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How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop

Ok, I was just worried that using a non-spray means one might miss one part of the wood or acrylic and
perhaps encourage warping.
 
I used a 2-part epoxy and then lapped the balsa after it had all set up to compensate for any absorption and/or expansion. The only downside is that it will never come off, so if I ever wear down the balsa too far I have to get new substrate and start all over. Of course that will be years and years from now.
Yeah, good call. Probably will pickup some spray adhesive.

Will solve the lapping issue with my quartz slab and allow for reusing the acrylic.
 
Ouch, paste isn't bad but shipping gets ya. $16 for FedEx home delivery. Good thing these shouldn't run out anytime soon!
 
Got everything setup. Acrylic plates a bit wider than I needed but will do for now.

Gave a good shave for sure, though think I need to do a bit more refinement before 0.5u -> 0.1u.

Set the bevel on 1k then went 3k 6k 8k ILR. Got my neck without any nicks or irritation from aftershave. Only nicked the head once behind my right ear (really struggling with this spot as im right handed).

Did about 40 x stroke laps on each balsa progression.

Wasn't tree topping as good as this thread seems it should. Thinking going back to 8k and ILR. Believe I read someone using lather on 8k... Might give that a try.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
On BST there is this:

Not the Naniwa, the three syringes of 50% diamond paste, .5u, .25u, and .1u the perfect three stage balsa progression.
 
Finally bit the bullet and removed my balsa from the acrylic sheets. As I mentioned, they came in bigger than I had expected, guessing the eBay seller got mixed up when shipping out.

Anyways, with some careful measuring and cutting I ripped the sheets down to one 3" piece and reapplied my balsa to it. Also got another 2.7" piece out of the sheet. Looking to pickup some lapping film to round out my honing setup.

The spray adhesive + acetone really works to reuse the acrylic. Really a great system you guys have developed.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Got everything setup. Acrylic plates a bit wider than I needed but will do for now.

Gave a good shave for sure, though think I need to do a bit more refinement before 0.5u -> 0.1u.

Set the bevel on 1k then went 3k 6k 8k ILR. Got my neck without any nicks or irritation from aftershave. Only nicked the head once behind my right ear (really struggling with this spot as im right handed).

Did about 40 x stroke laps on each balsa progression.

Wasn't tree topping as good as this thread seems it should. Thinking going back to 8k and ILR. Believe I read someone using lather on 8k... Might give that a try.

If you think you need more work before the balsa, then you probably do. Then again, it could be that your lap count on the balsa is a little short, particularly at the .5u stage where you are trying to pick up where the stone left off.

Try the lather on your ILR, maybe? And spend more time on it. Keep going for a few dozen lightest laps after you get strong stiction, then a few pull strokes and finally a half dozen or more of the lightest laps, maybe even spine leading, to peak the apex back up. That should have you set nicely for the balsa. It should feel, at the end, as if your rock is having no effect on the steel, due to no contact or fleeting contact. Kinda guessing here since I have not used that stone. You could also try 1u lapping film on acrylic after it, or instead of it. Or a well lapped Naniwa 12k if it fits in your budget and you just like the stones.

The balsa doesn't give you the strong feedback that stones or film do. You basically have to count laps and observe sharpness and smoothness results, and adjust lap count as indicated. I find that with pull strokes after every stage, and with the balsa held vertically and only feather light pressure applied, it is nearly impossible to overdo it. So too many laps is no big deal, but too few and your edge is not done. I never go fewer than 50 laps. Usually these days I go 100 when honing a new-to-me razor, and reduce to 50 for daily maintenance on the .1u diamond. The balsa behaves much differently than stone or film, and you can't be stuck in the rock-rubbing mindset and techniques.

MAYBE before doing anything else, take it back to the .5u and do a couple hundred lightest laps with the balsa held vertically, end-up. If you have been resting it on a bench, stop. There is likely your problem. You need for the balsa to yield and not resist the pressure of the razor. Then 3 or 4 pull strokes, a few more regular laps, and 100 each on the final two grits, not forgetting the pull strokes. Be sure you are getting the razor very clean between grits. A few half micron particles rolling around on the finer balsa will sabotage your edge.

There is more than one way to skin that cat. This is my way and it most definitely works.
 
If you think you need more work before the balsa, then you probably do. Then again, it could be that your lap count on the balsa is a little short, particularly at the .5u stage where you are trying to pick up where the stone left off.

Try the lather on your ILR, maybe? And spend more time on it. Keep going for a few dozen lightest laps after you get strong stiction, then a few pull strokes and finally a half dozen or more of the lightest laps, maybe even spine leading, to peak the apex back up. That should have you set nicely for the balsa. It should feel, at the end, as if your rock is having no effect on the steel, due to no contact or fleeting contact. Kinda guessing here since I have not used that stone. You could also try 1u lapping film on acrylic after it, or instead of it. Or a well lapped Naniwa 12k if it fits in your budget and you just like the stones.

