Thread: Quick questions about balsa and Cr2O3

I've just bought some balsa wood to try stropping with chromium oxide.
However the chromium oxide I have is a powder and I don't have any honing oil at home to mix it with.

Does it have to be a certain type of oil? What's to stop me just using olive oil?

Lastly when I strop on wood I do it like I strop on leather right? Ie the opposite way to how you hone on a stone?

Thanks.

MisterZadir, you can use glycerin, mineral oil. I also think, but am not 100% on this, you can use almost any "light oil". That should work. Hopefully others will chime in with more suggestions. I believe olive oil should work. When you "strop" you do it just like on the leather strops, spine leading. ChrisL can help you even more with this. Good Luck and God Bless! Ray

there should be some baby oil in your wife/girlfriend/mother/sister/friends bathroom. Its pretty much mineral oil. Its what I used to put powders on a balsa strop.

Just mix a little of it in with the powder in a soda lid or something then spread it on the strop.

Olive oil tends to go rancid over time. I believe it is also hydroscopic, and it may contain salt.

Use baby oil or some other type of mineral oil, or even a thin smear of vaseline.

Baby oil worked for me. Smells nice too!

i used mineral oil on mine.. You can see it in the wiki.. Dont do what i did, actually measure my balsa strop is massive.

I used mineral oil. I believe sewing machine oil is another option. I'd stay away from olive oil or any other cooking oils for the reason mparker762 mentioned. Remember that a little powder goes a long way.

Originally Posted by MisterZadir

I've just bought some balsa wood to try stropping with chromium oxide.
However the chromium oxide I have is a powder and I don't have any honing oil at home to mix it with.

Does it have to be a certain type of oil? What's to stop me just using olive oil?

Lastly when I strop on wood I do it like I strop on leather right? Ie the opposite way to how you hone on a stone?

Thanks.

Don't forget to flatten the balsa wood before you put on the Chromium. You want it flat.


Richard

Originally Posted by riooso

Don't forget to flatten the balsa wood before you put on the Chromium. You want it flat.


Richard

Thanks for all the replies. I ended up using glycerine and it seems to have worked quite well. Its outside drying now.

Flatten how? By sanding on glass? Damn I thought it was flat enough, I mean its so thin that I cut it with scissors before applying the chromium oxide. I just assumed that sanding it might break it.

Looks like I may have to do it all again tomorrow...

I thought i read a thread about using no carriers/ oil with powder. That seemed to make the most sense to me. Honestly, I have tried neither.

The real reason I'm here is to suggest that if your slat is that thin you may wish to glue it to a flat substrate