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Where can I get some chromium oxide?

I can't seem to find anywhere to get some. Handmades website is down I guess. Any sources would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
I got mine from sharpeningsupplies.com. I see woodcraft.com also has the same product. I haven't used anything else but this was kind of a pain to work with. It comes in a wax-based stick, like a crayon consistency. It was messy and would not adhere to the leather on its own. I rubbed some in with some strop conditioner and then it adhered nicely but still pretty messy.

I've heard that the powder is easier, you can just mix it with some conditioner and rub it in.
 
Classicshaving.com has it too. I think its a dovo product. Look in the Razor Strops, Hones, and Accessories area. It about five bucks for a small tube. It's what I use on my paddle strop.
 

kelbro

Alfred Spatchcock
Lowes? What would they call it if I am not being stupid in asking this.

I think that it's just called polishing compound. They have the red rouge, the green chrome-ox and white. It is in the crayon form. The red is too fine for razors and the white is good for the canvas/linen side of the strops. I don't have any problems with this type but I use it on the 'roughout' side of the leather or the linen.

I am guessing that with the pastes and creams, they are being used on the smooth side of the strop. I have no experience with those since I don't apply any grit to the smooth side. That's my final finish.
 
If you're getting it for the first time Chrisl (a fellow B&B member) is the way to go. You'll have more than you could use for the forseeable future. Mine arrived quickly with thorough instructions.
 
You can usually buy powdered chrome oxide from a lapidary supply house; one that does stock it http://www.kingsleynorth.com
something like $13/lb

Sorry I am new to B&B and I don’t mean to offend anyone, but I have to ask,,, why in the world do you want to use chrome oxide? It is notorious for staining everything in sight green and it is difficult of wash off. Think of the 'wicked witch if the west' green.

FWIW, lapidary folk generally use it for polishing jade and a few other materials that respond better to it.

Jeff in Kalamazoo
 
IMHO We use it because it has rounder particles, making for a slower but finer cut. The various diamond pastes are also nice, but cut differently and are more expensive.

Incidentally, welcome to B&B
 
"IMHO We use it because it has rounder particles, making for a slower but finer cut. The various diamond pastes are also nice, but cut differently and are more expensive."

Thanks for the rounded particle explanation, it makes sense.

In my other life I'm a colored stone cutter/faceter. Colored stone is just the GIA definition of anything but diamonds. With that said I do a fair amount of polishing with diamond and the various oxides. Like diamond up thru 200k. Cutting and polishing stuff like sapphire is typical. Again not to be out of step the forum rules and the like, but I would be more than happy to discuss the sorts of things we do and the suppliers we use if it may be of interest to this group. Sorry if I have intruded,,, just a DE guy who got lost exploring the various forums here.

Jeff in Kalamazoo
 
"IMHO We use it because it has rounder particles, making for a slower but finer cut. The various diamond pastes are also nice, but cut differently and are more expensive."

Thanks for the rounded particle explanation, it makes sense.

In my other life I'm a colored stone cutter/faceter. Colored stone is just the GIA definition of anything but diamonds. With that said I do a fair amount of polishing with diamond and the various oxides. Like diamond up thru 200k. Cutting and polishing stuff like sapphire is typical. Again not to be out of step the forum rules and the like, but I would be more than happy to discuss the sorts of things we do and the suppliers we use if it may be of interest to this group. Sorry if I have intruded,,, just a DE guy who got lost exploring the various forums here.

Jeff in Kalamazoo

Jeff, with your business connection you should try straight razor shaving. Sounds like you have all the polishing equipment you'd need to quickly polish up some vintage straights and cheap access to diamond and Cromium Oxide pastes for touching up the edges :biggrin:
 
Sorry I am new to B&B and I don’t mean to offend anyone, but I have to ask,,, why in the world do you want to use chrome oxide? It is notorious for staining everything in sight green and it is difficult of wash off. Think of the 'wicked witch if the west' green.

0.5 micron chrome oxide leaves a nicer edge than 0.5 micron diamond and is generally cheaper and more readily available. It won't stain the steel though it will stain the strop, but nobody really cares if one side of their strop is green.

Chrome oxide has a long association with razors - there are stories of old-timers stropping their razors on boards that had been painted with green paint, which at one time used chrome oxide as the pigmenting agent.

For the OP, Harbor Freight also carries it in the green crayon form.
 
I ordered the chromium oxide from Chris, and it arrived in 2 or 3 days. He included instructions on how to apply it to various media and how to use it. I made my paddle strop from a piece of 4" x 18" balsa mounted on oak, so it's no small bugger. Though the packet from chris looks quite small, there is more than enough there to paste a strop the size of mine 3 or 4 times over. I can't imagine ever needing to go through a full size tub of the stuff, unless I were making pasted strops and selling them/giving them away. A little bit goes a LONG way.

I definitely recommend going through Chris if you need this stuff.
 
Stobes21, One thing I learned about balsa strops from reading here is that you should lap them like a natural stone. I didn't at first, forgetting, and definitely saw where the metal powder residue was uneven after several passes. You can flatten balsa with a completely flat surface and some fine grit sand paper.
 
Stobes21, One thing I learned about balsa strops from reading here is that you should lap them like a natural stone. I didn't at first, forgetting, and definitely saw where the metal powder residue was uneven after several passes. You can flatten balsa with a completely flat surface and some fine grit sand paper.

I actually lapped it with sandpaper wrapped around small (3") square mirrors I bought at the craft store where I bought the balsa. I hope that is enough. I suppose I will find out soon enough. I bought enough materials to make a second strop, and if I decide I like this one I will go ahead and make a how-to on making a balsa paddle strop with pictures and what not.
 
That tutorial would be great. My first attempt was Uuuuuugly. Even after lapping mine it still isn't the greatest so I should make another and spend more time on it this time.
 
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