Imperia la Roccia 7 x 2-1/2 x 3/4 Natural Stone 12-15K Review

Hello everyone,

It's been a couple of weeks and I had the chance to test the stone and will walk you through the review.

First glance.
Attachment 187802

Physical characteristics
Measurements: 7 x 2-1/2 x 3/4 as listed
Weight: The postal had it's weight at 3lbs, it's very heavy for its size. (Box and packing included)
Color: Very light green, almost greyish green; in the sun light you can see many tiny sparkles throughout the rock
Finish: The rock was flat but not lapped or polished
Lapping stone: Was included, black and very hard, produces very fine black slurry

Stage 1.
Attachment 187805

I lapped the stone using a medium slurry stone (on right) and made a thick mud, then I worked the mud with the hard black slurry stone that was included. Once all blimishes was removed I worked the stone with the fine slurry stone of belgium coticule until it was smooth. Entire process took 3.0 hrs.

Stage 2.
Attachment 187806

The stone begins to shine and become extremly smooth. I use a W&B with a fine slurry and made a couple of hundred stokes with pressure to continue to smooth the stone. Note: This stone doesn't produce a slurry (very easy), it's extremly hard.


Attachment 187807

Stage 3.
Attachment 187808

The stone became almost like glass (when wet) as I finished with the W&B.


First Hone
I took a Doubl Duck razor that was already sharp and in my rotation.

I made about 50X strokes (almost no pressure) and stroped, this mornings shave was more comfortable and closer and the razor had a soft feel.

Bottom Line
This hone works well as a final finisher. It will take a little bit to lapp and polish, but it delivers a really nice soft finish and feels like glass to the touch. It cuts faster than the C12K and delivers as good or better results.

Big Greg

I've been watching this stone for awhile, I have the 8-10 k stone and I'm very satisfied with it. After reading your review, I've decided to order it. Thanks!

Hello joamo,

You won't be disappointed, I would recommend using the traditional wet/sand paper to lap the stone, amazon has a good deal 400/600 800/1000 1200/1500 and 2000 for about $15. I would experiment between the 1500 and 2000 it just depends how smooth you want it and how fast you want it cut. Thank for writing.

Big Greg

For me, very interesting hone... I might buy it once

You can find them on Ebay, just search Imperia la Roccia 7 x 2-1/2 x 3/4 Natural Stone. Thanks for writing,

Big Greg

have been shaving off of my finest one for two days now.I am getting a rather crisp and effortless two pass shave so far.it reminds me of the edge I get off of my translucent arks.I use the method gssixgun shows for a Thuringia stone on his YouTube channel and am quite surprised with the edges.cheers . -CAM-

Edit,not surprised he knows what he's doing,surprised I have learned it on this stone.:)

I have been using a very light slurry (with stone provided) 50X strokes and going to water for about 50X strokes (clean water every 15 strokes) and it is nice. The razor needs to be at least through the 8k stone before you start this stone. -Big Greg-

Imperia La Roccia 7 x 2 1 2 x 3 4 Natural Stone Sharpening Hone 12 15K Grit | eBay

Comes with slurry stone, about £25-30 to buy and have delivered to the UK so rivals the c12k on price for UK users.

If I hadn't just grabbed a c12k I'd be very tempted to get one of these, especially for my kamisoris.

That's the same stone and seller on Ebay, you won't be disappointed with the C12K though, they are good stones too. Maybe you'll get both, it is Christmas....I can usually find any excuse to buy a hone or razor. -Big Greg-

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Biggreg

That's the same stone and seller on Ebay, you won't be disappointed with the C12K though, they are good stones too. Maybe you'll get both, it is Christmas....I can usually find any excuse to buy a hone or razor. -Big Greg-

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Yeah but as per my thread in honing I'd like the lower end boosted up a tad for more household work. The c12k should be sufficient for anything I throw at my face... For now :D

I just recieved my stone. Kinda looks like a.C12k. I have not compaired it yet ut tbats my first impression

It is definitely a slurry stone.it cuts quite well with slurry and after diluting the slurry it polishes very nicely.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blistersteel

It is definitely a slurry stone.it cuts quite well with slurry and after diluting the slurry it polishes very nicely.

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Not sure what you mean.

If you use the slurry stone that comes with it to make a milky slurry on the body of the stone it cuts/removes the scratch pattern fairly quickly. after diluting the slurry it leaves a very nice polished bevel/edge IMO.

Do you have a C12K?

No, I haven't invested in a c12 .

I. Do have two of the LA roccia stones however.were you saying you had received a c12 or a LA roccia?

Oh ok. Again i havent had a chance to compare but it smells and looks like one. Wont be sure till i take mine out of storage. I will later tonight.

Sounds good.I'll check in after a bit :)

I took out my C12K. This one is darker then mine with a darker slurry. I also think it might be a hair softer( easier to slurry).

Received my ILR today:
1. Appearance: very light grey - completely uniform in color - no defects/inclusion.
2. Surface: as advertised - lapped flat, but not smoothed.
Easily/quickly finished with 150, 320, 600 grit shop roll - was all it needed - smooth as glass.
3. Honing: used without slurry - cut very fast, very smooth, and gave good tactile feedback.
Produced an absolutely outstanding edge - tree-topped forearm hair even before stropping.

Stone is soft - very much like light grey Eschers I have had, but cuts much faster - and probably smoother also.
Not at all like the hard Chinese 12K or purple Welsh slate.
Communicated with ebay vendor - stones are mined in the Imperia region of Italy.

Bottom line - outstanding stone at a great price.

I agree.I video'd myself finishing a willot yesterday and shaved this am with it.very sharp yet not harsh edge.as for grit I have no idea as it is a natural stone .