The balsa doesn't give you the strong feedback that stones or film do. You basically have to count laps and observe sharpness and smoothness results, and adjust lap count as indicated. I find that with pull strokes after every stage, and with the balsa held vertically and only feather light pressure applied, it is nearly impossible to overdo it. So too many laps is no big deal, but too few and your edge is not done. I never go fewer than 50 laps. Usually these days I go 100 when honing a new-to-me razor, and reduce to 50 for daily maintenance on the .1u diamond. The balsa behaves much differently than stone or film, and you can't be stuck in the rock-rubbing mindset and techniques.

MAYBE before doing anything else, take it back to the .5u and do a couple hundred lightest laps with the balsa held vertically, end-up. If you have been resting it on a bench, stop. There is likely your problem. You need for the balsa to yield and not resist the pressure of the razor. Then 3 or 4 pull strokes, a few more regular laps, and 100 each on the final two grits, not forgetting the pull strokes. Be sure you are getting the razor very clean between grits. A few half micron particles rolling around on the finer balsa will sabotage your edge.

There is more than one way to skin that cat. This is my way and it most definitely works.
Switched over to honing in hand last week. Noticed a big difference, finally starting to understand light pressure. Never had that much tactile feel when honing on a fixed surface.

Ripped my acrylic sheets to exactly fit the balsa and give me three more 2.7" sheets for lapping film. Think I might also use one for 220 grit and 400 grit w/d sandpaper on each side for restoring work.

Going to follow your advice later tonight on the balsa. Had to lap the new sheets after getting them reapplied but looking forward to it.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Switched over to honing in hand last week. Noticed a big difference, finally starting to understand light pressure. Never had that much tactile feel when honing on a fixed surface.
It was a game changer for me! Once you have a better feel for it, it is quite possible to switch to bench honing and continue to get good results. Many accomplished and respected honers bench hone and use holders, sink bridges, and the like. While learning, honing in hand is way easier to get it right. It will either make you understand, or it will just work, even if you don't understand. Beginners bench honing always try to force the blade into alignment and proper motion. Controlling the blade seems natural but results in various errors. Force is the enemy, especially once the bevel is set. The edge flexes and can be a limiting factor to sharpness, and it doesn't need to be that way if pressure is properly balanced and regulated.

Ripped my acrylic sheets to exactly fit the balsa and give me three more 2.7" sheets for lapping film. Think I might also use one for 220 grit and 400 grit w/d sandpaper on each side for restoring work.
Right on. It's a great combo, cheap and flexible.

Going to follow your advice later tonight on the balsa. Had to lap the new sheets after getting them reapplied but looking forward to it.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Not just my knowledge. This was a community effort. I actually learned a lot from the newbies as they tried to get a handle on all of this.

Just curious about one thing. Why 2.7", exactly? Why not 1/3 the width of a sheet of film, or slightly more? 3" is not excessive and balsa planks are widely available in 3" width. Do you mean 2-7/8"? That gives you only 1/16" overhang on the sides, with the balsa, and also puts you just barely under the width of a sheet of film cut in thirds. I just order mine 3" wide x 12" long, 3/4" thick, and use the one size for everything.
 
Just curious about one thing. Why 2.7", exactly? Why not 1/3 the width of a sheet of film, or slightly more? 3" is not excessive and balsa planks are widely available in 3" width. Do you mean 2-7/8"? That gives you only 1/16" overhang on the sides, with the balsa, and also puts you just barely under the width of a sheet of film cut in thirds. I just order mine 3" wide x 12" long, 3/4" thick, and use the one size for everything.
I had ordered 3 sheets of 3/4" x 4" x 12" for my balsa setup. Somehow they shipped me ~5 3/4" x 12" sheets. So I measured off a 3" section and ripped them, leaving the 2.7" portions for sandpaper and or film.
 
I recently have become interested in kamisoris.

With all the mystery of kamisori ratios, how does this apply to using pasted balsa?
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
I haven't messed with kamisori in a long time, since I have been using the balsa. I cant give you any suggestions from actual experience but you might want to try using your normal honing ratio but spine leading half laps, only.
 
Best shave tonight. Went back to my 8k and then ILR with water then lather and finished with 100 laps on each balsa strop on a Joseph Elliott. 20191205_222227.jpg

Incredible shave! My head feels nearly as smooth as with a feather ss artist club with feather pro blades. I have arm hair (lol been honing a lot trying to get my technique down) but it was tree topping leg hair.

