Thread: Cro-Ox, Hones and Grits

I've been wondering about this since I got my new hone from the classified. Up to now, when a blade needs a touch up, I've been using a balsa wood strop with Cro-Ox. (Yes, I know it's really Cro but somehow, Cro-Ox sounds neater). My 8000 grit stone feels smoother to the touch. Which is actually courser? And my Arkansas stone which Classic Shaving says is 4000, feels courser than my 1200. What is the actual order?

Originally Posted by leadduck

I've been wondering about this since I got my new hone from the classified. Up to now, when a blade needs a touch up, I've been using a balsa wood strop with Cro-Ox. (Yes, I know it's really Cro but somehow, Cro-Ox sounds neater). My 8000 grit stone feels smoother to the touch. Which is actually courser? And my Arkansas stone which Classic Shaving says is 4000, feels courser than my 1200. What is the actual order?

Smooth to the touch is seldom an indicator. All fine stones
just feel fine..

CrOx is commonly available as a 0.5micron grit which is finer
than a Norton 8000 by quite a bit. CrOx can however be finer or coarser.

Arkansas hones have rather large grains of quartz but hone finer
than the size of the grains indicate so classic shaving is likely correct
if they say something like cuts like xyz grit.

Be very cautious with grit numbers. There are three common standards
and they have very different dimensions and statistics..
Natural hones are variable as heck. You need to audition
natural hones to learn where they fit in a sequence.

most people use cr-ox just as an abbreviation

wiki says -Chromium(III) oxide is the inorganic compound of the formula Cr2O3

so if you want to be pedantic you'll have to use Cr2O3 every time you want to say chromium oxide

so that being said I'll stick with cr-ox its easier

ian

Me too. Thanks for the info.

The grain size of the cro-ox depends on the vendor. Where did you buy it?

CrO typically is used by rock polishers and jewelry makers as a real go to compound for minerals like quartz types and softer. They sell the stuff in rock shops in big bars but they contain other things you don't want for your razor as well as differing grit sizes. So make sure you get the pure stuff and know what's in it or have a very reliable supplier.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

Be very cautious with grit numbers. There are three common standards
and they have very different dimensions and statistics..
Natural hones are variable as heck. You need to audition
natural hones to learn where they fit in a sequence.

Well said:

Comparing grit between stones is hard enough, but adding in the pastes to the equation just makes ya crazy...
Once you THINK you have it all figured out, then the whole equation changes because of the surface you put the paste on can change...
Then you toss in a different supplier like TBS just metioned and you just changed everything again

Crazy stuff I tell ya... but hey, we love it huh???

Originally Posted by randydance062449

The grain size of the cro-ox depends on the vendor. Where did you buy it?

I wish I could tell you where the Cro-Ox came from but I didn't buy it. I won it in one of the monthly give aways.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Well said:

Comparing grit between stones is hard enough, but adding in the pastes to the equation just makes ya crazy...
Once you THINK you have it all figured out, then the whole equation changes because of the surface you put the paste on can change...
Then you toss in a different supplier like TBS just metioned and you just changed everything again

Crazy stuff I tell ya... but hey, we love it huh???

As I said in another thread...'and I thought this was going to be easy'.
But yeah, we love it.

Originally Posted by ianp1966

most people use cr-ox just as an abbreviation

wiki says -Chromium(III) oxide is the inorganic compound of the formula Cr2O3

so if you want to be pedantic you'll have to use Cr2O3 every time you want to say chromium oxide

so that being said I'll stick with cr-ox its easier

ian

Why not just call it chromic oxide or eskolaite and be done with it?