Thread: Hones, stones and paste, Oh My

The grit jump between the 8K and the .5 micron is large in theory, but the paste works so quickly that it's not a problem. Some use a heavy layer of paste and do around 10 or so laps. My strop has a faint hint of ghostly green chromium oxide, and it does a great job with around 30 or 40 laps.

I have to agree with Randy about the chromium oxide, both that it's better than the .5 micron diamond paste and that you should get it from handamerican.com. I like agreeing with Randy; I usually find that when I don't, I'm wrong.

Josh

I got my 0.5 chromium oxide today, probably enough to last a life. I lightly pasted my paddle and when ready I gave each of my 3 shavers 30 laps on the CO and then 50 on shell horse hide. It made a visible difference. The edge is smoother and shiner. I drew each blade through a tuft of hair on my arm (using my left, the right is nearly shaven ) and the blades glided through like butter.

My soaps from TGQ arrived this evening so I am anxious to lather up with that Cavendish Black and shave test a blade in the morning.

I got my first shave in with the newly chromium oxide stropped blade this morning. That did the trick. There as a noticeable difference. The blade glided smoother and cuts even closer, it felt slicker moving across my face. Even the against the grain strokes glided with ease. Prior, I would do a with the grain stroke to cut down the stubble and then against the grain to get it super smooth. I did away with the with the grain stroke and went directly to the against the grain stroke to test the edge. It easily and cleanly cut.

Thanks for advice

Sounds great, and I bet the new soaps from TGQ helped a bit as well, they're awesome!

Thanks for the follow ups cannonfodder. I've been using diamond pastes, but I'd really like to try out some chromium oxide. This put me over the top. Did you get yours from Hand American?

One other question, I have a 4-sided paddle strop, but it happens to be all diamond pasted up. Does the CO work well on a hanging linen side of a strop? I never use the linen side so I was thinking instead of buying another paddle I might use that.

Or instead of such a loaded question: what would you guys recommend as the best medium to paste up with Chromium Oxide?

Originally Posted by Droshi

One other question, I have a 4-sided paddle strop, but it happens to be all diamond pasted up. Does the CO work well on a hanging linen side of a strop? I never use the linen side so I was thinking instead of buying another paddle I might use that.

Or instead of such a loaded question: what would you guys recommend as the best medium to paste up with Chromium Oxide?

I typically put green chrom ox the off side of my strops or on one side of a linen strop. I find that when I touch up the edge every now and then on the paste I don't need to take the blade to the hones but every 4 or 5 months.

On my paddle strops. If it is padded on two sides I'll put red on one and green on the other. It comes in handy at Christmas time. I will put .1µ on the opposite side of the finishing side. This is what I use to finish razors in my shop.

Originally Posted by Droshi

Or instead of such a loaded question: what would you guys recommend as the best medium to paste up with Chromium Oxide?

I have been using a HandAmerican flat bed with leather pads as well as a HandAmerican hard felt hanging strop. On the flatbed I have pads pasted with Boron Carbide and Chromium Oxide. This set up has worked really well for me. I have only used the hard felt (with the same abrasives) a few times, but it seems like it might be an even better medium for the pastes than leather.