How do I apply strop powder to balsa wood?

[Rey HRH]

Hi, thanks for all the help so far in starting to learn how to sharpen. Some of my DMT stones came in yesterday. I finished reading the books and DVDs. I picked up 2 planks of balsa today 1/2" x 3" by 36" from my local Ace Hardware store.

I'm planning on buying a 2 pack set of stropping powders .3 Micron and .1 Micron from a websit that has them. How would I apply them? Sprinkle the powder over the board? The discontinued item I see says "Liquid Detergent" suspended. So that sounds like water with some detergent as surfactant so the water would soak into the board instead of beading up.

I searched for older threads and I saw someone was using mineral oil. So water/soap or mineral oil? I'm thinking I like the water/soap as I spray it then wait for it to dry. However, either way, I don't know the mixing ratio. I only keep reading that i need very little. If I mix it with water, do I just spray so I get 100% coverage over the board? Or if mineral oil, do i just brush it to get 100% coverage? And again, these are 1 oz each of the two grit sizes and I don't know how much to mix with how much water or mineral oil.

Your help will be appreciated. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

 

[eKretz]

Personally I would just sprinkle it on dry and use a roller of some sort (like an ink brayer or a dough rolling pin thingamajig) to sort of embed it in the wood. If it's chromium oxide you can make a spray by using just deionized water (helps prevent clumping) but they normally use spray nozzles with a little larger openings than usual so you don't get it clogged up, don't know if you can find one or maybe open up the hole in an existing one a tiny bit. If you want to try soap you really do NOT need much, we're talking a drop or two for the whole bottle of water/powder.

 

[Rey HRH]

Thanks for your help. I do appreciate it.