How I finish with (insert finisher here)

Before I start, please don't muddy the water if you have not honed over 50 razors on one particular finisher.

We all know that a great shaving edge starts at the bevel setting, but the "magic" is in the finisher. I have been fortunate enough to obtain several finishers, but other than trial and error I have not found a thread to refer to.

It sure would be nice to hear how a veteran on particular stone finishes their razors so that I or anyone else could use their method as a starting point.

I'm talking about wiki stuff here...

I will start:

Charnley Forrest w/ oil
Starting point: Progression of Shapton Glasstones 1,4,8,16K

I start with adding three drops of Kroil evenly spaced on the stone. I started out using 3n1 oil and found it to be literally too thick. I then went to sewing machine oil that was thinner and it really works well. Kroil is even thinner and helps to speed up the finishing on a CF, which we all know is a slow finisher. The work is worth it though.

I use slow, I repeat slow "X" strokes. Fast strokes on oil causes the blade to literally "hydroplane" on the stone and you will be getting nowhere fast. I start out with 10 strokes alternating sides each stroke. Wipe the blade, and repeat. I normally go about 50-60 strokes per blade depending on the blade hardness, wiping the blade at each 10. With TI's, I usually start at 75.

If you are using sewing machine oil or other oil that is thicker than Kroil, expect to increase your passes 25-50%.

Next blade, three drops of Kroil and repeat...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shooter74743

We all know that a great shaving edge starts at the bevel setting, but the "magic" is in the finisher.
.

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This is soooooooooo True i wouldn't be more then happy to tell my finishers.

Tried.
C.f
Escher.
Coticule
Japan(many of them)

depends on the blade i will most likely will change the finisher
SS blade most likely CF
German made blade Escher
Japanese could use for any razor except GErman made.

Thanks Sham, that's a start...now, how do you finish a blade on each of the stones?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shooter74743

Thanks Sham, that's a start...now, how do you finish a blade on each of the stones?

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Cf i use only with oil.
Escher only with slurry.
Japanese only with slurry.
Coticule doesn't make me happy. what i use with slurry without it or dilution
Except Salm coticule.
Very important use only weight of the blade.
Slow strokes lets say stone is 7 inch long.
1 stroke should last approximately 5 second.
hope this helps.

I have tried
coticule
escher
thuri
Jnats many of them

Coticule- I use it very very rarely
I use the standard slurry dilution method and works fine

Escher and Thury -I use them very very rarely
Ialways use with slurry and dilute to finish on water.

Jnats- I get top notch edges on anything with them.
I have several with different hardness but all very fine to accommodate different steels.
When I use naguras ot Jnat stone progression, I always use slurry diluted to water only to finish.
If I use my synthetic progression I always finish on water only.

I am waiting on a Frankonina to arrive and will give it a good work out to see how it is compared to the rest.

Don't want to muddy the waters, but thank you for the "slow" and the "three drops" advice. I've struggled with my CF, and will try these tips.

Naniwa SS 12k - Finish with clear water using 3 heel forward x 3 "X" strokes very slow until the hone goes to just damp...

Shapton GS 30k - Finish with clear water with a 3 forward, 2 spine leading, 1 forward

Escher/Thuringen - About 20 pigtail passes with light slurry dilute to clear water with very slow X strokes and heel forward strokes

Nakayama Midori (very hard) - 20 pigtail strokes with a light slurry until the slurry breaks down and feels like talc, then I slowly do heel forward and X strokes until dry..

Select Grade Coticule - mostly on Sheffield Steel, 20 pigtails with light slurry and finish out to clear water

PHIG - mostly on Swedes, 20 pigtails with light slurry and finish out slowly to clear water using at least 20 clear water feather light strokes at the end..

CF - Still working on what I like best with this one... Right now I am playing with a water, slurry, and soap finish..

Arkansas - about 80-100 feather light slow X strokes on Honing oil

Long Swaty - About 15 lathered X strokes

Norton 8k - Finish to clear water stop and rinse stone wipe of excess water and do feather light heel forward and X strokes very slow until damp...


All my finishers are used only after the razor is already "Shaving Sharp", this is the most important part in my eyes, going to the Finish early I personally think is most people's problem...

Gssixgun - That's a really interesting and detailed summary; thanks!

10 strokes on a Carborundum 103 using very light x strokes, usually with a swipe of soap from a brush.

Since that is how I re-touch, that is how I also finish.

My starting point is always a 1k Chosera and then a run up either 1/3/8k Naniwa SS or 1/4/8k Shapton. As Glen said, I always make sure the razor is shaving sharp when I come off the 8k.

Nakayama Maruichi & CF - 25 strokes with medium slurry, 25 strokes with light slurry, 25 strokes with water and then 25 strokes to dry. This seems to work really well on both of these stones and gives me the best CF edge I have had so far..! :)

Coticule - 15 strokes with medium slurry, 15 strokes with light slurry, 15 strokes with water and then 25 strokes to dry. My coti seems to be fairly fast cutting relative to my other finishers so I reduced the number of strokes. This works pretty well for me and I like the edges it gives. Its also a small stone (6"x2").

Shapton 16k & Naniwa 12k - 10 strokes with light slurry, 10 strokes with water and thats it!

All the X strokes I do are super super light on the finishers and then I go straight to a plain strop afterwards.

I am one of those uber finisher people, which probably isn't needed at all but I like progressing with my finishes.

I usually go to from a shave ready Norton 8K edge and then go to:

Big select coticule, slurry and then dilute
Oozuku asagi
Y/G ESCHER

The final two stones always have slurry on them, especially the Escher. Sometimes I replace the JNAT and the coticule and go to the SS naniwa 12K to the Escher.
I then finish on a Cerium Strop and lately have been experimenting with a balsa and Cubic Boron Nitride combo that's at .125 Micron.

