Balsa strop?

[Obsessed with Edges]

So, if one were to use balsa as a strop BEFORE going to a leather strop,......



What grits would you say perform best with what material? You know, like how fine a grit for the balsa, before moving to what grits on the leather strops.

Thanks, this is a great thread!

dave

Try using one single compound on both of them (balsa, then leather). Try it on hardwood, as well. And paper, and fabric, etc. Firmer backing (hardwood, balsa) will make the compound more aggressive, so it'll cut like a 'coarser' grit. And the 'cushion' provided by the softer backing (leather, fabric or stacked paper) will make it less aggressive, so it behaves as a 'finer' compound. You can effectively make a single compound perform like several 'grits' individually, just by using it on a variety of substrate material. Spyderco does this with their 'medium', 'fine' and 'ultrafine' ceramic hones, all of which use the same exact abrasive particle type & size; only difference is the binders used, and different finishing techniques for each.

The very best way to figure out how each performs, is to try it out. The blade steel being sharpened will also be a huge variable, and will raise a whole new set of questions to think about. With time and persistent experimentation, you'll begin to put together specific 'recipes' of your favorite combinations (steel + compound + substrate + pressure + angle, etc...).

 

[d.weglarz13]

Okay, great. That makes a lot of sense. Im going to have to try out a few different ideas now, and let you guys know how it works!

Anyway, any of you that do use the balsa and leather, what grits do you find work better for both binder materials? Thanks again, I can always learn more from you guys!

dave

 

[Magnaminous_G]

Wow, great thread.

 

[Bigfattyt]

Balsa is firmer than leather, and compounds can embed very well into it. The extra firmness helps minimize rounding the edge, if pressure is a little heavier. Most leather, unless it's very hard or very thin on a hard backing, will tend to form itself around the edge of the blade drawn across it, which is more likely to round off or dull the edge. The ability of compound to embed into the balsa will make the strop work faster, in terms of polishing. You'll notice this in how fast the surface of the strop blackens (with the metal coming off the blade).

Balsa strops are about the simplest to maintain. When they get excessively dirty, just sand it clean and re-apply compound. Done.

I often wonder about this. Particularly, does the grit from the sanding get embedded in the surface?

I have been using a home made 4 sided leather strop for years now, but have never sanded the surface yet.


When I need more than a stropping, I go back to sandpaper on a dense rubber backing (a strike pad from Tandy leather).

I have done the high grit sandpaper on the glass backing before.

I have just about the ghetto'est strop in history. It is a broken belt (albeit a good leather one). I use the cheapest compound ever. Harbor freight buffing compound.

I keep saying I will get a better set up, but I never run out of the compound I am using, and get great results.

I need to replace the leather on the strop bat some day. It is pretty beat up.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I often wonder about this. Particularly, does the grit from the sanding get embedded in the surface?

That's not an issue. Use a sandpaper like a medium-grit garnet type (made primarily for wood). The particles of this type of sandpaper are large enough, if any of it worked loose from the paper, it'd be obvious on the surface of the strop, felt by fingertips. And, because the balsa's so soft by comparison, almost no pressure is needed to sand it, which greatly minimizes the odds of burying particles of the abrasive in the wood. Garnet abrasive is also relatively soft compared to steel, so it's less likely to scratch it. I sand leather strops this way also, and just use a vacuum cleaner to pick up the sanding debris. Never had any issues with particles getting embedded in the leather or wood.

 

[HoosierQ]

I just started using one...a week ago. So far I am very pleased. You can really feel the action I guess of the edge trailing motion on the balsa. Balsa is very soft even though it is firmer than leather. I think it will dent up some over time.

I like mine but it is too soon to make a firm commitment.

 

[d.weglarz13]

any tips on getting the balsa flat on one side? How do you know you have a perfectly flat surface? By hand, if possible.

dave

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

any tips on getting the balsa flat on one side? How do you know you have a perfectly flat surface? By hand, if possible.

dave

Don't overthink it. It doesn't have to be dead flat to a few thousandths of an inch.

Just use a small wooden block with some sandpaper wrapped around it. A short piece (~ 4") of 1x2 lumber is what I usually use. It's plenty flat enough to smooth out & flatten a piece of balsa, which sands very, very easily. Orient the block somewhat diagonally to the grain of the balsa, and sand with the grain. If you wanted to, you could lay a piece of sandpaper on a hard, flat surface (glass or countertop), and 'scrub' the face of the balsa on it. This method might be better if you don't already have at least one reasonably flat surface on your piece of balsa. Just scrub the piece until it lays flush to the sandpaper. Either way, it'll get the balsa plenty flat enough.

 

[d.weglarz13]

easy enough. Got it! thanks