To ameliorate this problem, straight razor users have come up with a variety of methods to combat the harshness. Yet, you get a harsh edge because of the way the diamonds cut into the steel, as I said above. Either case, the diamond spray allows you to go sharper. 125 micron size yet he’s the only one I’ve found so far which puts his claim into question. 125 to 16 microns, you can find a diamond spray or powder for whatever application you need.25 micron diamond spray is generally the smallest your going to find in spray form. Diamond sprays come in a bewildering array. Sharp enough for daily shaving, but still smooth and irritation free.ĭiamond sprays are inherently sharper than crox. Crox on a smooth leather strop will give you that sharp razor you want, but you lose a bit of the smoothness. That said, the end result isn’t very pleasant compared to better options. For example, using crox on balsa wood will make the edge harsher, and a bit sharper. However, the medium plays a large role in how the spray/paste affects the edge. As I said above, this is due to the nature of the cutting molecules. The general consensus is that diamond sprays are sharper, but harsher, and crox is smoother, but duller. There is much debate over which one is better. That said, diamond pastes come in a smaller micron rating. These crystals invariably produce more jagged cuts in the steel than the circular crox particles. Where crox particles are generally circular in form, diamonds are crystalline by nature. This is probably due to the nature of the cutting particles. We should also take the time to note that many people find the chromium oxide to be smoother than diamonds even in equivalent micron sizing. 25 micron to be pretty harsh on the face. 125 microns to 5 microns and up, diamond sprays can be had in many different micron ratings. Unlike crox, diamond sprays come in a wide variety of sizes. The smooth side and balsa wood did not produce very good results for us. The back of a leather strop can also be used. Cotton and linen come in second place, but due to their more rigid and less cushioning surface tend to produce a harsher edge. In our experience wool felt is simply superior to all other materials. To use diamond spray, very sparingly spray the diamonds over the length of the stropping medium you wish to use. Diamond Sprayĭiamond sprays only come in one medium: a spray bottle of diamond powder suspended in a liquid. 5 micron size is generally well liked and most users report a smooth shave. Grit size is used loosely because both grit and micron are different terms of measurement.5 microns is generally regarded as being the equivalent of 20,000 to 35,000 grit. This way you can flip the piece over when you need to touch up the razor, but at all other times you use the clean side for daily stropping.Ĭhromium oxide used for sharpening applications is normally found in. Best practice is to apply the chromium oxide to the opposite side of the cotton/linen/leather you use for your daily stropping. We haven’t had much success with crox and wool felt your mileage may vary. If you don’t happen to have any of these, balsa wood is an acceptable medium. The smooth (good) side of a leather strop is also a decent medium but ruins the strop for daily stropping. A close second is linen, followed by the rough side of a leather strop. Whichever medium of chromium oxide you use, the best stropping medium we have found is plain old cotton. The two main types of sharpening compounds are chromium oxide (which comes in a crayon, powder, or paste form) and diamond sprays. In our experience, while pastes/sprays prolongs the need for sharpening on stones, the edge from stones is still superior ( a good explanation of why can be found here). While there is heated debate as to whether the edge degrades over several uses, using pastes/sprays undoubtedly makes a dull razor a little sharper. They are used to slightly sharpen the edge and should not be used for daily stropping. We’ve had several questions regarding what are the best practices with regards to these sharpening compounds and sharpening compounds these are. Chromium Oxide pastes and diamond sprays are the easiest method to keep your razor sharper for longer.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |