Have any of you tried Flitz

I have been using flitz metal polish for years on my knives.

I decided that to keep my razors from rusting I would use it on the razors that don't have gold wash on them.

A while back I had made a couple of strops out of a pair of old jeans.
So while I was polishing a razor up, I put some flitz on the blue jean strop and stroped the razor 40 passes. Took a look at the edge under a 30x loupe and noted that the edge was way better polished up than ever before. Razor seems very smooth on my face and I have not had any trouble with weepers since I started doing this.

Silver2

Wow, wonder if that would work with mass?
I've heared about all sorts of things to put on a strop over the years.
I'll polish a piece of scrap steel one day to a mirror finish and as an experiment apply the different pastes and note the scratch pattern size under magnification.

How do you wash it off before shaving without damaging the edge though? I wouldn't really want that stuff getting rubbed into the micro-cuts that I think are inevitable with shaving.

I rinse the blade off with water and wipe it off with a micro fiber towel.

Flitz seems to leave your razor like it had a wax job. Water just beads and runs off. As far as it getting on your face and causing a problem?
I have not noticed any signs of skin redening or rash and I have very sensitive skin.

Stroped with Flitz after razor came off the 12k Chinese stone.


Best Wishes.

Silver2

Most of these metal polishes like maas and flitz and simichrome leave a coating on the metal to help prevent tarnish and that's what you feel when you shave. Most of those metal polishes rely more on chemical action to remove tarnish and oxidation rather than actual abrasive.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Most of these metal polishes like maas and flitz and simichrome leave a coating on the metal to help prevent tarnish and that's what you feel when you shave. Most of those metal polishes rely more on chemical action to remove tarnish and oxidation rather than actual abrasive.

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I got all of that except the part where you said "that's what you feel when you shave". What do you mean by that? Do you mean he is feeling added smoothness in his shave, because of the coating on the metal?

Just like coated DE blades I guess.

I know that flitz does not contain grit and it could be the end finish on the blade that gives it that smooth feel.

When I looked at the scratch pattern on the blade it did look smoother through a 30x loupe.

Wish I had one of those 100x hand held microscopes I have seen a few people use. Just don't know where to find one.

Anyway I know that a few of you will try the flitz on a balsa hone or on old denum.

Let me know how it turns out for you?

Best wishes

Silver2

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Originally Posted by Silver2

I know that flitz does not contain grit and
......

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No grit?
The #1 ingredient is aluminum oxide.
I suspect is is a very fine AlOx powder.... Should polish well.

I know when I use Simichrome on metal if you feel the metal it has a coating of types left behind and you can feel it with your finger. It's not a polishing effect. But it doesn't last especially if you use it.

Never tried Flitz but...

Twenty years ago when I first got mixed up in this straight razor nonsense, I applied toothpaste to the linen side of my DOVO strop.

And it worked. It made my store bought razor shave ready as well as minty fresh.

Now, thanks to SRP, I know better. Now I know about waterstones, barber hones, and diamond pastes. But when they don’t work, the toothpaste does.

A stupid idea that works isn’t stupid.

LG Roy

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Originally Posted by Silver2

Wish I had one of those 100x hand held microscopes I have seen a few people use. Just don't know where to find one.

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I think this is what you're looking for. At the moment it looks like Amazon has it for $10 USD, but feel free to choose your vendor.

carson microscope - Google Product Search

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Originally Posted by Library Guy

Never tried Flitz but...

Twenty years ago when I first got mixed up in this straight razor nonsense, I applied toothpaste to the linen side of my DOVO strop.

And it worked. It made my store bought razor shave ready as well as minty fresh.

Now, thanks to SRP, I know better. Now I know about waterstones, barber hones, and diamond pastes. But when they don’t work, the toothpaste does.

A stupid idea that works isn’t stupid.

LG Roy

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Tooth paste is an astoundingly well compounded product.
Not a silly idea. Just do not use the clear gel ones.

Hi,

Toothpastes can contain a variety of mild abrasives:

The two (2) I am most familiar with are:

Calcium carbonate (chalk)
Silicon dioxide (silica)

I don't know if any contain aluminium oxide (alumina).

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

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Originally Posted by Silver2

Wish I had one of those 100x hand held microscopes I have seen a few people use. Just don't know where to find one.

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Radio Shack has a cool lighted scope for about $12.

Illuminated Microscope - RadioShack.com

Hey guys thanks for all the replys on the lighted microscope.
I have been using a 30x jewlers loupe for keeping track of my edge work.
Having something with good magnification is the onlyway to really see what is happening to the edge on each stone.

Have any of you tried the Flitz yet?

I made a balsa hone. Went to Hobby Lobby and for $4 picked up a sheet 3/16 x 3 x 36. I mounted it to a piece of scrap wood that I had sanded flat, then I sanded the balsa flat. That is what I use the Flitz on now after honing on the finishing stone. Just use a little flitz and smear it all over.
Strop the razor on it with very light pressue for 5 passes and check the edge for mirror like finish. If it is not there give it 5 more passes and recheck.
I have enough balsa left over to make 3 to 4 more hones with.

You are going to like the results you get from it.

Regard,

Silver2

Caution: Sacrilege Alert-- not for newbs

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Library Guy

Never tried Flitz but...

Twenty years ago when I first got mixed up in this straight razor nonsense, I applied toothpaste to the linen side of my DOVO strop.

And it worked. It made my store bought razor shave ready as well as minty fresh.

Now, thanks to SRP, I know better. Now I know about waterstones, barber hones, and diamond pastes. But when they don’t work, the toothpaste does.

A stupid idea that works isn’t stupid.

LG Roy

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My wife has been known to use that terminology.

Hi guys, I've used flitz for many years, I still have a tube of it that says "made in west Germany" and I can say it works very well on straight razors for keeping them rust free. Also I did like many of you guys did and put it on my strop and polished the edge. I must say it works as good as any compounds that are out there. And for you guys that worry about it being on there when you shave then you could stop worrying, it's safe and non toxic. You can use it on silver flatware and eat off of it after your done polishing it. It's pricy but its worth it.