How to Use Diamond Pasted Balsa Strops

[Holiday]

You should be able to download the PDF copy here. I don't have any videos on stropping (either with hanging leather or diamond pasted balsa strops). With a bit of searching you should be able to find some on YouTube.

Thank you good sir!

 

[rbscebu]

TBH I’ve used pasted leather then very fine stuff on balsa.
Haven’t found a need to have two balsa strops in the house.

If an edge has been stropped on a hanging pasted cloth or leather strop, diamond pasted balsa stropping will not really enhance the blade's edge. The hanging pasted strop put an ever-so slight convexity on the bevel. This effectively prevents the diamond paste on the balsa strop from doing its magic. This is because the balsa will not "give" to now allow the edge apex to contact the balsa and diamond paste.

 

[LesC]

Hi, @rbscebu I've read and re-read your great post above and have one question, the three (3) grade pastes you mention, what grit "whetstone" do they relate to, i.e.' is there a standard as in front of me I have five (5) Grit-Mesh-Micron conversion, Diamond Paste V Whetstone charts and NONE of them are the same, is this dependent on the manufacturer or have I missed something?
Cheers

 

[Mark1966]

Diamond paste? Some real diamonds in the 2021 Paste & Cut Charity Auction!

Bidding closes Saturday, 23rd October 2021 at 12.00pm AEDT unless extended in accordance with the rules.

Check out the items here

 

[rbscebu]

Hi, @rbscebu I've read and re-read your great post above and have one question, the three (3) grade pastes you mention, what grit "whetstone" do they relate to, i.e.' is there a standard as in front of me I have five (5) Grit-Mesh-Micron conversion, Diamond Paste V Whetstone charts and NONE of them are the same, is this dependent on the manufacturer or have I missed something?
Cheers

0.5μm = ~50k grit
0.25μm = ~100k grit
0.1μm = ~200k grit

A lot depends on how the synthetic whetstone manufacturer wishes to determine the grit size and which standard he might be using (if any).

 

[LesC]

Hi, @rbscebu thanks for that matches the sheet from THK Japan, Cheers.

 

[rbscebu]

question - What is a hanging balsa strop?
and do you strop on clean leather after the 0.1um balsa or any diamond paste actually?

Hanging balsa is were you hold your 0.1μm diamond pasted balsa strop with the thumb and one or two fingers of your non-dominant hand at end end of the balsa strop so that the balsa strop hangs down freely. You then strop vertically up and down on the strop. The purpose of this is to reduce the stropping pressure to less than the weight of the blade. The blade's edge only just touches the pasted balsa.

After finishing with the 0.1μm diamond pasted balsa stropping, I wipe the blade clean to remove any traces of 0.1μm diamond from the blade. I don't want any diamond particles to get onto my leather/cloth strop. I then only strop on clean leather before each shave. With a strop of about 450m stropping length, I do about 50 to 60 laps before each shave.

I never apply paste to either a leather or cloth strop. Once applied, it is effectively there forever. Stropping on a pasted leather/cloth strop puts a slight convexity on the bevel. This later prevents the blade's edge from making contact with a diamond pasted balsa strop when you may need to go back to your diamond pasted balsa strops.

I only use a clean cloth strop to clean the blade's bevel of soap residue after a shave. About 6 very light laps does the job.

 

[rbscebu]

Starting with a straight razor having a good shave-ready edge, my diamond pasted balsa stropping routine consists of:

1. Holding the 0.5um balsa strop in hand and using about the pressure of one finger lying on the blade stropping edge trailing;

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

end-for-end the balsa strop​

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

Wipe the blade clean to remove all possible traces of the invisible 0.5um diamond particles.​

​

2. Holding the 0.25um balsa strop in hand and using just the weight of the blade stropping edge trailing;

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

end-for-end the balsa strop​

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

Wipe the blade clean to remove all possible traces of the invisible 0.25um diamond particles.​

3. Holding the 0.1um balsa strop in hand and using just the weight of the blade stropping edge trailing;

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

end-for-end the balsa strop​

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

15 standard laps​

6 pull strokes​

4. Holding the 0.1um balsa strop in hand hanging and using no pressure but having the edge in contact with the diamond pasted balsa strop surface, stropping up and down edge trailing;

15 standard laps​

6 short X strokes​

15 standard laps​

8 short X strokes​

end-for-end the balsa strop​

15 standard laps​

10 short X strokes​

15 standard laps​

12 short X strokes​

Wipe the blade clean to remove all possible traces of the invisible 0.1um diamond particles.​

​

5. Holding the leather strop reasonably tight and using just the weight of the blade for pressure, 50 to 60 laps on a clean leather strop. There should be almost no deflection in the strop while stropping.

