Thread: Sharp, I have met thee

And thy name is CrO2. Wow, I received my 3,1,.5,.5 paddle strop from Tony and cleaned my everyday shaver up. This thing is scary sharp. I decapitated a zit, pretty much clean with my face where the bump started, so am bleeding writing this. It is actually gonna take me a while to get used to this. - John

I thought Tony's strops are diamond pasted? I have a cominbation paddle strop, with 3.0, 1.0, and .5 diamond abrasive. I'm new to straights and have only shaved with my razor 7 times or so, so I don't need to touch up yet. I look forward to it though. What size abrasive did you start off one?

You can get Cro2 on the strops as well. Cro2 is great for bringing in that final polish. Makes a world of difference.

Just out of curiosity, what were you using before, John?

Matt

ZiCheng, I spoke with Tony and requested the CrO2 in place of the diamond paste in the 0.5 micron size slot. He then explained that instead one face with 0.25 micron paste, some folks were going with 3, 1, 0.5 in diamond and the last face in 0.5 CrO2. Apparently, the CrO2 crystals are a bit 'rounder' than the sharp diamond crystals of the same size. In this case, the CrO2 then acts as a finisher, smoothing out the cutting done by the 0.5 diamond. He also related that some folks have told him the 0.25 paste cuts the edge so fine that people have reported razor burn, likely from folding the very fine edge. He calls the 3,1,0.5,0.5 combo that I have the 'fanatics special'.

Matt, I have a 12k Shapton and a 4k/8k Norton, but I'd been staying away from the 12k recently, finishing on the 8k. The 12k actually seems to dull the blade a bit, and really cuts fast.

I was following Cr2O3 with 0.25µ Diamond, but any more than a few passes and it would burn. I'm leaving the Diamond out for now and getting decent results so far.

X

Originally Posted by Namdnas

The 12k actually seems to dull the blade a bit, and really cuts fast.

On my 8k and 15k Shaptons this seems to be caused by using too much water. The directions that came with mine said to just dampen the stones with a spritzer not soak them. Using them with puddles of water on them causes too much suction and makes them cut too fast.

The Shaptons are also the only stones I regularly do pyramids on. I usually do 1:2 pyramids between the 8k and 15k stones until the edge is where I want it, and this usually winds up being good enough that the chrome oxide provides only minor improvements.

Yeah, I have never been able to get a really comfortable shaving edge off just the 8k. Of course, I haven't been at this very long, just a couple months now. I know some guys say they can get a good shaving edge of the 8k, but I really need some sort of polish at the end.

I got the same paddle set as you from Tony, and love it. The chromium really does make the edge comfortable to shave with. Lately I have been skipping the 3.0 and 1.0 diamonds in favor of my yellow coticule, though I did end up taking my Wapienica Razors to the 3.0 and 1.0 after the coticule tonight, as they just seemed to need a middle step to get that comfortable edge. Really hard stuff these Wapiencicas, but they shave nice and like the look.

Matt

I have Tony's paddle with 3,1,.5 and .25 and it works alright for me. I like the extra sharpness you get with the .25 ummm

Just a quick reply to the 'spritzer idea'

I've read about the finer stones not needing to be soaked, just sprinkled with water??

(by finer it was suggesting 6000 or higher)

It's a factor of stone type, not grit. Some stones need to be soaked, some spritzed, and some can be used dry.