Thread: Working With The Shaun Stone.

Let me start by saying that I feel very fortunate to have John (Hirlau) letting me test this hone! Thanks in advance!

My first impression was that it is a beautiful rock, reminds me of some pretty Marmol I've seen before. The density and hardness is similar to my Zulu. Here is a picture wet, next to the Zulu.


Had the chance to use it this afternoon and shave with the edge. I used a Torry that had gone back on sharpness and smoothness, probably, from too many experiments. Last two shaved where not enjoyable. From a 2 passes + touchups for 94% BBS after it was finished on a 16k Shapton glass and some CrOx, it went to a 3 pass razor for 85% BBS with a 3 alum burn.

I read on this forum and razor and stone that this stone was very fast. So I did 25 to 30 passes on water only. It turn the razor, to a 2 pass razor + touchups for a 94% BBS, and a 2 on the alum burn. Essentially brought it back to where it was after the 16k Shapton glass.

The edge has been describe before as toothy and I'll say that it's a good description. No butter like an Escher or crisp as the Zulu or sublime as the Gucomoyo 20k.

My next experiments would be with some slury from turi, Zulu and even coti. I'm thinking that it's a cutter like the 16k Shapton glass and it would benefit from some sort of smoothness other than its own.

One razor it's not enough to judge anything, but it's promising to be interesting!

Double O

P.S. Thanks John and Rezdog for the stone!

I feel like when I was standing in the middle of the amazon (2hr flight from civilization) looking at a fish I never new existed (payara) and trying to figure out how to catch it on the fly! It took me 1 1/2 hour to catch one, but after some observation and methodical perseverance I caught my first one and many more after that. It was a matter of braking the code of what and where, the fish where eating in that particular morning. Month later I watch a fishing show on the payara and felt validated as a fisherman, when the host describe how he fish for them and it was the exact fly and method I used to catch them that memorable morning.

I get the same feeling of pioneer with this stone. Very little is known and I have been relying on information I had read and what John passed down verbally and on my own observation and past experience(I feel is lacking when compare to many here) to brake the code on the stone, I think I'm moving in the right direction with the stone.

After a pm with Rezdog, I decided to get the best possible edge (as far as smoothness) with this stone before introducing different slurries to it. So I raised a very light slury with the Atoma 1200 (perceivable only when pushing water and very translucent slury) and did 10 passes. One thing I notice was that it took more figures 8 to raise the same light slury as in the Zulu. Making me believe that it's a harder stone than the Zulu.

The shave was as close as the one before, and by the way the beard was very light after 24 hours which also tells me it's a very sharp edge, with much less alum burn. The areas that got two passes didn't have hardly any alum burn and the touchups had about a two or less. So I'm calling 96% BBS after two passes with touchups and a 1.5 on the alum burn on a scale of 0-5.
The feed back was still of a toothy edge. It's not that you feel tooth on the edge or anything like that, but the feedback of the blade going down the beard, feels toothy. Maybe some one with more experience could describe it better than me. I'm thinking that the feeling could change with a different grind?!

I'll take any suggestions from people to try on this stone. Thanks!

So out for more experiments with other blades! Double O

When they hit the classifieds I hope you have a bunch ready cause I'm sure there will be a mass scramble to be in the first to have them , great Jon Shaun. Tc

Well... I think I'll keep one eye or two on the classified

Any more news on this, gents?

Wauv! That is a great looking hone! It is beautiful.

I got some more to write, but getting it organized before posting! Soon!

DubbleOh,

Are you going to tack it on this thread?

Yes! On this one

Ok, I had some time with the hone and have some opinions about it. I have been shaving with edges finished on this Haida Gwaii, aka Shaun's hone for the last 3 weeks, except for a few occasions.

First I'll give you the data, then interpret it to the best of my ability.

In my last post I told you about the slury and how it improved the shave some. Well, I build a more definite slury (not milky white, but more like water down milk with the Atoma 1200. It took about 12-16 figures 8 to get the consistency I was looking for. In other words, this rock is HARD.

