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How much chromox?

Hi all. Been doing ok for a couple of years now on the stones and a cheap Chinese strop. Want to improve things so going to get some paste. I saw a tub on eBay from Russia at 30g.

The question is, with a clean canvas strop (reverse side of my leather one) will 30g be enough or should i order more?

Thanks a tonne... Rob
 

nortac

"Can't Raise an Eyebrow"
I'd .advise using a Balsa strop for either CrOx or FeOx instead of using it on cloth. You certainly don't want to contaminate your leather strop with it. 30gm should be plenty, a little goes a long way
 
Whoops. Looking at the eBay invoice I ordered two. Slaps face. How many lifetimes of chromox is that?!
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
When you find how much better diamond paste works, your CrOx will REALLY last a long time.

The biggest and worst mistake you can make with any abrasive paste is to use too much. Never have a coating!!! Then, you get a slurry effect, and it cuts fast but doesn't give you as fine a finish. Only apply what you can rub into the balsa. Lap the balsa first, and don't use leather, especially your hanging strop. For a 12"x3" balsa I use about two BB's worth of diamond paste, and refresh with half that much after 30 sessions or so.
 
When you find how much better diamond paste works, your CrOx will REALLY last a long time.

The biggest and worst mistake you can make with any abrasive paste is to use too much. Never have a coating!!! Then, you get a slurry effect, and it cuts fast but doesn't give you as fine a finish. Only apply what you can rub into the balsa. Lap the balsa first, and don't use leather, especially your hanging strop. For a 12"x3" balsa I use about two BB's worth of diamond paste, and refresh with half that much after 30 sessions or so.

Interesting. So it can't be used on the canvas side of the strop? That was my original plan.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Interesting. So it can't be used on the canvas side of the strop? That was my original plan.

It CAN be used on canvas/linen hanging strops and it has been used this way, but I advise against using paste on a hanging strop. YMMV but I think lapped balsa is much much better for paste. It won't round the apex like a pasted hanging strop could and sometimes does. There may be times where this effect is welcome, but in general, paste on something flat, and hanging strops left clean, is the ticket. Just my $.02, take it how you want. For me, diamond on lapped balsa has enabled me to go indefinitely between honings. Basically, I simply never need to re-hone. You won't get that, with CrOx or even diamond, on a hanging strop, though you might extend the life of a honed edge a good bit. YMMV.
 
When you find how much better diamond paste works, your CrOx will REALLY last a long time.
The biggest and worst mistake you can make with any abrasive paste is to use too much.....

I agree with this. For this reason, I use dry Crox powder and apply it to balsa with a paint brush. Brush off the excess. No oil or moisture to deform the balsa and you don't wind up with gunk on your blade. I use CrOx on balsa for kitchen and sporting knives. For razors I like diamond spray.
 
I ordered crox paste. Was that a bad move? Should I have purchased powder?

You'll be fine. I just prefer powder for the reasons stated above. Just follow Slash's advice and use it sparingly. Balsa is pretty cheap. I bought some long balsa boards at less than 1/2" thickness and ripped 3/4 plywood for a backing/stiffner and glued them together. That way I could experiment.




Balsa with dry crox painted on.

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