Chrome-, Cerium- & Tin Oxide Powder

CHROME OXIDE POWDER

Fine green chrome oxide (Cr2O3) powder, micron size is 0.5 and under, used for dressing leather razor strops to refine the cutting edge of open razors.  Hardness on the MOHS scale is about 8 - 8.5.  The powder is sparingly applied to the strop and only 5 - 10 laps are required to freshen a dull edge.  It may be applied to other surfaces, such as balsa wood or hard felt. It is available in 2.5g and 5g packs - other amounts are available - please contact me.


Instructions for use:

Please be aware that the powder is very fine and easily blown about - take care not to inhale it and it isn't really a good idea to get it all over your hands, either!  Dust the powder over the surface of the strop - just like putting salt and pepper on your food.  You don't want to obliterate the leather - just a fine dusting will do.  

Next, take a scrap of rag, ball it up and work the powder into and all over the surface of the strop,  Any excess powder will fall off - and will stain everything it touches like green soot!  In use, the surface will acquire a sheen - this is normal and it is what you want - it shows that the powder is working.  You only need about 10 there-and-back passes of the blade over the strop.

Before moving on to your finishing strop (don't apply the powder to your finishing strop!) gently wipe any excess powder of the blade, or it will get embedded in the finishing strop.

Alternatively, you can mix the powder with a carrier oil - neatsfoot oil is ideal - and spread a thin line down the centre of the strop, working it all over the strop with circular motions.  Be sparing - the oil will condition the strop, but if you overdo it you will create too much draw, and it will become difficult to strop the razor on it.

CERIUM OXIDE POWDER

This is the ultra-pure variety, one of the main constituents in yellow polishing bars and also used for polishing scratches out of glass.  It's grit size is stated as 0.5 micron and under, but it is much finer than chrome oxide and used after chrome oxide will give both a polishing and refining effect to the edge.  Hardness on the MOHS scale is about 6 - 6.5.  More laps are needed - say between 15 and 20 - than chrome oxide.  It is ideal for applying to soft, oily latigo and bridle leather - just a fine dusting is needed (I find that over-coating does not work as well - a light see-through smear is all that is required).  It can also be mixed with neatsfoot or distilled water as a carrier, but do apply sparingly.  Please be aware that the powder is very fine and easily blown about - take care not to inhale it and it isn't really a good idea to get it all over your hands, either!

TIN OXIDE POWDER

This is the ultra-pure, super-light variety, consequently there is more volume to the gm than the other powders.  It's grit size is stated as 0.5 micron and under, but it is much finer than chrome oxide and used after chrome oxide will give both a polishing and refining effect to the edge.  Hardness on the MOHS scale is about 6.5 - 7.  More laps are needed - say between 15 and 20 - than chrome oxide.  It is ideal for applying to soft, oily latigo and bridle leather - just a fine dusting is needed (I find that over-coating does not work as well - a light see-through smear is all that is required).  It can also be mixed with neatsfoot or distilled water as a carrier, but do apply sparingly.  Please be aware that the powder is very fine and easily blown about - take care not to inhale it and it isn't really a good idea to get it all over your hands, either!