Took the same Torry blade and did about 25 passes with slury. After the 25 passes, started diluting rapidly (4 stages)to be completely water for the last 10-15 strokes. For a total of 75-85 strokes.

Shave was 2 passes with touchups for a 94-96% BBS and .5 on the alum burn. The edge had a faint silky feel to it that I haven't felt before with this stone. Overall was an outstanding shave!

Next, I did 20 more on water only. The shave was 2 passes + touchups for a 94-96% BBS and 1.5 on the alum burn and the silky feel was gone! After stropping edge, an inspection with the 40x loop, revealed a sliver of a different shine that wasn't there before. Like a folded edge? Took the 100x microscope and saw the same thing plus about 3-4 microchiping on it. I think I passed the optimum point.

Then, took a beautiful 6/8 square point Heckler no stain razor that was finished with the Gucomoyo 20k and was giving 2 pass + minimal touchups for 100% BBS and 1 on the alum burn. Did about 60-80 on a diluting slury like the Torry and got the silky feel on the shave with 2 pass + used the same minimal touchups as the shave before, for a total of 92-94% BBS and .5 on the alum burn. Although not as sharp as with the G20k, the shave was very enjoyable.

Tried another 20-25 on water only, lost the silk and the alum burn went up to 1, with the same sharpness. On the loop, it reveal one microchip, with a little sliver on some spots that looked like a wired edge.

Later, after running the Torry edge on glass one time, took it to the Chosera 1k and reset the bevel.

Decided to do a one stone honing. Tried to raise a thicker slury with the 400 Atoma, and was disappointed after 20 figure 8 that the consistency of the slury was not much better than the 15 figures eight with the 1200 Atoma I used prior to take the edge from the 16k Shapton and finish on the Haida Gwaii. Did another 10, still did not get the consistency I was looking for (white milk). However, I soldier on with what I had and ended doing about 40-50 before starting to dilute to water, for a total of about 100-120. Raised another slury with the 1200 Atoma and did about 60-80 to water, last 15 on water only. Refresh surface with the atoma1200 and did about 20 more on Smith honing solution.

Shaved was a no go. First passed I stopped and went to the CrOx for 10 passes and that's how I was able to finished the shave, for a 2 passes+ touchups for a 86% BBS and 2.5 on the alum burn. I thought the alum burn was going to be worst!

I was going to take the edge to the 4k SG and go up the progression to the 16 K SG, but after some thought, went for the all natural feel, and raised a coti slury on the stone, very easy to do, for a milky white slury I was looking for. Did 40-50 before starting to dilute to water. Dilution took 4 stages with about 30-40 each stage. Then raised a very slight turi slury and did another 30-40 while diluting to water, with the last 10 being water only. I did not shave with this edge, because after stropping, my HHT on the edge was lacking IMO. Ended raising its own light slury on the HG with the Atoma 1200 and did another 40-50 diluting in 4 stages for the last 10-15 water only.

The shave, oh the shave! It was the sharpest and smoothest of all the others. It was a strong 2 pass and touchups for a solid 96% BBS and .5 on the alum burn. After stropping the loop revealed a nice even fine haze finished, like the pictures I seen from some Jnats edges here.

Second shave did 5 passes on the CrOx paddle and the shave was even more enjoyable on the feel on the face, with same results as the shave before on regard to sharpness and alum burn.

And that's how the edge of the Torry stand at this time.

Some thoughts! The stone is the hardest stone I have ever come across (no personal Jnat experience). The edge tend to stick and skip on water only. To reduce this, I use John (Hirlau) suggestion of using lots of water and also, try to do quick deliberate X strokes, that tend to minimize the sticking and skipping. The smith honing solution minimize the skip and sticking also.

With slury, the skipping and sticking is not present. IMHO the slury tend to add a silk feel to the edge that it's not there or goes away, with many water only strokes.

I'm buying this stone when it comes available. It's the fastest and one of the finest natural I have played with. It gives a sharpness close to equal to my 16k Shapton glass. A little temperamental hone, but with lots of potential for more experiments.

Next I'll be giving the hone to Jimmy Had to see his thoughts.

Thanks, Double O