balsa wood plank with chromium oxide on one side and iron oxide on the other. It came with my poorman's strop kit from Whippeddog.
Thanks! Did you use both sides (which one first?) or one side (which?) . What is the difference between chromium oxide and iron oxide?
chromium oxide is a 0.3 micron and I used it first. Iron oxide is a 0.1 micron and I used that 2nd. Wipe off the blade between sides very well and again before moving to leather. I use the same treatment on my straight razors to help stretch out use between hone times.
I only have 3 hones a 1k/5k duel sided King, an unknown natural stone mined locally, and an old barbers hone. Along with the balsa board and a narrow leather strop I managed to get decent shaves from my razors. I would love to have a Naniwa progression but its just not in the budget this year.
what do you hold the blade with when you use other hones? I've been using the blade alone, setting it down and picking it up is slow and prone to cut my fingers.
I haven't used anything. I pick it up and handle it by the spine. I have thought about getting an incomplete parts one just to cannibalize the spur and spring holding the blade in the case and making a handle to make hand honing and stropping easier. I nearly took the one I the box tour box just for that and the strop.
I try to keep the bevel aligned with what my rolls gives so if I ever needed to do a touch up in the device (e.g., when traveling) I don't have to reset the bevel. I have several vinyl electrical tape test strips with varying layers of tape on them. I use them like spark plug gauges to measure how many layers of tape it takes to elevate the spine above the hone with the blade in the device and applying pressure to start the honing process I've found each rolls can vary in this regard. I then apply the appropriate layers of tape to the spine. Just lay the tape out (3-4") sticky side up and press the spine with long axis aligned with length of tape onto the center. You then just roll the tape extendind over tge long edged
You end up with a blade with tape handles that is much easier to handle during honing. Another reason to try to match bevel angle to the device is to optimize stropping efficiency in the rolls.
My rolls arrived. Almost mint! I'm working on uploading pic's to imgur right now. full gallery. http://imgur.com/a/FQnWG
Im pretty sure mine had never been unpackaged. Ive since stropped the blade and test shaved on my cheek and it was straight razor quality BBS. I will one day get it out and try a complete shave. For now its a display piece along with some NOS parts I found.
Now that's what I call a haul! Complete with strop dressing, spare blade two spare friction clips and whateveritis in the metal box! Talk about NOS! Congratz, Roger and enjoy it! And what is it, in that metal box? Doesn't seem to be another spare blade, or is it?
Yep, brand spanky new blades in both boxes. I PIF'd one and kept the other as a spare....if I ever use it.