6. Shave

7. Wipe the blade dry with toilet paper being careful to not touch the edge.

8. Holding the cloth strop reasonably tight and using just the weight of the blade for pressure, 6 to 8 laps on a clean cloth strop to remove any soap residue. There should be almost no deflection in the strop while stropping.

Repeat steps 1 to 8 with each shave until you notice no further improvement in the quality of the blade's edge. Once no further improvement is noticed with the blade's edge, just use steps 4 to 8 with each shave. The blade should now never need to touch a whetstone/lapping film again (unless physically damaged).

The short pull strokes remove any microscopic burrs, wires or fin-edge that may be developing. The short X strokes do the same but also put a microscopic X scratch patten on the bevel that tends to increase shaving comfort.

Occasionally you may wish to try a full progression again using steps 1 to 8, just to see if there is any improvement.

 

[rbscebu]

Mini Travel Diamond Pasted Balsa Strop

I had a need to take a 0.1μm diamond pasted balsa strop with me to maintain my straight razor (s) during my travels. My standard 300mm x 75mm balsa strop was too big. I wanted one that would fit into my dop bag with my other SR shaving gear.

After much thought I decided upon a balsa strop of 175mm x 65mm. My standard balsa strop gave me about 250mm of usable stropping length. A 175mm balsa strop would give me a out 125mm of usable stropping length. All I need do is double the number of laps. I chose a width of 65mm as that is the width of my favoured leather strops and I have no issues in using them.

Cast acrylic is not readily available near where I am currently living. The thickest I could source was only 6mm. I already had a piece each of 12mm and 8mm thick balsa. The local tile shop gave a 300mm square ceramic tile and I was able to buy some contact adhesive and acrylic paint from the local big-boys' toy (hardware) store.

A friend cut the tile to the 175mm x 65mm size that I needed. I cut the balsa pieces a little bigger all round. Using the contact adhesive, I glued the 12mm balsa to the underside of the tile and the 8mm piece to the to of the tile.

Twelve hours later after the adhesive had set, the balsa was sanded to the size of the tile. I also broke the edges of the 12mm balsa to give a more comfortable grip in-hand.

Then all that I needed to do was paint all surfaces of the 12mm balsa, lap the top balsa surface flat and apply 0.1μm diamond paste to the top balsa surface. I then had a usable mini hanging balsa strop to go with me in my travels that fits neatly into my dop bag.

I will also see up a "sock" to keep the strop in.

With three coats of acrylic paint, lapped flat and 0.1μm diamond paste applied. Although only short in length, this balsa strop is just as easy to use hanging as my normal 0.1μm balsa strop. The only downside is that it adds a minute or two to my shaving routine. No biggie.

If you have difficulty in sourcing thick cast acrylic, you can make your full-size 300mm x 75mm balsa strops the same way.

 

[Straight up]

Why do you paint the block in acrylic before sanding and adding the diamond paste?

 

[rbscebu]

Why do you paint the block in acrylic before sanding and adding the diamond paste?

I only painted the bottom piece of balsa, the piece under the tile.

I painted the bottom piece of balsa first in case I accidentally got some paint onto the top balsa surface to be pasted. If I lapped and pasted first and then got some paint on the pasted surface, I would have to sand the paint off, re-lap and reapply the paste.

The paste is not overly expensive but it is not easy to buy. I import mine from the US.

 

[Hos]

I only painted the bottom piece of balsa, the piece under the tile.

I painted the bottom piece of balsa first in case I accidentally got some paint onto the top balsa surface to be pasted. If I lapped and pasted first and then got some paint on the pasted surface, I would have to sand the paint off, re-lap and reapply the paste.

The paste is not overly expensive but it is not easy to buy. I import mine from the US.

I've pastes from Jende Australia(they are based in Sydney): https://jendeindustries.com.au/shar...d-stropping/cbn-diamond-sprays-emulsions.html

 

[rbscebu]

I've pastes from Jende Australia(they are based in Sydney): https://jendeindustries.com.au/shar...d-stropping/cbn-diamond-sprays-emulsions.html

Thanks for the heads up. I bought mine when in Cebu. The Jende pastes are about the same price as what I paid for my pastes from the US including shipping. A 5g tube lasts me about 5 to 10 years. My next purchase will be in about 2026. I'll keep Jende in mind.