This balsa strop pad has a magnetic back and can easily be used with the HandAmerican hone base. The idea behind balsa wood as a strop medium is that a balsa surface is soft but rigid. When you apply compound you are creating a custom honing surface. The compound particles embed and stay in place while you are working, and it’s easy to sand the surface clean and flat when the compound is spent. This provides a cheap and easy way to experiment with a variety of different honing compounds where you can mix and match with low cost and good results.
I read a lot about the quality of Hand American (HA) products on Bladeforums. I’m so glad I tried them out. I applied 1 micron HA Diamond Spray to the Balsa Magnetic Pads for stropping and was wonderfully surprised with the results. It has clearly taken my stropping and edge refinement to the next level. Perhaps the ultimate level!
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By: doug johansen
Indian Hbr. Be.,FL.
Fine. Convenient
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By: Miles DeCoster
Tempe,AZ
I think this is the perfect beginners strop for someone interested in serious knife sharpening. The balsa is stiff enough to prevent edge rounding and the surface can be loaded and reloaded with all sorts of stropping compounds. Fantastic value.
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By: Conroy
Cambridge,MA
I have used a few types of strops and still prefer leather but this will still do the trick.
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By: Aaron
Akron,Oh
Very inexpensive form of strop. Works well with diamond spry. Soft to where if you want to try different pasts or such simply sand down and ready to go. And as always awesome service from Mark.
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By: Jackie Teo
Malaysia
Nicely done Balsa strop pad,even surface and hard enough yet quite forgiving. Good stropping material to use with paste.
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By: Alex
Houston,TX
Very nice for final touch
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By: Donnie
Toronto,Ontario
VERY rigid. This can be good or bad depending on what you’re expecting. There is essentially NO give on these. However,as a wood medium,it’s excellent and completely free of natural defects. Seems to work well with the .5M chromium oxide paste.
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