Then there's different steels, Sheffield I usually use a Jnat to finish or a coticule (thanks, Glen), I don't use pastes for the Sheffield edges either only the German steel razors or Clauss.

I'Ve been using the Nani12k exclusively recently. Do the same thing with this finisher that I do with all my Nanis (2, 5, 8) following bevel set on a DMT 1200:
Circles x maybe 50, then 15 back and forth rolling, then 15 rolling edge leading, then 10 more of the same with negative pressure.

Have yet to find a blade that is not as good as I can get it using this simpleminded strategy.

As I said in another thread, it almost feels like cheating.

Recently I have mostly been using my Thurry. I never rinse off the surface, so there is the faintest of slurry on there just from honing so many razors. I add on water, just enough to wet the surface, and do about 30 laps. I'd guestimate that she is about 7 x 1.5.

When I use my Asagi, I use just water and do about 30 laps also. Again, just enough water to wet the surface.

If I am using a coticule for honing, I fully dilute and rinse the hone, then finish with just water. If I am using a coticule for finishing, I use just water.

When I was using a PHIG, I'd do around 70 or 80 strokes with just water.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Escher/Thuringen - About 20 pigtail passes with light slurry dilute to clear water with very slow X strokes and heel forward strokes

Nakayama Midori (very hard) - 20 pigtail strokes with a light slurry until the slurry breaks down and feels like talc, then I slowly do heel forward and X strokes until dry..

Select Grade Coticule - mostly on Sheffield Steel, 20 pigtails with light slurry and finish out to clear water

PHIG - mostly on Swedes, 20 pigtails with light slurry and finish out slowly to clear water using at least 20 clear water feather light strokes at the end..

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Glen,

What are "Pigtail" strokes?

Thanks,

Steve

Watch.. I learned from this vid, and adapted them to almost all my natural finishers now I even use them with Soap Lather on a Barber's Hone... BTW the name is my dumb addition :D the stroke is all Liam's

YouTube - Razor Sharpening

[QUOTE=gssixgun;758086]Watch.. I learned from this vid, and adapted them to almost all my natural finishers now I even use them with Soap Lather on a Barber's Hone... BTW the name is my dumb addition :D the stroke is all Liam's

Thanks, Glen

8K Norton-I put this here because you can use it as a finisher and shave off it. I typically will use it at the end of a pyramid honing process or circle process. The shave can actually be pretty decent. You can also use Naniwa SS 8K or Shapton 8K or another if there is one you like. Over time I have come to like the edges and shaves better with higher grit stones, but the 8K can be very reliable.

Naniwa SS 10K, 12K, Chosera 10K, Shapton 16K-I normally use 10 no pressure X strokes with just water on these stones and they very consistent and reliable. The Shapton 30K is nice. I normally do 5-7 no pressure X strokes on this stone. Glen's 3-2-1 works well too.

Escher-10 no pressure X strokes with just water normally does the trick. You can do 10 no pressure with light slurry and then 5-10 on just water and it works fine too.

Japanese Ohzuku Asagi, Shoubudani Asagi, Nakayama Asagi, Nakayama Maruichi Kiita, Ohzuku-10 to 15 no pressure X strokes is perfect for me on these. Sometimes for grins, I spray them with .25 diamond and do 5-10 strokes, but this is not quite as consistent as just the water for me. Slurry to water also works well on these.

Charnley Forest-10 no pressure X strokes on oil.

Chinese 12K-I normally start with 20 no pressure X strokes using this hone. Sometimes I have to go back and do more, but it is a stone that will work.

Coticule Select/Kosher-10 no pressure X strokes with water. I do use slurry to water occasionally. When I started using this stone years ago, I was just using light slurry, but prefer the edges from just the water these days.

Spyderco UF-Usually start with 20-30 no pressure X strokes. Not the most reliable stone, but when it hits, it's nice.

Arkansas Hard-20 to 30 no pressure X strokes to start. Not the most reliable, but it will work.

Arkansas Translucent-20-30 no pressure X strokes to start. Not the most reliable, but will work.

Old Thuringian-10 no pressure X strokes with water. Nice edges. Can use slurry to water. I do not find the new Thuringian's quite as consistent, but they will work.

For every day honing, I tend to rely on my Naniwa SS 12K, Escher, Asagi's and Ohzuku the most.

Have fun,

Lynn

I just wanted to chime in a bit here. This thread has been one of the most helpful threads I have seen in quite a while. Thanks alot guys!

Lately been a little lazy and busy, so after 8k Shapton , then a Japanese stone then 3-2-1 on the Shapton 30k and I am good to go.

I like the pigtail stroke by Liam Finnegan. Has anyone ever used a Coticule slurry stone on a C12K stone for the slurry? I have 2 of those slurry stones and wondered if anyone has done this? Great thread, and great video Glen!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gibbs

I like the pigtail stroke by Liam Finnegan. Has anyone ever used a Coticule slurry stone on a C12K stone for the slurry? I have 2 of those slurry stones and wondered if anyone has done this? Great thread, and great video Glen!

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Holli4pirating has done it on a Norton 8k and recommends it, don't know if he tried it on a PHIG, yet. So far I've only used a Norton prep stone on my PHIG. It definitely speeds it up, but I don't feel the edge produced is very good. The prep stone leaves large scratches for finishing, almost negating the reason for using it. I.E. - I used it to speed up the finishing on my PHIG, but I still have to dilute to water and finish clean before the final edge is decent. In all honesty, I need to get a better finisher - one that cuts faster. I haven't had any issues with getting a good edge off the PHIG, but I spend all my time trying to speed it up, when I should just buy a faster stone.

Also wanted to add that this thread is awesome and a great source of information.