Balsa, Kangaroo, Nanocloth Progression Question

[CliffCurry]

Looking for any experience / suggestions for the best order to use these products in?

My initial thinking would be to use them in the order listed from both a density & a softness perspective.

Another main question would be, does balsa convex the edge more or less then leather can?

I have the roo strops but am trying to gather more information before next purchases. Compounds currently are 5,3.5,1,.5,.25 micron.

Mahalo,
Cliff

[Josh]

Cliff,

I don’t know if you saw my post the other day but this may interest you[/url] as it is related to the topic at hand.

It appears to me that the stock supplied strops (which appear to be “latigo”) from wicked edge have too much give to them which will produce

1. full convexity at coarser grits
2. a wire/foil edge that will be hard to remove yet also weak

The only thing I think Todd does not account for, or experiment with in the article I linked to, is lowering the angle 2-3 dps as we are accustomed to since he is doing this on a straight razor matching the stone angle. So if you lower it 2-3 dps then I don’t think it would make that foil edge as pictured.

That being said I really like the balsa strops that I got from Eric (Zamfir) as he can get them in all different grades (very dense to light). In todd’s experiments, although minimally focused on balsa, they seemed to do great. Of course, we cannot form conclusions based upon one article or a few SEM pictures, but it’s what I’m sticking with! 😉 and also, the nano cloth seemed to round the edge a good bit which i found particularly interesting as I have noticed my sharpest edges come off of lapping film and balsa strops.

[CliffCurry]

Thanks Josh, I’ll recheck that link. I think you hit the nail on the head on several points, not the least is we really have no way to directly observe the results without a SEM and I’m pretty sure I can’t build one of those from spare parts on my carport. 😉

My tentative plan was to do 5/3.5u on balsa, 1/.5u on roo, and. 25u(or lower) on Nanocloth being careful to use whisper light strokes especially with the more “cushy” substrates.

Do you know what approx density the balsa you got from Eric is? Similar to the WE strops maybe?

[Josh]

Thanks Josh, I’ll recheck that link. I think you hit the nail on the head on several points, not the least is we really have no way to directly observe the results without a SEM and I’m pretty sure I can’t build one of those from spare parts on my carport. 😉

My tentative plan was to do 5/3.5u on balsa, 1/.5u on roo, and. 25u(or lower) on Nanocloth being careful to use whisper light strokes especially with the more “cushy” substrates.

Do you know what approx density the balsa you got from Eric is? Similar to the WE strops maybe?

I have not found any issues w/ using balsa down even to the .5 range so far… I can get HHT-4 with a smooth bevel under USB microscope at 230x approximately 1″ from point of hold. check your pm box in a min.

also, I think the WE stuff is one of the lightest grades, it’s not the denser stuff for sure as I can dent it with my finger. i just got a bunch of the grades 2 and 3 from Eric (my own numbering system lol, where 4 is most dense and 1 is lightest/softest) which I will be using to convert all my strops.

[Todd Simpson]

If you are getting HHT-4, you do not need an SEM to confirm that you have a very very keen blade.

I have some cheap latigo hanging strops that use with 0.5 and 0.25 micron diamond and 0.1 micron CBN.

The compressibility (and increased micro-convexity) is an advantage in later touch-ups of a blade, as it makes them very forgiving and consistent. I use the 0.25 micron latigo strop for touching up my straight razor.

The 0.1 CBN strop always “rounds off” the edge, so it is less keen but this also removes any foil/burr. round-off = remove burr.
So, one approach I often use is to strop 30 laps on the 0.25 diamond/latigo, which makes a foil edge, strop 30 laps on the 0.1 micron CBN on latigo to remove the foil and then to back to the 0.25 micron diamond/latigo to bring back the keenness to the level I need for shaving. Once the edge is micro-convexed, the 0.25 diamond strop does not make a foil edge. In addition, that micro-convexity makes the edge sturdier.

Another possibility is to use the Nanocloth to remove the burr, then follow with a leather strop to maximize keenness. I have had outstanding results with 0.25 diamond on latigo following nanocloth.

I have had some outstanding results with 0.25 micron poly-diamond on a kangaroo paddle strop directly after the stones.

[Josh]

If you are getting HHT-4, you do not need an SEM to confirm that you have a very very keen blade.

I have some cheap latigo hanging strops that use with 0.5 and 0.25 micron diamond and 0.1 micron CBN.

The compressibility (and increased micro-convexity) is an advantage in later touch-ups of a blade, as it makes them very forgiving and consistent. I use the 0.25 micron latigo strop for touching up my straight razor.

The 0.1 CBN strop always “rounds off” the edge, so it is less keen but this also removes any foil/burr. round-off = remove burr.
So, one approach I often use is to strop 30 laps on the 0.25 diamond/latigo, which makes a foil edge, strop 30 laps on the 0.1 micron CBN on latigo to remove the foil and then to back to the 0.25 micron diamond/latigo to bring back the keenness to the level I need for shaving. Once the edge is micro-convexed, the 0.25 diamond strop does not make a foil edge. In addition, that micro-convexity makes the edge sturdier.

Another possibility is to use the Nanocloth to remove the burr, then follow with a leather strop to maximize keenness. I have had outstanding results with 0.25 diamond on latigo following nanocloth.

I have had some outstanding results with 0.25 micron poly-diamond on a kangaroo paddle strop directly after the stones.

This is from the man who knows! thanks for chiming in Todd

[Author]

Posts