Thread: Balsa and Chrome Ox

I mix chrome ox with dish detergent in a bowl before application . It makes it much easier to remove any remnants of chrome ox from the blade, fingers, clothes etc. The opposite side of the home made hanging strop has .25 mic diamond spray applied. These were made for my non-honing son.

Depends on if it's pigment powder or what. I use water or oil depending.

I stopped using pastes though as it prevents using a finishing hone for touch ups. You can make a razor last longer before honing, but then when you do go to stones you have to do a full bevel set, whereas I can keep a razor going indefinitely by touching up on a finisher when it starts to tug instead of pastes.

Of course you need a good finisher to be able to do that, which for cost reasons makes paste totally acceptable for short term solutions.

No way Jose.

Why would you think that you could not touch up a pasted razor?

The bevels are still flat, just do a few laps and your good to go.

I often strop between stones with a Canvas Chrome Ox strop, 5-6 laps to make the edge straighter, then hone the next stone in progression between the 4 & 8 and 8 & 12K.

Works just fine and a Chrome Ox strop, linen and leather can keep a razor shaving very well for a very long, long time.

Originally Posted by DireStraights

Depends on if it's pigment powder or what. I use water or oil depending.

Water or oil depending on what?

I would personally not agree with this. I routinely go to a 12K stone when pastes or sprays quit working without have to reset a bevel unless the razor has been damaged in some way. YMMV

Have fun.

Originally Posted by DireStraights

Depends on if it's pigment powder or what. I use water or oil depending.

I stopped using pastes though as it prevents using a finishing hone for touch ups. You can make a razor last longer before honing, but then when you do go to stones you have to do a full bevel set, whereas I can keep a razor going indefinitely by touching up on a finisher when it starts to tug instead of pastes.

Of course you need a good finisher to be able to do that, which for cost reasons makes paste totally acceptable for short term solutions.

+1 to what Lynn and Marty have said...Although I usually use a 'PbO' pasted strop instead of CrOx (it has the same micron rating as CrOx). When that stops working a quick couple of laps on a quality BH or a 12K followed up with a good stropping will always do the trick. No need to reset a bevel that is already set?

Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

Although I usually use a 'PbO' pasted strop instead of CrOx (it has the same micron rating as CrOx).

I don't like the idea of rubbing chromium into my skin and definitely feel the same about lead.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I don't like the idea of rubbing chromium into my skin and definitely feel the same about lead.

I would avoid Lead also, but Chromium is included in several steel alloys.

Not all Chromium is evil. It is in many foods, waters. Also, please correct me if I am wrong, isn't CrOx made from Chromium(III) which is the same as in Chromium(III) Picolinate. A dietary suppliment.

Just looking for clarification before it's too late.

Originally Posted by KindestCutOfAll

I would avoid Lead also, but Chromium is included in several steel alloys.

Not all Chromium is evil. It is in many foods, waters. Also, please correct me if I am wrong, isn't CrOx made from Chromium(III) which is the same as in Chromium(III) Picolinate. A dietary suppliment.

Just looking for clarification before it's too late.

Chromium is Chromium, Lead is Lead, and Chromium Oxide or Lead Oxide is different from the metal.
Whether something is good or bad depends on biochemistry, i.e. how does the specific chemical compound react with your body.
For example ethanol contains an extra carbon and two extra hydrogen atoms compared to methanol, and it's fairly safe to consume in moderate quantity while methanol is not.

It would be interesting to know how much chromium oxide or lead oxide remains on the edge after it's stropped and ready to shave.

I was being lazy in not including the full name, but the pigment lead oxide is toxic and it is not something I want on my skin, on my strops, aerosolized into my lungs, or basically anywhere in my house.

Then again, I have not yet completed that Farraday cage for my bed yet either!