Thread: Guangxi hone

I am a basic beginner and my knowledge of natural stones is limited. I have read the forums about this subject but there is a lot of information and some of it conflicts. As I understand it one uses a small stone and water to build up a slurry mixture on the main stone. Then one sharpens on the main stone. Is this basically correct? There is a hone called Guangxi that seems modestly priced. Does anyone have a clue as to what grit this stone would be? Would it be suitable for straight razors? Any insight would be helpful.
Thanks,
Jerry1

I have one. They vary a bit in grit so it could be 8k or could be 12k. That inconsistency is evident in all natural stones. Slurry works great with natural stones including this one. I used a diamond plate to raise slurry on mine. I prefer other stones to this one though. Not saying you should or shouldn't . SOme have great luck with them and others, not so lucky. But that applies to any natural stone. I don't know what other hones you have, but I would recommend a synthetic set first, just til you get some experience. Its much easier to get advice on a forum if you have a question, as opposed to naturals that we have no idea what type or grit stone you have. ANd synthetics of the same brand (example nortons among others) are all consistent.

Okay, but this is embarrassing. I own the Norton 220/1000, 4000/8000, and a Naniwa 12,000. I also have a Shapton 16K and 30K. I use a DMT coarse for lapping. There it is. Everything about natural stones seems to be hazy. Nevertheless, I would like to know more about natural stones.
Thanks Everyone

Eschers are the easiest naturals IMO. Jnats are a little more work but there are more possibilities with a nagura set. The list goes out the door and around the block. Cotis, thuringians, Zulu grey, arkies, etc etc etc.

I like coticules, I can get a shave ready edge from almost all of them, some very easy some very hard, Eschers ar always consistent, Cnat, very very slow , Jnats varry a lot, from 1K to up to 20K or more,just my oppinion

Yes, you make a slurry then hone on it. Otherwise you can just use plain water.

Slurry is used to increase cutting speed. Plain water is more for polishing. There are stages of dilution in between.

All stones are different. But that's the basic premise. Part of the fun is experimentation.

You may not get better edges than wit your shapton 30k.

Michael

I am just learning about my Guangxi stone and I love it but I have nothing to compare it to either. With that said, I have gotten my straight sharp as or sharper than my feather blades in my shavette (something I didn't think would be possible at one point) and has been an excellent stone to learn on as it is slow with just plain water. When I get my gold dollar I am going to go all kinds of crazy and see what I can actually do with this stone. I may learn then, that I want something different but as it sits now it has worked great!

I've owned a Guangxi or, C12K sometimes their called, for a couple of years now and I won't ever need a another finishing stone. These stones are extremely hard and dense and should last a lifetime. There are lots of mixed reviews and the one thing you'll need is a little patients when learning what works and what doesn't. I use a mild dish soap and water for the right slip during honing. Also, I find the best results with light pressure, more than just the blade's weight when honing. I restore and sell razors as a hobby and this stone can be a great asset for you. Make sure to purchase from a reputable business in case of any problems. Good Luck.

~Tall Guy

Thanks Biggreg
I am a beginner and I don't know much about natural stones. I have a good collection of synthetic stones but I would like to expand my knowledge. Does one have to flatten the stone with a diamond plate? I would really appreciate an answer from anyone.
Thanks

Originally Posted by jerry1

Does one have to flatten the stone with a diamond plate? I would really appreciate an answer from anyone.
Thanks

I used wet/dry sandpaper 650 and 1000 grit to flatten mine. Worked great! I followed the instructions in the wiki for lapping stones.
Hone Lapping 101 - Straight Razor Place Wiki