Now to get the rest of my arsenal up to snuff.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Congratulations! It will probably be better your next time up, if you can believe that. The closer you follow The Method in all of its anal little details, the better it gets. As you can see, it is well worth it. That's why I push new Method honers so hard to get everything exactly right.
 
Congratulations! It will probably be better your next time up, if you can believe that. The closer you follow The Method in all of its anal little details, the better it gets. As you can see, it is well worth it. That's why I push new Method honers so hard to get everything exactly right.
Today's shave, with another razor, was noticeably more harsh. Guessing I didn't reach enough in a phase. Positive is, I have a great shave to contrast it with and I know it just needs more time. It was still very sharp, but felt as though it wanted to bite into my skin rather than glide and cut as my Joseph Elliott did.

Is this the harshness you mention Slash on the .5u or .25u edges?
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Today's shave, with another razor, was noticeably more harsh. Guessing I didn't reach enough in a phase. Positive is, I have a great shave to contrast it with and I know it just needs more time. It was still very sharp, but felt as though it wanted to bite into my skin rather than glide and cut as my Joseph Elliott did.

Is this the harshness you mention Slash on the .5u or .25u edges?

COULD be. Very likely your edge is developing into one with a very tight apex and a lot of cutting power, but you are still using a high shave angle. Try stretching the skin very tight and lowering the spine almost to touching the skin. And don't forget to use a few pull strokes at the end of the balsa stropping, followed by a half dozen extremely light laps. A well developed Method edge shaves a lot like a shavette. It is eager to bite, yes, if the shave angle is as high as you would use forr a less sharp razor, or if the skin is too loose. It sounds like you are done with the .5u and .25u. Just concentrate on maintaining with 50 laps on the .1u after every shave, with the strop IN HAND, vertical, end-up. light, brushy pressure. If it still feels harsh after a couple more shaves, go back to the .5u and start again, and this time use that same technique, holding the strop vertical, using extremely light pressure, and the pull strokes. You want to ensure that you do not have a fin edge. Be careful not to contaminate your strops with the next coarser grit diamond!!!!!! And again, keep your shave angle low and tight. Don't scrape.
 
COULD be. Very likely your edge is developing into one with a very tight apex and a lot of cutting power, but you are still using a high shave angle. Try stretching the skin very tight and lowering the spine almost to touching the skin. And don't forget to use a few pull strokes at the end of the balsa stropping, followed by a half dozen extremely light laps. A well developed Method edge shaves a lot like a shavette. It is eager to bite, yes, if the shave angle is as high as you would use forr a less sharp razor, or if the skin is too loose. It sounds like you are done with the .5u and .25u. Just concentrate on maintaining with 50 laps on the .1u after every shave, with the strop IN HAND, vertical, end-up. light, brushy pressure. If it still feels harsh after a couple more shaves, go back to the .5u and start again, and this time use that same technique, holding the strop vertical, using extremely light pressure, and the pull strokes. You want to ensure that you do not have a fin edge. Be careful not to contaminate your strops with the next coarser grit diamond!!!!!! And again, keep your shave angle low and tight. Don't scrape.
Sounds good. I've been stropping in hand holding the acrylic at a 45 degree angle for each phase. Thanks for the tips - I'll put some more work in on my day off and update w/ the progress.
 
I also switched to holding the stone. It really feels more natural/ergonomic compared to keeping it on bench.

I have watched alot of honing videos. Yours is the only one holding the hone.

I thank you for sharing this tip, very helpful.


It was a game changer for me! Once you have a better feel for it, it is quite possible to switch to bench honing and continue to get good results. Many accomplished and respected honers bench hone and use holders, sink bridges, and the like. While learning, honing in hand is way easier to get it right. It will either make you understand, or it will just work, even if you don't understand. Beginners bench honing always try to force the blade into alignment and proper motion. Controlling the blade seems natural but results in various errors. Force is the enemy, especially once the bevel is set. The edge flexes and can be a limiting factor to sharpness, and it doesn't need to be that way if pressure is properly balanced and regulated.


Right on. It's a great combo, cheap and flexible.


Not just my knowledge. This was a community effort. I actually learned a lot from the newbies as they tried to get a handle on all of this.

Just curious about one thing. Why 2.7", exactly? Why not 1/3 the width of a sheet of film, or slightly more? 3" is not excessive and balsa planks are widely available in 3" width. Do you mean 2-7/8"? That gives you only 1/16" overhang on the sides, with the balsa, and also puts you just barely under the width of a sheet of film cut in thirds. I just order mine 3" wide x 12" long, 3/4" thick, and use the one size for everything.
 
I currently do the balsa after a Naniwa 12k. I'm waiting for a Suehiro Gokumyo 20k to arrive. Will I still see a significant benefit from the balsa after the 20k?
 
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