Thread: my crome-ox paste experience

When I first started a few months ago, I got a small package of crome-oxide powder from Chris. You can get it at hand-american, but you have to get so much of the darn stuff, its cheaper and easier to just get the small envelope Chris will send you.

I had just made my strop and had a piece of left over leather, perfect for a paddle strop. I intended to paste it up, but never got around to it until tonight.

I've been shaving with the same razor for two months straight now, and finally I felt it was losing a bit of it's edge, so I took out Chris's instructions and went to work. I'm probably not the only one on here that was a bit doubtful the first time they put that green-paint-looking concoction (once mixed with some oil) on their strop. I don't know what I thought it would do, but I didn't imagine it would bring my razor back to day-one shape.

Did 10 laps on it. Let me tell you, this stuff is actual magic. Real magic, in powdered form. And then liquid magic before it dries on the strop. And then you have a magic strop that makes your razors magic. If you don't have this stuff, you need to get some, pronto.

Thanks Chris!!

Excellent news. Just 15 minutes ago I came up from the basement where I was touching up two razors using newspaper with some of my Chrome Ox powder rubbed in the surface. I can't wait to shave with those two again. The edges are back in perfect form.

I still have enough left for others to try. Just PM me.

It really does work!

Chris L

Originally Posted by Chrisl

Excellent news. Just 15 minutes ago I came up from the basement where I was touching up two razors using newspaper with some of my Chrome Ox powder rubbed in the surface. I can't wait to shave with those two again. The edges are back in perfect form.

I still have enough left for others to try. Just PM me.

It really does work!

Chris L

I guess putting it on newspaper is a good way to go especially the first time so you don't "mess up" whatever strop you decide to experiment with.

-Tom (a newbie getting his head around the mystery of staying keen)

I've recently received my package of green magic, and yes, my story is much the same. I plan to make a balsa strop, but couldn't wait for that so rubbed a little on some newspaper. My oh my, now that is a clean smooth shave. I'd just honed two razors and coming off a norton 8k they're always a little harsh I find, not so after the .5 paste. That will be added to my repertoire each time, and for refreshing next time they start dragging.

Thanks again ChrisL for offering this to us, I can't buy that stuff in the UK, so it's been very useful indeed.

Cheers,

J.

Interesting, and good information.

My instance is somewhat different, in that I'll be applying CrO2 to a 3" x 24" piece of hard wool felt. I had a 2.5" x 8" piece of the same felt, and squirted some of my HandAmerican liquid CrO2 onto it; well, I learned that "felt welts", and the surface of that felt strap ended-up looking like a 3-D topographical map of the "hill country". Not so good for honing/stropping a straight razor.

So, in a nutshell: What is the best way to apply powdered CrO2 to hard wool felt, so that it will adhere to the felt, in its role as a pasted hanging strop?

Thanks in advance for your replies, and smooth shaving!!

Originally Posted by JBHoren

Interesting, and good information.

My instance is somewhat different, in that I'll be applying CrO2 to a 3" x 24" piece of hard wool felt. I had a 2.5" x 8" piece of the same felt, and squirted some of my HandAmerican liquid CrO2 onto it; well, I learned that "felt welts", and the surface of that felt strap ended-up looking like a 3-D topographical map of the "hill country". Not so good for honing/stropping a straight razor.

So, in a nutshell: What is the best way to apply powdered CrO2 to hard wool felt, so that it will adhere to the felt, in its role as a pasted hanging strop?

Thanks in advance for your replies, and smooth shaving!!

Having read Josh Earl's instructions in this thread, as well as PMing both Josh and Chrisl and receiving excellent info, I took the HandAmerican liquid CO and put a drop on my HandAmerican magnetic felt. I rubbed it with my finger tip in a circular motion spreading it around until it was used up and applied another drop. I did not do layer upon layer, just blended the edges. I am not sure if the thicker felt that you have would behave differently then this thin piece. I have used this setup on a few razors with excellent results doing 5 round trips using the weight of the blade.

I've been complaining that HandAmerican had let the side down by not supplying me. Well they just got around to me and I received my liquid chromium oxide.

I have put the HandAmerican liquid CO on leather. Rubbed it around until everything was green and wiped off any excess with a tissue paper.

I have to say the results on the blade are to smooth out the edge better than any other product I have used.

I'm still undecided if it may be too sharp for me although I understand many on the forum believe too sharp is a technique problem rather than a razor problem. Still I for one found Feather Straight and Feather DE blades to be just too aggressive for my technique and this Chromium Oxide is pretty close to Feather quality.
No harshness, super smooth and super sharp.

Well done HandAmerican, this product has to rate as the best value for money razor product available. I salute you.

Incidentally, you do get lots in the bottle and I have found that if you put some on a mirror finish blade and polish it, it works wonders. I'm sure it will clean up scratched plastic such as a watch glass etc.,etc., many uses for an exceptional product. Finally, my wife used a bit as a dye. She makes teddy bears. The white mohair material turned to a lovely mint green. Every home should have some.

Originally Posted by English

Incidentally, you do get lots in the bottle and I have found that if you put some on a mirror finish blade and polish it, it works wonders. I'm sure it will clean up scratched plastic such as a watch glass etc.,etc., many uses for an exceptional product. Finally, my wife used a bit as a dye. She makes teddy bears. The white mohair material turned to a lovely mint green. Every home should have some.

I've heard that old timers used to paint a board with green paint and strop their razor on that. Chromium oxide, it seems, was what put the green in green paint.

For applying powder to a cloth surface, I usually use plain water. If you have the liquid stuff, you don't have much choice.

Josh

Chrisl, I just got your mail today. I was amazed by the speed you took. (if only my other pkgs form some Ebay vendors were as efficient!) I cant wait to try said magic out! I thank you again for your help and just want to say your commitment to continuing the STR8 expierence and enjoyment of is top notch!

Hello All...

I just order the Felt Pad from HandAmerican, I already have the CR but in the paste version....Can I use it over the Felt Pad? Or should I get some dry CR to use it?

If I need it dry, is there any recommendation to dry some of the paste that I already have?