If you're slicing up your strops regularly you might get better results from the balsa hones.

Firstly they're a bit more robust, and secondly they're easier to repair if you do take a chunk out of them. The problem with repairing leather strops isn't the carved out divot, it's the raised seam around it that then throws your honing angles out!

Just a thought.

dschur wrote:


I agree with that...but oddly when I'm using the honing wheel on my Tormek sharpener I charge the honing wheel with fresh paste every time. I guess I'm as random and inconsistent in my strategies as the next sharpener!

How do you repair a balsa strop?

Thanks
Lucky

gofly wrote:


Well firstly I'd argue that if it's just a guouge in the surface it may not even need repairing at all, most defects that are depressions below the surface don't usually need any corrective action. It's the raised defects that cause the problems as they screw up your honing angles and can catch on the blade's edge.

But with balsa you don't usually get these raised areas, and if you do you can sand it flat by laying some wet and dry paper on a flat surface (granite slab, piece of float glass, etc) and just rub the balss hone on it. And if you've a serious depression that's causing problems (by catching on an edge say) you could fill it with any wood filler and then sand it flush.

The leather strops are more fussy, any deep nick will usually produce a hollow and a corresponding raised section around the lip of the nick, and these are that bit trickier to deal with on leather.

Ok, I guess I should have read this thread last night before using my strops for the first time. The syringe clearly says single use so that's what i did, I loaded the blank leather strops with all the paste. Oh well.

Welcome to the club Kevin...I did exactly the same thing when I got my WEPS. I finally checked with Clay and found that all I needed was a 1 inch strip the width of a pencil lead good for 50 knives or so.
I was chagrined to say the least when I discovered how much diamond paste I had wasted for I did it on each side! Sigh!

Cheers
Leo

Just received my balsa strops, how do you charge them with diamond spray, i.e. 1 micron, 1/2 micron

1. Place the strops/paddles on a paper towel.
2. Shake your diamond spray bottle.
3. Spritz the surface of the strops - 1-3 spritzes is more than enough
4. Let it dry for at least 10 minutes (or until no more puddling)
5. Flip paddle over and repeat with the next grit spray.
6. Enjoy!

jendeindustries wrote:


Leo, you really should consider setting up a Wiki about the Wicked Edge (although a lot of it is general knife sharpening). I just read too many concisely formulated and very to the point posts lately among the large number of posts here . <= the smiley is about the great posts, not ironic about the Wiki.

mark76 wrote:


Mark
I think that Clay is thinking of doing that very thing. If I knew how to set up a Wiki I would do it. I will check.
Later mate
Leo