Thread: Suehiro Staining

Got mine yesterday. Wrapped in plastic. It does seem like it will stain easy like a naniwa 12. I got couple marks from the stone holder already and from 1 blade quite a bit of swarf. Feels just like a naniwa 12k. And it looks like it will need lapping often. Time will tell though. My chosera 10 seems harder.

[QUOTE=JimmyHAD;1189180]Mike, do you reckon it could do any damage ? Chemical reaction with the binder or the abrasive ? If it is just cosmetic I don't have a problem with it. Inquiring minds and all of that. Here is the staining on mine. Looks kind of like fingerprints but it is probably the same as Rich's hone, from the rubber base.

I don’t know Jimmy it depends on how much the honing surface has been affected. It does not take much to contaminate a precision 20K stone. Surface contamination is less of a concern with lower grit hones. It would be desirable to lap the hone to expose a fresh clean surface for finishing razors.

Long term storage, thermal cycling and shipping can be challenging. Fine finishing hones natural or synthetic should be wrapped in lightweight absorbent tissue paper IMO. Then place it in the rubber/thermoplastic base for storage and shipping protection.
Mike

Originally Posted by MODINE

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Mike, do you reckon it could do any damage ? Chemical reaction with the binder or the abrasive ? If it is just cosmetic I don't have a problem with it. Inquiring minds and all of that. Here is the staining on mine. Looks kind of like fingerprints but it is probably the same as Rich's hone, from the rubber base.

I don’t know Jimmy it depends on how much the honing surface has been affected. It does not take much to contaminate a precision 20K stone. Surface contamination is less of a concern with lower grit hones. It would be desirable to lap the hone to expose a fresh clean surface for finishing razors.

Long term storage, thermal cycling and shipping can be challenging. Fine finishing hones natural or synthetic should be wrapped in lightweight absorbent tissue paper IMO. Then place it in the rubber/thermoplastic base for storage and shipping protection.
Mike

Thanks Mike, I am not that concerned because the staining on mine is on the label side, not the honing surface. I don't store it on the base, just hone on it and remove it when I'm done, so it ought to be alright one way or the other.

I suggested rice paper to the vendor. They're going to wrap the stones in plastic from now on. I think in my case and Jimmy's, the heat definitely had some affect on it.

Originally Posted by zib

I suggested rice paper to the vendor. They're going to wrap the stones in plastic from now on. I think in my case and Jimmy's, the heat definitely had some affect on it.

I was thinking of contacting Stuart and suggesting Shehiro test any hones with the staining to see if there is any problem with the stained areas. You could also look at the surface with a good microscope and compare he stained with the unstained.

Good idea. I already contacted Stuart, and asked him how he wants to do this. I'm getting mixed results here. I had Stefan hone up a razor for me as a control group. Two I did were so so. Then I did one of those Western Style Japanese blades I got from Kanayama, and it got dull after 10 no pressure strokes....

That tells me there's something in the stone, like Mike said. It has to be rubber or polymer particles. I don't doubt it wouldn't take much at that level.

Dunno Rich. I've had good luck with my copy.

Later on tonight, I'm going to hone up that Kanayama blade from scratch, and finish on the 20k. We'll see what happens. I'm going to go from the Nani 12k to the 20k. Here's a pic of the razor sitting on a Coticule. The blade has been rescaled in Jade Ghost.