david weaver
..the powder form of chrome ox, graded, sort of negates the need to explore the various sticks.

I got a $2 stick before I found that, from sears, and it's mostly aluminum oxide, fairly coarse.

I remember japan woodworker advertising *very* expensive green stick stuff from japan, and in the spirit of them as a source, it's probably double retail in japan. The big stick they advertised was Koyo-1. Woodcraft now owns JWW, of course.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/green-rouge-polishing-compound-koyo-sha

$51.

The lack of accuracy in descriptions with JWW always bothered me. I think they just wrote what they wanted a product to be rather than what it was. That's my opinion, of course.

In this case, the narrative remains:
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/green-rouge-polishing-compound-koyo-sha

Quoted:
Our Koyo-Sha Green Rouge will give a finer polished edge than any other buffing compound and will put a razor like edge on your tools. The 19 ounce block will last for years.

In reading to find the actual composition (the ad copy says 0.5-1.5 micron particles), I was hoping to find an MSDS. This is difficult sometimes with japanese products because they're not written in type that google can search accurately.

What I did find was a list of koyo-sha compounds, no luck confirming whether or not there is alumina in the compound, and it's described as "#600" stainless steel finsih. Who knows what that is.

What I also found is that Koyo-Sha makes two finer green chrome compounds. How do you make a claim about a polish creating the finest edge when the manufacturer makes two other polishes that are finer on their own chart of products? Jeez.

JWW/Woodcraft has K-1. never heard of anyone using it. G-300 and G-546 are the two products from the same make that are described as finer, the latter the finest. I don't have trouble finding things in japan and getting them here thanks to translator/shipping services in japan, but may order a half kg stick out of curiosity. K-1 is available in 18 liter drums for really heavy users

Also listed with woodcraft is "Trend" green stick. the appearance of trend's diamond products on the razor boards put me off, because the wording was weasely. Not surprisingly, it looks almost the same or the same as the formax product, but woodcraft markets it for $18. The formax labeled stuff shows up in some retailers' price list as $7 or so. I just can't see the marketing of electroplate $130 chinese-origin diamond hones and $18 buffing sticks as being done in good faith.

and stuff like this:
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/trend-diamond-honing-polishing-kit

ugh.