Thread: Chromium oxides on strops

I have tried the back of a leather strop and it is indeed very handy however for me I found that the CrOx on balsa is much more effective.

I agree with everyone on using the chromium oxide with sucess.
For razors I use an old and well worn hanging leather strop rubbed with an SRP chromium oxide crayon. When I pull it really taught it seems to sharpen more than it smoothes the edge but with a little slack, it tends to do a much better job acheiving smoothness.

Originally Posted by Steel

I have tried the back of a leather strop and it is indeed very handy however for me I found that the CrOx on balsa is much more effective.

I have crox on a balsa board as well, and two other felt lined balsa boards pasted with Dovo Red and Green pastes. The Green is the more aggressive, with the Red being for somewhat dull blades, maybe needing a little more than the crox. I have used them on a few blades and they work quite well.

I don't like the balsa board for the crox simply because I'm not sure if the entire blade gets even contact with the surface, whereas with the strop I know it does. Having said that, if I was to go balsa again for crox, I would get the felt lined balsa board, it's just enough of a cushion that you know the entire surface is getting good contact with the crox, and is somewhat of a barrier that if you lose an angle, your not carving the side out of the board and damaging the blade.

But again, it's whatever works for you, I was just impressed at how a touch up on the crox really does paste a bit of life into an edge that may not be quite there, but not yet ready for an all out refresh.

Cheers!

Originally Posted by Phrank

I have crox on a balsa board as well, and two other felt lined balsa boards pasted with Dovo Red and Green pastes. The Green is the more aggressive, with the Red being for somewhat dull blades, maybe needing a little more than the crox. I have used them on a few blades and they work quite well.

I don't like the balsa board for the crox simply because I'm not sure if the entire blade gets even contact with the surface, whereas with the strop I know it does. Having said that, if I was to go balsa again for crox, I would get the felt lined balsa board, it's just enough of a cushion that you know the entire surface is getting good contact with the crox, and is somewhat of a barrier that if you lose an angle, your not carving the side out of the board and damaging the blade.

But again, it's whatever works for you, I was just impressed at how a touch up on the crox really does paste a bit of life into an edge that may not be quite there, but not yet ready for an all out refresh.

Cheers!

I agree about how impressive CrOx can be. Makes a pretty drastic difference. Also, I think I am going to give the felt on balsa a try (in accordance with my signature ). When stropping on my balsa I have been using an X stroke because I too have wondered about contact across the blade. Then again I haven't noticed anything either. Another plus of the felt is that I have heard it is a smoother edge. Now I will have to try it and make up my mind Pretty easy and inexpensive to try so why not? Going to fabric store after work to pick up a small piece of felt.

SRD sells a block of CrOx and a liquid. I got the block, and it's great. That one is a higher grade than the block that you find at Woodcraft.

I use diamond and CrOx spray on hanging compressed felt.
Stick/crayon CrOx on linen.
Why, it is what I have found works best for me. I still do not use them on every blade but as I am in this longer I find my preferences change, so I do go back and experiment. If I don't like an edge a few light strokes on the 12k will put it right back.( I will do a couple of back hone/strop strokes on the stone first) this has been what works for me.

I have crOx on felt, have never tried it on anything else. I would be interested in trying Diamond just to see the difference

Originally Posted by Trimmy72

I have crOx on felt, have never tried it on anything else. I would be interested in trying Diamond just to see the difference

For one thing, you may find the diamond spray cleaner to work with and around. I simply lay my strop over newspaper, exposing the side that I wish to treat, spray it down and rub it in and then hang it up to dry for 24 hours before using. On a white linen strop, the spray is of course invisible and the visual feedback you get after using it a few times shows you that it's working with evidence of the metal from the blade being left behind.

This is of course, yet another YMMV issue too. But, I took Lynn's advice early on and started using this from day one as a quick, easy touch up method.

Frank