How to Use CrOx, Red Paste, and Black Paste to Maintain Your Edge?

[Guitar10]

For me i use the 0.50 micron green(Maggard)and it works perfectly fine. 15 laps on the nylon pasted strop, clean the balde carfuly whit a tissue, 30 on nylon strop(not pasted) and 60 on leather. The result is great, of course it’s my first time on that straight, that same straight was due for a refresh cause it did start to tug and pull. I’m in at my 12 shaves just by using regular stroping routine(30 on nylon and 60 on leather) and to me the pasted strop refreshing did bring back the razor shave ready just like when I received the razor.

Just an update on my results! I was able to get 15 shaves out of my Wade&Butcher 9/16. On my 15 shaves it was starting to pull and tug just a tiny bit, so I refresh it again using the same method, tested shave few days after and it works the very best it did bring back the edge shave ready again.

 

[FlScott]

This is a very interesting thread. I'm also planning to go this way for fun. For starters I'm planning to buy the Dovo Red , Blue { cover is blue it seems} from a seller in ebay Fance.

The foil wrapper for the black paste is actually blue, but when it's unwrapped the paste itself is black in color. Why not just wrap it in black foil...who knows.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

This is a very interesting thread. I'm also planning to go this way for fun. For starters I'm planning to buy the Dovo Red , Blue { cover is blue it seems} from a seller in ebay Fance.

Good deal. Have fun. The stuff works very well for me after CrOx.

 

[Rschan]

Good deal. Have fun. The stuff works very well for me after CrOx.

I'm looking a good brand of CrOx. At the moment maggards don't have it. Do you know any one in the bay?
BTW Have you tried CrOx then FeOx the red and black pastes routine.

 

[Guitar10]

I'm looking a good brand of CrOx. At the moment maggards don't have it. Do you know any one in the bay?
BTW Have you tried CrOx then FeOx the red and black pastes routine.

You can check whit Whipped dog i’m sure He have some

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I'm looking a good brand of CrOx. At the moment maggards don't have it. Do you know any one in the bay?
BTW Have you tried CrOx then FeOx the red and black pastes routine.

Yes, that's my routine. All three. On three strops. CrOx on linen. The others on small leather strops.

My CrOx came from Shave Nation. Huge bar. There might be better brands. I'm no CrOx expert of any sort. I've read the micron sizes vary a lot which may or may not matter. To me, the shave matters and nothing else.

Most razors are sharper off the pastes than off the stones I use, but I'm not a expert honer either. However, I've been using a razor finished on my Zulu Grey and have found no need for pastes yet; the edge is both sharp and comfortable.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Willem-Jan]

I put CrOx on the denim side of my naked armor strop. I have the PUMA bar, no idea about the microns. I don't have any other compunds. I just make several fast strokes, clean and strop on the leather side of this naked armor strop.
It produces sharper edges than my honing skills can up to this moment. If the razor comes from the coticule without the desired sharpness (i.e. I botched it), the crox will fix it for sure. It almost feels like cheating to me. I can't shave enough to test edge retention and maintenance yet, since I regularly change edges through unnecessary hobby honing. I feel like I could keep it going with the crox, but I have a stone now that I think is also suitable for the job and I prefer the stone.

 

[MO1]

I put CrOx on the denim side of my naked armor strop. I have the PUMA bar, no idea about the microns. I don't have any other compunds. I just make several fast strokes, clean and strop on the leather side of this naked armor strop.
It produces sharper edges than my honing skills can up to this moment. If the razor comes from the coticule without the desired sharpness (i.e. I botched it), the crox will fix it for sure. It almost feels like cheating to me. I can't shave enough to test edge retention and maintenance yet, since I regularly change edges through unnecessary hobby honing. I feel like I could keep it going with the crox, but I have a stone now that I think is also suitable for the job and I prefer the stone.

The puma green paste is not crox. But it contains crox, but also (alot) of other abrasives like aluminum oxide, i emailed puma about the green paste a while back asked about the grit rating of the paste, and got a list of what it contains from them because they had no idea what grit rating it has. don't know where that email is now, but I can try to find it if you want the same information I got. From what I have heard here on the forum it is rated at about 6 microns. If I'm not mistaken.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I put CrOx on the denim side of my naked armor strop. I have the PUMA bar, no idea about the microns. I don't have any other compunds. I just make several fast strokes, clean and strop on the leather side of this naked armor strop.
It produces sharper edges than my honing skills can up to this moment. If the razor comes from the coticule without the desired sharpness (i.e. I botched it), the crox will fix it for sure. It almost feels like cheating to me. I can't shave enough to test edge retention and maintenance yet, since I regularly change edges through unnecessary hobby honing. I feel like I could keep it going with the crox, but I have a stone now that I think is also suitable for the job and I prefer the stone.

You might enjoy my other thread on that aspect - is it cheating? - of the issue.

