/tile
Your original link no longer works

 

[Atta Aikhjarto]

@Ssandstorms I could help you out of you live in Germany, but i dont know sites from USA sry mate.

I am very curious about The Method and I think I will try it out in some weeks. From where I live the costs for acryl (37€)balsa (11€) are ok for me but the diamond paste is harder to come by. Some technical grade stuff (the only available) in the range of 0.125 and 0.25 will cost 31€ each (Mono or Poly). If I buy Jende Polydiamond Emulsion I am a bit cheaper of with each costing 19€. The question I want to ask which was already asked earlier in the thread, will I get equal satisfiable results with polydiamond compared to monodiamond emulsions? Maybe some new experiments where performed or particular onces with the Jende emulsions? Thanks in advance

 

[rbscebu]

I got my diamond paste on Amazon, 0.5u, 0.25u and 0.1u in 5g tubes for about USD 25 total plus USD 20 shipping to the Philippines. A 5g tube should last you about 20 to 30 years.

 

[Atta Aikhjarto]

TechDiamond seems fine and cheap? But the buying options over amazon usa dont fit to me on the first look. I dont own a credit card.

 

[rbscebu]

Do you have a friend with a credit/debit card?

 

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Quick question, may have been covered already but there are a ton of replies on this thread. What I’m wondering is if the razor was honed with tape on the spine does it also need tape for the pasted balsa progression? Thanks!


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[RayClem]

Quick question, may have been covered already but there are a ton of replies on this thread. What I’m wondering is if the razor was honed with tape on the spine does it also need tape for the pasted balsa progression? Thanks!


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Unlike a hard stone, the surface of a pasted strop has some flexibility. If your hone your razor with one layer of tape, you should not need to tape the spine when stropping the razor on either a bench strop of hanging strop. If you honed with three layers of tape, then I am not so certain.

 

[macintoshBR]

The general consensus is to use tape if you honed with tape. Better to avoid tape at all

 

[Tester28]

Just a question regarding the sideways strokes that are recommended to remove 'fin' from the blade.

I was running a DE blade through a wine cork the other day and it occurred to me that this might be a
passable way to remove fin from a straight razor bade as well.

Any thoughts?

 

[Slash McCoy]

I don't like to use tape on a razor I am putting to the balsa. OTOH I do believe if it is honed on film or stone with tape then when you go to the balsa without tape, you are not getting the right kind of action on the edge. Balsa is indeed resilient but remember that for best results, the very lightest pressure is used on the balsa, and it is not, IMHO, enough to make the balsa yield sufficiently to the razor to hit the edge if it was honed with tape. And so I do not hone a razor with tape that I will finish on balsa. And I do not finish a razor on the balsa if I have to hone it using tape. Sometimes tape is necessary. If it is, then I don't take that razor to the balsa.

 

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

I don't like to use tape on a razor I am putting to the balsa. OTOH I do believe if it is honed on film or stone with tape then when you go to the balsa without tape, you are not getting the right kind of action on the edge. Balsa is indeed resilient but remember that for best results, the very lightest pressure is used on the balsa, and it is not, IMHO, enough to make the balsa yield sufficiently to the razor to hit the edge if it was honed with tape. And so I do not hone a razor with tape that I will finish on balsa. And I do not finish a razor on the balsa if I have to hone it using tape. Sometimes tape is necessary. If it is, then I don't take that razor to the balsa.

Thanks for the info. It’s a custom razor that was made and honed for me and he told me he used tape. The edge on it is great but I was considering trying to prolong it with the balsa


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