Thread: Longevity of the Suehiro Gokumyo 20k

I have been using this stone fairly regularly since obtaining it 8 or so months ago and I was interested in what sort of usage members were getting. I am a fairly light but persistent user but I'd not do it for others, than as a friend. It is generally agreed that this is a hard stone, an excellent stone for finishing and re-touching. I lapped this stone this morning with an Atoma 400 after gridding the stone with pencil. It took me 20 minutes to get it right. It looked the same as new so I accurately measured it, when new it was advertised as 20mm and it was 20mm 2 hours ago, I am interested in the experiences of others. I have seen on u tube a fellow talking about a one hone stone.One stone hone with this Gok 20, possible, but not recommended, One thing is for sure though. You will not run out of stone! So has anyone made a dent in this hone

Has anyone used their hone to a point where it is visibly used. Has it become a problem, overuse? Does it improve? at what point in the life of the hone does that occur? I think this is/would be useful for other users. My opinion is that this is a magic stone! Very hard, excellent longevity and still removes steel at 20k. Terrific finisher, polishes your edge to the very end. What do you guys think, now when most of us have had a go at this stone?

Cheers Bob

No magic to it. Finishers always outlive lower grit stones simply because they do less work. Add the hardness factor & it will probably outlive most owners.

Interesting Bobski, I started the G20 one hone experiment because of you! lol. Utopian made a pretty good vid of it which I think is what you're referring to.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...xperiment.html

I've had mine for about two years. Used it a lot but never noticed it wearing away. Unfortunately, the smell doesn't wear away either.

I just got one myself to see what the buzz was all about these past years. Well ill tell you for a guy that has had it only for a month, I can barely put a dent in it when I lap it, so it goes without saying honing a few razors on it wont do much to wear it. Really 20-40 strokes to finish most razors with light pressure just isn't going to do a darn thing. You'll have it forever. Not a very interesting stone to use, feedback is kind of not there. It does put some magic on your edge, I am pleased with it so far.

I guess 'interesting' is an individual term with reference to hones. To me the SG20 has a lot of feedback. I use tape on some of my razors and not on others (only a few razors so no problems remembering which is which). By a large margin, I prefer the feedback of a razor without tape, on any hone, not just a hard ass finisher. Why? More feedback... I do see the need at times to use tape, so I use it. As far as longevity of the SG20; for sure it will last longer than I will.

One further thing on feedback and tape since I am here: I could make the analogy of a condom...with regards to vinyl, hone and steel, but I won't. I'll still use tape...because I have to, to avoid the consequences of not using tape.

Hehe you went there so im just going to say the Gok seems to have a condom on it for me because I usually hone my razors naked meaning no tape. Im not knocking the stone I really like the results im getting but it just feel like honing on ice to me. No rough to smooth or anything else its all feels the same thats all.

I'm thinking feedback might be related to the least feedback you have experienced. I can still recall about 30 years ago I was sharpening a couple of Japanese chisels and a plane blade (made the plane for a class). I bought a few hones at the time and my finisher was an Arky. It was black with milky white in it. I honed with oil. That experience is still my benchmark for feedback, or lack thereof. To my surprise, there were results, they just were not satisfying. From descriptions of those who have used one, the Chinese PHIG sounds similar, glasslike, zero fun.

I started out with this hone when it first reached the market.
After that I must have had thousands of razors passing thru that got the final touch on the Suehiro Gokumyo 20k.
This far I'm probably a mill or two down on height on it.
It will simply put outlast me, and I ain't thaaat old