Strop with green rouge?

T

THG

Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
3,644
Would stropping a straight razor on green rouge work for refining the edge?
Thanks in advance.
 
It depends on exactly what the green rouge is and what the size of the particles in it are.

The most common paste used for touching up straights is .5 micron CrOx(Chromium Oxide). It is good for the final stage of honing, used after 8k grit or higher stones. It is also used extensively for touchups to keep a shave ready edge shave ready.
 
THG, Yes, it will work (the 3 micron green rouge bar CrOx) as that is what I use on my strop coming off my black Arkansas stone. The Arkansas stone is at 1200g and the rouge at 1500g so it does refine the edge some. Even though my shaver is not a straight razor its the Rolls Razor they are similiar. DM
 
If it's 3 micron, doesn't that put it at about the same particle size as the Spyderco UF?
 
THG said:
If it's 3 micron, doesn't that put it at about the same particle size as the Spyderco UF?
Click to expand...

I believe Dave is missing a few zeros in his numbers. His 3 micron chromium oxide should read 0.3 micron. I don't know much about Arks, but I suspect the 1200 grit should be closer to 12,000 grit; not because I know anything about Arks, like I said, but because I do know nobody should go from a 1200 grit stone to chromium oxide, and I do know that nobody would stop at 1200 grit as their last stone before (stropping then) shaving. I think many straight razor shavers/honers use a Spyderco UF as their last stone before stropping.

Apologies to Dave Martin if I got it wrong.:)
 
According to the chart I've seen the Spyderco stone is at 2 microns. Also, most sites state this stones grit at 1800. Which is equivalent to a 6k Japaness water stone. There are also different green rouge 3 micron and .5 I've seen. Spend some time studing this chart http://user.ameritech.net/knives/grits.htm .
Perhaps some experience with shaving off Arkansas stones are needed . I have that Spyderco stone and seldom use it . For info on Arkansas stones try:
http://danswhetstone.com/
I've been shaving using just these two items to sharpen on for two years now and getting good results. DM
 
Last edited:
I can't honestly seem to find the site where I read it, but it concerned a person noticing that his chisels had more noticeable scratch patterns after stropping on Lee Valley green .5micron chromium oxide honing compound than from his 12k stone. After contacting the maker directly and requesting a chemical health and properties list, it revealed that it actually contained both chromium oxide and aluminum oxide - the latter having significantly larger particles. I just checked Lee Valley's site a moment ago and saw that they amended it to say "The AVERAGE size of scratch pattern it leaves behind is 0.5 microns or .00002 inches" which means that there could be bigger scratches.

This probably isn't just strictly the lee valley compound, but probably most other green compound "bars" of supposedly .5micron size. That said, if you're actually wanting a stropping compound of that low a micron size, you're better off getting STRAIGHT chromium oxide of a known size and applying that to leather or balsa. I've had good luck with this which I purchased 2 or so years ago... been using it quite liberally and have barely used up a 6th of it.
 
Interesting. I noticed heavier scratches as well, and this is only compared to Spyderco UF.
 
THG said:
Interesting. I noticed heavier scratches as well, and this is only compared to Spyderco UF.
Click to expand...

Hrmm - well good to know that I wasn't just spouting garbage about something I could have recalled reading but can't for the life of me seem to find... even if the majority of the blade is indeed refined to .5micron, it only takes one small scratched area from an inconsistently large particle to completely ruin the edge refinement.. much better to have a consistently sized powder of a single type of abrasive.

With straight chromium oxide powder as well as iron oxide being relatively easy to obtain in .5 to .1micron particle sizes, I see no real reason to go with the bars of mixed particles. Powder is much easier to apply and a little bit will last you ages.

**Edit** Oh, and seeing as though my earlier link is dead, I'll just go ahead and recommend whipped dog as a good place to order both chromium oxide and iron oxide from - he has the nice strop kit for a very reasonable price, but if you're already set and just need the powder, he's more than willing to sell you that as well. Great guy to deal with!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top