Chromium oxide on denim any good?

[Coffee Addict]

Hello!

So, I've got some 0.5 chromium oxide powder on the way which I'm thinking about mixing with some mineral oil either Lansky or Wahl clipper oil (I already have both of these oils).

I don't want to use my expensive leather strops. Instead, I'd prefer to paste a balsa bench but I was also considering the option of making a DIY paddle strop with some wood I've got in my backyard then glue some old Levi's denim on it. The I'd apply the chromium oxide & mineral oil mixture to the denim.

Do you think that'd be good for my razors?

I can anyway go the balsa bench way. But I'm curious if anyone here has some experience pasting denim? Any good results that way?

Kind regards,
CoffeeAddict24

 

[rbscebu]

When I first started SR shaving, I use to maintain on a hanging pasted Denim strop.

My paste was an unknown Turkish blend in a wax carrier. I would very lightly paste only about a 50mm (2") of the mid-length of the strop, full width. Stropping the SR would then spread the unseen abrasive over the stropping area. This worked well for me. Then I discover diamond pasted balsa strops.

 

[Coffee Addict]

When I first started SR shaving, I use to maintain on a hanging pasted Denim strop.

My paste was an unknown Turkish blend in a wax carrier. I would very lightly paste only about a 50mm (2") of the mid-length of the strop, full width. Stropping the SR would then spread the unseen abrasive over the stropping area. This worked well for me. Then I discover diamond pasted balsa strops.

I used a chromium oxide crayon on cotton long ago but lost both the pencil and cotton strop.

What razor brands or models were you stropping on that? I use TIs and Bökers mainly.

Thanks,
Coffee Addict

 

[Kyle89]

I don’t use paste much anymore but I’ve used the herald black crayon on denim before and it worked fine.
Only one way to find out it something like that will work for ya!

 

[rbscebu]

I used a chromium oxide crayon on cotton long ago but lost both the pencil and cotton strop.

What razor brands or models were you stropping on that? I use TIs and Bökers mainly.

Thanks,
Coffee Addict

I was stropping my first traditional SR on the pasted denim. That blade was a high carbon steel 6/8, Dutch point, half+ hollow grind with a hardness of about 59 RHC.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Denim will work as a paddle, but I prefer a hanging strop for razors. For a hanging strop, Canvas or Sail Cloth, (Polyester Canvas), or Pellon are much better substrates for paste. All 3, can be cut and edges will not fray like Denim.

Or 2-inch nylon or cotton webbing from any fabric store will work.

Mix a small amount of power with a few drops of oil, any mineral oil will work.

Paint on 3- inch Xs with your finger about ½ inch wide. The trick to Chromium Oxide is to not over apply, you do not need much, a teaspoon is plenty, and a pasted strop will last years.

Chrome Oxide will make an 8k edge very keen and comfortable and can be stropped on daily, though once a week or so will keep you shaving for a long time.

 

[Coffee Addict]

Thank you all for the info!

 

[albsat]

Just curious. How long would a denim with crox paste keep an edge refreshed usually?

 

[rbscebu]

Just curious. How long would a denim with crox paste keep an edge refreshed usually?

That depends on a lot of factors, like;

• Your stropping technique
• The blade's steel
• Your shaving technique
• How many passes you do per shave
• Your whisker type
• What you consider an acceptable edge
• Etc.

To answer your question, a couple to a few hundred shaves.

 

[2bit_collie]

I used to use 0.5u diamond paste on denim in my early months of razor honing. In particular I cut a strip from the very bottom of a pair of Levis, including the hemmed edge. Then I punched a hole in the denim just inside of the hem. I would then hook the hole over a kitchen cabinet handle and use it as a hanging strop. The hem ensured that the hole wouldn’t tear out even if I pulled on the other end pretty hard. Worked pretty decently. I’ve gone to pasted balsa for my razors, but I still have the denim strop and occasionally use it on kitchen knives as the finisher.

 

[RayClem]

I have applied ultra fine abrasives to a wide variety of substrates.

You can purchase flax linen, sailcloth, cotton canvas, denim, or polyester microfiber cloth from fabric stores. If the fabric is not heavy enough to use for a hanging strop, use glue sticks to adhere it to wood or tile backing. You can also use iron on fabric backing to reinforce the material should you want to use it for hanging.

I have also used polythylene cutting boards as a substrate. They often have a textured surface that holds pastes well. They may not work as well for sprays or powders.

If you use leather, you do not have to use expensive premade leather strops. Hobby and Craft stores usually sell vegetable tanned leather for tooling purposes. A 8.5" x 11" sheet can be cut into three 2.8" x 11" strops. The leather can be glued to a 3" wide tile, balsawood, basswood, or plywood. If you purchase a 3" wide by 3 ft long length of wood, you can cut into 12" lengths and have backers for the three pieces of leather.

I have some excellent bench strops. One is made from thin kangaroo leather glued to a glass backing. The best ones though are made from nanocloth glued to the same backing. They are rather expensive, though. They used to be available through Chef Knives to Go, but you have to order directly from Ken Schwartz currently.

You can also purchase strops from SharpeningSupplies.com. They also sell nanocloth strops pretreated with Jende diamond emulsion as well as diamond pastes, sprays and emulsions from DMT, Norton, and Jende.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

“Just curious. How long would a denim with crox paste keep an edge refreshed usually?”

Years ago, on another forum several of us stropped the same razor on Chrome Oxide and shaved with that razor daily, for a year.

At the time, it was said that too much stropping with Chrome Oxide would wear away too much steel over time.

What happened was that after a week or two, all the stria was polished off the bevel to a mirror, the edge was laser straight and it shaved, keen and comfortable.

After a year, no appreciable blade width loss, was measurable. It was a little boring shaving with the same razor for a year.

The best substrate for Chrome Oxide is Sail Cloth, polyester canvas. You can cut with a utility knife and the edges will not fray, no sewing. Glue the flap to a D ring with iron on fusing tape, again no sewing. Sells for about $10 a yard, which will make a gang of strops.

Once pasted, will last years.

For diamond or CBN, Pellon is the best substrate, about $5 a yard at any fabric store, kind of like Nano.