1. The use of chromium oxide instead of metallic chromium or ferrochrome for diffusion chromizing of steels leads to a reduction in the cost of the impregnating mixture from 5000 to 570 rubles per ton. 2. After diffusion chromizing, the surface layer of high-carbon steels ShKh15 and KhVG consists of two zones of complex carbides of the type (Fe, Cr)23C6 and (Fe, Cr)7C3 exhibiting high (up to H 1620) microhardness and adhesion with the base metal. 3. As a result of forming carbide phases in surface layers the resistance of chromized steel to abrasive wear increases by approximately a factor of 1.2–3 compared with that in the hardened condition. The friction coefficient in pairs is reduced by a factor of two. 4. The strength of steel chromized in a mixture with chromium oxide is 15–22% higher than that for unchromized steel. 5. Steels KhVG, ShKh15, and 35 after diffusion chromizing have high corrosion resistance, which is governed by an increase (65–82%) in the chromium content of the surface layer.