Thread: Is Chromium Oxide every 3 or 6 shaves too much?

Is there any detriment to doing 15 laps on Chromium Oxide every 3 or 6 shaves to keep the blade at its best, even if it doesn't seem to need it?

I don't know but it is an abrasive. You're removing metal and it adds up. IOW, if you use the same one or two razors and do the chrom-ox that often eventually, it seems to me, you would wear the blade prematurely.

CrOx should not be used that much. Maybe once a month if you are using your razor daily. I would suggest that you work on stropping the razor. Practice with a butter knife, look at the videos and watch what other guys are doing. If you have an SRP member near your home, go see him and have him help you. This is a great hobby and you never stop learning.

How are you applying it? If it is on a yielding surface like leather, then in theory at least you will eventually round the bevel. So by CrOX-ing more frequently you are hurrying that process along. Whether rounding the bevel is in itself bad, or whether it just means more work on the hones (eventually) is a matter for more theoretical discussions. On top of that, I have not seen any experiments suggesting the average rate of rounding-degeneration until edge failure, so who even knows if it matters at all?

So I guess I'd say it is your razor, do as you wish with it.

James.

When answering a question like that, it should always be prefaced with 'In my opinion' as each person will have a preference.

Now, my 'preference' is that 15 laps is too much. You can really make an edge harsh doing that many laps on CrOx. I use a balsa paddle strop covered in CrOx myself. I do 5 laps on it when I finish honing a razor just to put that final 'sharp' feeling to it. Then when I think a razor is not quite up to par, before I simply re-hone it, I'll give it 5 laps on my CrOx paddle and try it again. It usually harsh'es (I know that's not a word, heheh) the edge back up. I like an edge to feel kind of 'crispy' on my face, and 5 laps usually makes that happen. 15 laps might be a little more than is necessary.

There shouldn't really be any 'detriment' to your blade. I tended to do too many laps in my earlier days and found the edges just a tad too harsh, I lean a little more toward smooth these days.

It's really all just personal preference. I don't believe it can really harm your razor though. Try fewer laps, you might find you just don't need 15 to get the same feeling.

Good luck!!!

M

It's easy to overdo it like that. The better you get at stropping, the more you'll stretch that time frame out. I don't think you'll do any long term damage to the edge though. You'll just have to hone for corrections, a lot!

Using a very light touch on balsa is probably OK. However, I concur that you can get too much of a good thing with CrO. It is an abrasive. Stropping with CrO once per month is probably sufficient for a daily shaver.

Originally Posted by TheLegalRazor

Is there any detriment to doing 15 laps on Chromium Oxide every 3 or 6 shaves to keep the blade at its best, even if it doesn't seem to need it?

If it works for you, go for it! I would say every 6 shaves would work but different razors might not work as well, if your new to this eventually
you will figure out what works for you.

I find 15 to be too much. For touchups, I do 7 passes..

-2 with a bit of pressure (still reasonably light.. you don't wanna press down hard)
-2 with less pressure (normal stroke)
-3 with just the weight of the razor

Every 5-10 shaves for my facial hair, ymmv on the frequency.

I don't love my razors as much as my shaves, so I overdo it cuz I just love a "freshly pasted razors edge." I prefer the Dovo Green Paste over my crox, but the fact still is that I hit it up on balsa every three shaves or so. Like I said, I love the shave it generates. Heck maybe that's why I tend to hone my razors a bit more (due to the rounding), but it's all good.

I figure my boy will still get good razors as my rotation seemingly grows when I am not looking, so I worry little with respect to metal loss.

But that's just me.