Thread: Chromium Oxide Grit from Lee Valley Tools

A thread that I posted a while back...
http://straightrazorpalace.com/showt...487#post182487
... about using chromium oxide grit as a polishing compound has lead me to pose the following question:

Has anyone compared the chromium oxide grit from Lee Valley Tools...
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...84&cat=1,43072
... with a more traditional source (i.e. Handamerican chromium oxide)
http://japaneseknifesharpening.com/handamerican.html

Lee Valley states that there is other "finer abrasives", but you never know.



Thanks

Mark

Several people have had concerns about it for honing applications. However, it should be more than adequate for regular polishing.

I asked LeeValley about the composition of it a few years ago. They responded that it has other abrasives as well so I feel that it is not as fine as the CrOx from Handamerican.
The other green compound bar that is offered is from Formax Mfg in Michigan. It is even coarser.

I just got a sample from Chris

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showt...m+oxide+sample

and it makes a huge difference. I didn't know any better at the time, but you can feel the grit crunching on the blade with the Lee Valley stuff. I chalked that up to pushing too hard, but even with the good stuff, there is not grittiness no matter how hard you push.

Still good for restoration though. Just not sharpening.

Did you conclude that the HandAmerican is not up to sharpening?

Originally Posted by asbjorn

Did you conclude that the HandAmerican is not up to sharpening?

I believe he concluded the opposite, that the Hand American chromium oxide IS up to it's intended task of polishing razor edges before stropping and that the Lee Valley stick is NOT workable for putting the final polish an a shaving razor.

Chris L

ah, ok, that is good.
I have pasted my tm 4way with it, but I cannot find differences with that or some unbranded one I got earlier. But I belive that is because of my abilites still
When(if) I can get an finer edge on my razor I probably will understand more of the fineness of the crome. I did however find that using pastes 3, 1 and 0.5 made lot of differences though. and turned my paddle black

I guess I need to take the razor back to the hones again, I have an bad warp in one, so I'm waiting for the videos from heavyduty to see if I can get some tips.

Originally Posted by asbjorn

so I'm waiting for the videos from heavyduty to see if I can get some tips.

Meeee toooooo! I can't wait for that video he's so graciously offered to make and post. Narrow hones are working wonders for my warped blades, but I'd like to be able to use my Shaptons and other wide natural stones on warped edges and at this point........I can't figure out how!

Chris L

And I don't have any narrow hones.. I'm very tempted to grind away everything on my warp on the DMT but I'll wait..

If you're going to pick something up at Lee Valley, I'd suggest their 3M Micro Abrasive sheets. I stick them to an old oil stone I have that's flat as flat can be, just with water and smoothing it out. I've had great luck. Even with my newbie hands I've managed to make one razor so far shavable.