Thread: Guangxi Hone

So I bit the bullet and pick up both the 2k and the 12k Chinese natural stones. I contacted the seller and he tells me I do not need a slurry stone, any feedback on this as I have never used a 12k natural before. The only one I own is my stainless finishing glass stone and it is a 30k. Thanks guys for all the advice.

Guangxi is the one I purchased.

Natural stones don't have grit designations. There is no such thing as a Chinese 12k. Its effectiveness MIGHT be somewhat similar to some particular 12k synthetic but that is the best approximation that can be made.

I've never heard of a Chinese 2k, which also does not exist. Where did you get it? Is there a webpage describing it?

What is a "stainless finishing glass stone?" I'm only familiar with Shapton GlassStones and was not aware they have a stainless version.

I love my Guangxi finisher. Whatever it is, it's fine enough to finish the edges coming off my synthetic 8k. It's a very hard stone; I usually do 60-90 laps.

Search both the forums and the library for "Guangxi", "c12k", and "PHIG". Have fun with it, and good luck!

A bevel setter 1k and a guangxi finishing stone is all I use now. I use a slurry for a 1 stone hone. I slowly dilute down to clear water. It takes many laps but I am rewarded with the best edge I've ever used. Of course they are all different and they take a lot of practice to learn the stone but again it is well worth it if you got a good stone.

Originally Posted by JimmyWetshaver

Shapton HRs are said to be suited for stainless as well as harder steels if I recall.

OK I looked it up. The HR is the original GlassStone series.

[QUOTE=Utopian;


What is a "stainless finishing glass stone?" I'm only familiar with Shapton GlassStones and was not aware they have a stainless version.[/QUOTE]

Sorry, let me clarify. When I say stainless it is the stone I used to finish SS presentation colt 1911's after restamp and flattening. It is a very small stone but is the perfect size for what I needed to do.

So no slurry stone is what I am thinking for the finer of the two.

I've heard them referred to as, "The People Hone of Indeterminate Grit." Seems like a fitting name to me. Each one has it's own personality. Mine cleans up after the Norton 8k fairly well, but isn't quite as fine a finish as a hard Arkansas. It does make for a good in between step, I'd gauge it around a 10k or so.

The only real downside to it was how rough the stone was when it arrived. I had to lap the saw blade markings out of it, then spend a few hours sanding off the lapping stone scratches until the stone was about as smooth as ceramic for it to truly become a good finisher. Wouldn't trade it for anything now though.

My "Chinese 12k" arrived with one quite smooth side (guessing somewhere below 400 grit but sure) and the other side I started to lap with 400 grit and gave up after I realised how deep the scratches were on either end with the middle being smoother than the aforementioned smooth side. One day I'm going to take the stone through the grits and probably polish it off at 1k or so.

My stone leaves a noticeably nicer edge to my kamisori than the Norton 8k. As for straights, I only used it once, briefly and when I very first got it, on my straight and it also improved that edge too.

YMMV but I really like mine.

Cannot comment on the lower grit stone.

I have never encountered a natural bevel setter that came close to being acceptable. How does the lower grit hone perform?

I caved in and got a 2x8 lower grit hone for $20. I'll let you know what I see.