Thread: "micro fine honing compound" from woodcraft, beware!

they advertise it to be a chromium oxide bar with a particle size of .5 microns... here is the MSDS: http://msds.ogden.disa.mil/msds/owa/...imsdsnr=192728

only 30% Chromium Oxide!! I contacted Formax to inquire what kind of Alumina they use, because polycrystalline has a particle size of .1-.3 microns, so that would be fine, but they use calcined, which has a size of up to 30 microns.

The reason that it is only 30% chromium oxide is due to its being a bar. The 70% remainder is the binder that allows it to be formed and held in the shape of that bar.

I've used the stuff, occasionally, and it was acceptably smooth. Maybe not as good as the Hand American stuff, but definitely not as bad as 30 micron particles would be if there were a significant amount.

I have been trying to warn you guys about that for several years. Formax told me that the max size was 6 microns. That was maybe 5-6 years ago.

I've been using this stuff. Check out my edge pic posts on the advanced honing forum under "why is the 1st sshave so disagreeable..."

you can see that after I get a nice clean bevel using down to 1 micron lapping film, I hit the edge up with the bar chrome ox, and it looks as if the bevel is getting quite scratched up. I thought it was perhaps contaminated. Apparently it is.

I just recently PM'd ChrisL about some of his chrom ox, perhaps that'll straighten out the issues.

Thanks for the heads up.

Oh, I was fully aware of the coarse grit "inclusions" when I bought the stuff. I use it mostly for buffing, but have, on occasion, stropped a razor on it. I don't really use pastes enough to be giving official reviews of the stuff but it seemed "OK" for a paste.

As usual, you get what you pay for.

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

Oh, I was fully aware of the coarse grit "inclusions" when I bought the stuff. I use it mostly for buffing, but have, on occasion, stropped a razor on it. I don't really use pastes enough to be giving official reviews of the stuff but it seemed "OK" for a paste.

As usual, you get what you pay for.

Oh sure...now you tell me!

I have used the crayon style from Woodcraft on many knives and razors without a problem. I use it on a sort of rough-out or suede paddle strop.

Doesn't mean it can't happen, it just means that it's not always an issue. I really don't think that it would nick an edge or anything but I could be proved wrong.

Originally Posted by kelbro

I have used the crayon style from Woodcraft on many knives and razors without a problem. I use it on a sort of rough-out or suede paddle strop.

Doesn't mean it can't happen, it just means that it's not always an issue. I really don't think that it would nick an edge or anything but I could be proved wrong.

Pic before crayon style chrome ox, off of 1 micron lapping film:


Pic immediately after using crayon stayle chrome ox:


The razor still gave a nice enough shave.

But when looking for the most refined edge you can get, you can see that the crayon chrome ox leaves largers striations than the 1 micron finished edge that had previously been established.

I'm awaiting some new chrome ox, to see how that pans out...

The stuff is really not bad. You can use it on your buffing wheels, it makes a nice shiny polish.

And you can rub it on your feet.

This is so your wife will assume you have been working in the yard barefoot rather than playing with razors all day.