Thread: Natural equivalent to a 12k Synthetic

Gents, I'm forthrightly looking to add to my rockpile for no compellingly good reason. I got HAD bad...

In any case....is there a natural stone you could recommend that would be a 'transition' between an aoto and a super-fly jnat finisher? Or between an 8k shapton and said finisher?

I note a lot of people go from 8k to 12 or 16k to a finisher. Is there a 'natural' equivalent to that synthetic 12-16k transition stone?

There is no set 12k although you could order a hone like the c12k\PHIG (People's Hone of Indeterminable Grit) and hope for the best. Natural stones don't have a grit stamped on them so the ratings are generalised and even then could be under or over. Jnats being the hardest to predict.

A lot of Jnats would be rated around the 8-16k although again, it's not like they come with a grit rating stamped on them.

A lot of the coticule are rated around the 6-8k range although you could possibly find one closer to the rating your after.

Possibly a hard Arkansas (black or translucent)

There are heaps others but I don't think there would be much point mentioning any others. When you buy a natural hone it's like a lucky (or unlucky) dip.

You could also try a course nagura with your Jnat to drop down the grit rating if it's too high.

It's common for the japanese to use a progression of nagura's to do what your after. One stone for a range of grits.

The arks are meant to be in the 12k range once properly prepared. The only other thing I can think of brighty hasn't mentioned is an esher/thuringian are around 12k for a good one.

Originally Posted by jgjgjg

Gents, I'm forthrightly looking to add to my rockpile for no compellingly good reason. I got HAD bad...

The man's doctor told him he has too much money and not enough frustration...

JG - unless your experience on the stones vastly exceeds the experience of your 'join date', your AD's will do nothing for your edges. Its a state where your enthusiam (a good thing) obscures/overwhelms your objective - skill on stones, better shaving edges.

Growing the rock garden when new - lets you have exposure to lots of rocks (wonderful experience) but competency on few or none of them.

Its usually the case that nothing anyone can say will change that. You sorta have to come to that conclusion on your own.

If I could toss in a thought to the cauldron of excitement, it would be that there's no rock that will get you further down the road (especially not naturals) than honing a couple hundred more blades.

For now, enjoy the excitement. When the fog clears, you have some rocks to play with and the knowledge that its not the rock, its the rockhound.

I think the OP is going to have to buy at least 50 or 60 rocks to get an answer. Another 100 or so to confirm his suspicions. Isn't this the primary symtom of HAD ? Buy 2 stones call me in the morning :<0)

As you probably gathered there is no 100% answer. I will give you few types of hones which have the potential to be in your target group. Original YL/ LMs, CFs, LIs, Eshers, Thuris, some cotis, surgical and translucent Arks and WOAs.
However if you have not enough practice in honing you would be better with something like Naniva SS 10 000 or 12000.

Some natural hones could be "adjusted" to a certain grit by using slurry. Best example are coticules where a wide range between very low grit can be created by using thick slurry and more pressure and on the other hand very fine grades up to 14 k or even more with just using water without slurry and the weight of the razor itself.
The same you got with thuringians, but not in that wide range. Using blue Thuris with pressure honing and thick slurry will bring them down to a grit range below 10 k, using them with water only will take them as high as 14 k +.
But of course it needs a lot of experience to adjust the grit to the fineness you would like to achieve. Also the steel of a razor plays an important role honing on natural stones!

I consider my PHIG stone to be approximatelly 12K and I am very happy with it.

Not many natural stones will go over 12K level.
You can use a Thuringian, this will be the most consistent near that fineness.

Japanese stones will be higher than 12K but they vary a lot.

Coticules are 90% of the time not near 12K.