Can the crayon like sticks of chromium oxide that one uses on strops be used to polish a vintage blade as well (with a buffing cloth of course)?
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Can the crayon like sticks of chromium oxide that one uses on strops be used to polish a vintage blade as well (with a buffing cloth of course)?
Yes. I use cheap chromium oxide on a dremel wheel.
There is no reason you couldn't use the more expensive type for the same purpose.
Same here on my Buffers, I have one wheel that is loaded with a cheap CrOx stick... The only difference I know of between the Buffing grade crayons and the Stropping grade sold by Razor guys is the FeOx...
The cheap sticks you can buy at places like Woodcraft, Rockler etc: have FeOx in them, where the more expensive Powders and Crayons from place like SRD and Hand American do not...
Try using Fabulustre
Polishing Equipment and Supplies | OttoFrei.com
ZAM is my favorite final polish for use on a buffing wheel.
Polishing Equipment and Supplies | OttoFrei.com
The FeOx would be another abrasive/filler, not a binder.
I like using Maas or Flits for polishing with a wheel buffer.
The other day for grins, I loaded a spiral cotton wheel with Turtle Wax Polishing compound with my finger and the buffer off. I put it on pretty thick so that the wheel was completely coated & let it dry over night.
I use the wheel as a final polish, just prior to a loose cotton wheel and it really made the blades pop. When you first trun it on it throw off a lot of fine dust, I duct taped my vacume hose on the back side of the wheel and put a razor to it. After a couple of minutes the dust stopped and i was able to final polish 10 blades with it. The polish takes a while to dry and are a little smelly, let them dry outside... so I have a 3 wheel rotation. Of couse as always wear a mask.
I just got some Zam with my latest Castwell order, haven't tried it yet.
Are any compounds more effective than others for polishing blades if you don't have a Dremel and are just polishing by hand?
Currently I'm using graduated grits of sandpaper and micro film but I'd like to do the final polishing (by hand) with the most effective compound I can find.
For hand polish Maas, Flitz, Semi Chrome most wheel polishes, Mothers ect they are cheaper and in larger quanities. Sand to at least 1k with soapy water and polish with a Paper towel, I like the blue shop towles they are more abrasive than the white kitchen are thicker and last longer, I use them until they are completely black. If you are not unpinning, bamboo chop sticks and skewers dipped into polish can get between the scales or to spot clean as it concentrates the pressure and the bamboo end itself is abrasive.
It is hard on the fingers I use a piece of 1/4 in Craft Foam as a pad, available at craft stores in 7X11 sheets. The foam compresses and the edge is burried so you will not slice your fingers. Also keeps the razor from dancing on the bench or scratshing the other side, you just polished.
I have used and tried all of the above methods and all are good. In my shop I have started using a liquid headlight cleaning/un-hazing polish which I assume is a Cerium Oxide, not cheap but it works well for me, especially by hand. When cleaning a razor just before or after honing i most often use MAAS. MAAS also makes a liquid metal polish which I am not thrilled by. Tooth paste works quite well for cleaning scudge off blades and scales and some brands work well as a polish also. A pipe cleaner is a good brush for inside areas of scales and safety razors
Most of the polishes work the strongest just as they dry out. That does not mean that a buffing compound does.
Any separately labeled car cleaner usually works well for clean-up.
Dupont 7 and Turtle Wax also made/make a canned cleaner polishing paste, in a flat can like a car wax. Before the modern huge selection of polishing products I used them for years while employed as an industrial modelmaker. Their rubbing compounds work but are a more coarse iron oxide pumice type compound.
Have fun!
~Richard
Geezer, that's the one I use, Turtle Wax Polishing Compound Scratch Remover, flat white & green can is supposed to be a paste but mines the consistency of sour cream, it's a couple of years old. I have tried the Maas liquid and agree the tootpaste tube is much better and cheaper if you can find the big 4 oz tube. Ace hardware localy used to carry it though I havent bought any in a year or so, I buy 3-4 tubes when I do.
Maas is my favorite hand polish for final polish or touch up cleaning. A little goes a long way a dot about 3/4 inch apart and rub between thumb and forfinger.