 

[Willem-Jan]

The puma green paste is not crox. But it contains crox, but also (alot) of other abrasives like aluminum oxide, i emailed puma about the green paste a while back asked about the grit rating of the paste, and got a list of what it contains from them because they had no idea what grit rating it has. don't know where that email is now, but I can try to find it if you want the same information I got. From what I have heard here on the forum it is rated at about 6 microns. If I'm not mistaken.

Cool! thanks for the info. Yes I would appreciate to see that mail if you can find it!

 

[MO1]

It was a pdf file of what it contains.

This was the email when I asked about its grit rating.
"enclosed the data sheet for the strop paste. I am sorry but I do not have more information."

 

[Willem-Jan]

It was a pdf file of what it contains.

This was the email when I asked about its grit rating.
"enclosed the data sheet for the strop paste. I am sorry but I do not have more information."

Thanks man!

 

[ajduplessis]

I like the idea of pastes but elected to go the CBN route on leather strops. I am very happy with the results. To me the objective is to create keen smooth edges and CBN achieves this. I also have not revisited any stones in past 8 months.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I like the idea of pastes but elected to go the CBN route on leather strops. I am very happy with the results. To me the objective is to create keen smooth edges and CBN achieves this. I also have not revisited any stones in past 8 months.

Which CBNs and which leather strops are you using?

 

[ajduplessis]

3 strops total. 1x solingen loom, 2 x hanging cowhide strops, and a reliable source of CBN. There are many CBN solutions out there some good, others not so good. I found one I like and trust. Many debate and nitpick at a lot of solution parameters, lab results, ifs but’s and maybes. For this reason I will stick with reliable CBN “brand”. The same goes for diamond sprays, somewhere along the line you will have to trust what you buy or make.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

3 strops total. 1x solingen loom, 2 x hanging cowhide strops, and a reliable source of CBN. There are many CBN solutions out there some good, others not so good. I found one I like and trust. Many debate and nitpick at a lot of solution parameters, lab results, ifs but’s and maybes. For this reason I will stick with reliable CBN “brand”. The same goes for diamond sprays, somewhere along the line you will have to trust what you buy or make.

Not that you have to reveal your sources or micro sizes or anything, but why not?

I use a reliable and excellent shaving soap. The brand is well known. Ultimately you have to trust what you buy.

I could say that, but I'll say this instead...

My soap is Grooming Dept. Why do I like it? Mostly because it is, in all respects, as good as or better than any other soap I've used. I've used most soaps, but not all. On top of all that, after using it for a week I, and most gentlemen, notice a marked improvement in the skin.

Is this the only good soap? Of course not, but I like it and am glad to share with you my findings, knowing full well you might like something else better which is fine with me.

Why not share with others what works for us?

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[ajduplessis]

I already elaborated on the tendency that everything gets nitpicked and I am not open to that. I use 4, 1,5 and 0,1 micron on the 3 strops. I use the 4 micron loom as intermediate “stone” to reduce scratch pattern from bevel setting while refining apex. Its also quicker to strop vs stones. Similar to pasted balsa strops I would guess.

The 1.5 is used to refresh a fading edge followed by polishing and leather. I also appreciate how fast CBN cut once the bevel is set.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I already elaborated on the tendency that everything gets nitpicked and I am not open to that. I use 4, 1,5 and 0,1 micron on the 3 strops. I use the 4 micron loom as intermediate “stone” to reduce scratch pattern from bevel setting while refining apex. Its also quicker to strop vs stones. Similar to pasted balsa strops I would guess.

The 1.5 is used to refresh a fading edge followed by polishing and leather. I also appreciate how fast CBN cut once the bevel is set.

Thanks.

Mostly I wondered whether you had a several step process and also what your smallest micron size was. I've not used diamond or CBN (but I've used CrOx and Red & Black pastes on strops). I have several razors honed by a vendor who finishes on 0.125 micron CBN; I like the edges. I doubt 0.1 is all that much different, but maybe it is.

Glad for the information and glad you're enjoying your edges (which is really all that matters, right?).

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[ajduplessis]

1k - 4micron cbn -8k - translucent ark - 1,5 cbn - 0,1 cbn - linen - leather.

strop before and after shaves, leather only
Maintenance = 0,1 cbn - linen - leather
Edge refresh = 1,5cbn - 0,1 cbn - linen - leather
small chips= ark - 1,5 cbn - 0,1 cbn - linen -leather
anything esle, start from scratch.

I guess this is pretty boring if you are a honer, I am more a shaver than honer.

I like the simplicity and quick cutting once the bevel is set. Stropping is also quicker than laps on a stone. I keep the strops tight with little to no give. Strop can also be laid on flat substrate and used as “bench stone”

 

[Rschan]

Finally I have ordered Dovo green red and black pastes + TI green paste . I,m planning to use a denim strop for crox as I don't want to ruin a linen. In order to use red paste you should use a rough side of a leather strop. At the moment I have a W/Dog travel strop and I'm planning to dedicate it to pastes.
Now my question is Do you have to do any prep (SANDING Etc. ) before using it for RED paste?
Do you need to do any cleaning of the denim, and leather strops to remove the residues?

Thanks