Just for info, I'm living in Imperia and I can assure you that there are not stones quarry here around.
As you can see stones are shipped from US, I suppose that Imperia LaRoccia is just a marketing name and stones probably comes from Taiwan.
Anyway, I don't own this stone and I can't talk about his performance, but I've read some post above that vendor says that comes from my area, well, isn't true.

Hmm well it is an effective stone imo.used with a heavy milky slurry it takes an edge from a 6k synthetic I own to a smooth hair hanging severing painless shaving edge.I absolutely have no idea where they are from but! They work . Sincerely -CAM-

I do not live in Italy and I am not a miner.
However, a google search shows that slate is mined near Imperia.

https://books.google.com/books?id=T4...0italy&f=false

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IndependenceRazor1

I do not live in Italy and I am not a miner.
However, a google search shows that slate is mined near Imperia.

https://books.google.com/books?id=T4...0italy&f=false

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The stone mentioned in the link that you have posted, are not in Imperia areas but are not so far. I know this kind of slate that are used for billiard table or in building construction,I have tested a lot of them ,but.... without fortune.

If they really are Italian then i'm sold. I also assumed c12k when I saw that price on the listings.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DireStraights

If they really are Italian then i'm sold. I also assumed c12k when I saw that price on the listings.

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I wish I could definitively pin down where they are from/mined etc.they work but I do wish I knew more about them.I've been googling but no joy so far.

That guy who posted above saying he's from the region is interesting.

Kinda of a strange lie if the vendor did make it up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bushdoctor

Just for info, I'm living in Imperia and I can assure you that there are not stones quarry here around.
As you can see stones are shipped from US, I suppose that Imperia LaRoccia is just a marketing name and stones probably comes from Taiwan.
Anyway, I don't own this stone and I can't talk about his performance, but I've read some post above that vendor says that comes from my area, well, isn't true.

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I also think its a marketing strategie from the Vendor, actually just "think" the same as Fabrizio, probably stones from Asia....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DireStraights

That guy who posted above saying he's from the region is interesting.

Kinda of a strange lie if the vendor did make it up.

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Right or wrong, Italy seems to have a bit more cache than Guangxi, but it had the opposite effect for me. It looked like a Chinese hone and the name came across as an affectation to me. I don't mind cheap hones for experimentation but I didn't want to fan the flames, so to speak, so I did not buy one.

I have both the Imperia La Roccia stones, the one listed 8-10 and the one listed 12-15. I also have a Guangxi.
The Guangxi and high grit Roccia look nothing alike, the former is a medium grey with darker "stretchmarks" running diagonally through the stone, lapped one side only and very roughly sawn, about 1/2 inch thick and no chamfers. The latter is a light greenish grey with slightly darker wavy lines and a dark oval inclusion on one side. It came lapped 2 sides with fine saw marks on the edges and is about 3/4 inch thick, with all edges chamfered. The inclusion doesn't catch the blade at all but I generally use the other side.
I haven't put a lot of blades on the Roccia, but the general feel I get is a slightly chalky, dragging. My stone does not slurry well at all with the supplied rubbing stone and I've been using it with water only.
My Guangxi will lightly slurry and the feel is one of smooth cutting fine grit.
I'll experiment more but so far I prefer the Guangxi.
I also have the La Roccia listed as 8-10 and it is a dark, almost black, grey and has 3 small pyrite inclusions on one side. It came lapped all sides, with nice chamfered edges. This stone slurries well and has a lovely, silky feel. It performs well.

YMMV, but for me, the 8-10 La Roccia was a great bargain(same cost as 12-15) while the jury is still out on the La Roccia 12-15 finisher.

I should have clarified. I have no basis for claiming that the Imperia and Guangxi were the same or even related. That simply was my initial impression from the one time I looked at the ebay listing.

joamo Your experience thus far virtually mirrors mine, sans the inclusions. My stones are very clean but my results are very similar to yours. Chalky feel is an excellent description for this stone. Much more so than the slick hard guangxi.
One difference is that I have been able to get slurry with my "12-15k" but quite honestly I dont like the feel of it. The slurry off of the coarser stone feels much smoother cutting to me.
The jury for me all around is still out as I really only picked up the lower grit stone for kicks and dont need it so my hopes were more for the higher grit stone and im just not there with it yet.

Just mho, and experience.
I have been using the 12-15K for a couple of months now. I also have the 10-12, and another similar from the same vendor. I also own a 12K Chinese. The 12-15k is slow to slurry, but speeds up as the slurry appears. I find the slurry is easily and quickly capable of taking out striations as far back as 4K, and I find the stone finishes with clear water faster, and finer than my Chinese. I find similar qualities from the other stones from this vendor, though faster slurries, with possibly a little less to offer at the very fine finish. It takes a bit of practice to get the full realm of capabilities from these stones. I have seen some speculation about where these stones come from. At least one other writer mentioned that it does not look anything like his C12K, and I agree. I personally don't care where it comes from as long as yall leave mine where it is. : -) I almost always use slurry with the mentioned stones, as it helps reduce lapping and keeps the surface fresh. I also own retired coticule, black surgical arkie, and soon to be retired C12K.
Yall enjoy!

I just picked one of these up today, and should arrive in a week or so. Is lapping this with a Norton lapping stone advisable?

These stones are to the softer side - like an Escher.
A Norton lapping stone would be a good start - to remove the saw marks.
However, you will quickly progress to 600 and then 1000 grit sandpaper.

Where is it quarried from, Italy?

Italy according to the vendor, but that's sparked a whole other conversation. Truth, I don't know where the rock came from and no one else does either, I only know what the vendor posted on another site and that it works for razors. Hope this helped.