Thread: Finishing compound

Having been a jeweler, I have some light green stick compound called zam and some dark green rouge. Does anyone know which if either of these could be put on a piece of leather to finish a razor edge on? These are the grease based compounds like you can buy at Ace hardware. Mack

Green... sounds like Chrome Ox to my ignorant mind. I don't know what they are, what micron they might be, or what the abrasives are, so I've no idea. These three things, and maybe others that I'm unaware of, are what someone would need to know to better advise you.

Well the dark green rouge we used on gold instead of the red because it was less messy. I don't know whether it would hold up on steel or not. Might be the crystals are too soft but the light green zam is for stainless but I am not sure how coarse it is. I guess I will just try it on one of my razors and report back with my results. I also have something called chrome that is dark red. Haven't used it yet on anything.

Both are finishing compounds using chromium oxide to give a high lustre. Zam is a proprietary mix of CrOx and aluminium oxide - jewellers primarily use it to polish stones and soft metals, as it does not scratch. Can also be used on steel and is also available in white.

The green rouge is used for mostly the same thing, but it is hard to judge its cutting action unless you know the percentage of CrOx in it - bars may have as little as 5% of it in them. If it has a high CrOx content it will be better than Zam.

Both can be used on razors.

Regards,
Neil

Thank you so much Neil. I knew someone on here would know. I love this place.

No problem! Lets hope the green rouge is the good stuff!

Regards,
Neil

The dark green must be the good stuff. I put some neatsfoot oil in a small bowl and scraped some of the rouge in it . I then applied it to my leather hone. My razor cuts cleaner and easier than ever and I looked under the scope and the edge is smoother and brighter. Thanks for your help. Mack

Mack::

Contact ChrisL or go through the classifieds he was selling small packs of the pure CrOx for $4 once you use the pure stuff you will see why we brag about it.... also Lynn and Don have it at SRD in a bigger size just depends on your needs ...


Honest, there really is a difference in the quality..