Thread: New Cretan hone

Originally Posted by FAL

Really want to try this stone, Vasilis, is it worth your time to get razor grade stones to sell to those of us without? I would pay a fair price for one or two stones.

It is considered a taboo advertising and selling stones in our discussions. I can find a stone or two, still PMs help keeping threads clean from advertisement. No offense to anyone of course.

Originally Posted by Vasilis

It is considered a taboo advertising and selling stones in our discussions. I can find a stone or two, still PMs help keeping threads clean from advertisement. No offense to anyone of course.

...Or six

Seriously though, we in Serbia appreciate your effort and willingness to help so very much. I gotta say, this is no joke, it took us a long time to figure everything out and we spent a lot of time talking, not only about the Cretan stone, but also getting to know each other, albeit over email. This kind of thing is not common nowdays and I am sure we'll meet in person some day. You have made no less than FIVE Serbian wetshavers and honing enthusiasts happy and for that, we are very grateful.

Alright... Outburst of happiness and gratitude over!

Thanks Gent's, it is good that we can help each other. I'll do all I can to help any of you, currently working on getting some suitable Mastadon/Mammoth Ivory for a member here, at cost of course.

Originally Posted by WW243

I was funnin' you, how could I not like a Cretan hone. My daughter was born on Crete, Irapetra, to be precise.

I flew out of Souda Bay Crete many times. One of my favorite places to visit. The souvlaki and beer was awesome.

Originally Posted by karlej

I flew out of Souda Bay Crete many times. One of my favorite places to visit. The souvlaki and beer was awesome.

I second that. Nothing beats a good souvlaki. When I was a teenager I could go for days on end, only on souvlaki, while vacationing in Greece. That way, there was more money for beer.

Mmm, Souvlaki in many flavors, I love Kabobs, Gyros, many of Greek foods.

Now I am Hungry, thanks guys.

Mmm, Hungry for some HONING!!!!

Right, so until now, I've been very gentle with my Cretan friends and have reset bevels and honed to shave ready several razors, which have been in my rotation for a while. I am happy to report that my Cretan blue hone is indeed a finisher, although the edge so far has been a bit harsh for my taste, but I have to say I haven't really figured it out completely. I will keep experimenting.

Last night I've done something different and I will let the picture speak for itself. 45 minute job in total, a lot of pressure (I'm talking both hands), slurried all the way. Only the last 20ish strokes were gentle. The razor is a Gold dollar.

Clear as a Bell, what a difference. I have always been a pressure sharpener on knives, hard working knives and like a quick, lasting edge, Go Cretan Go!! Better go replicate that one SRDJan.

Those GDollar razors are 5160 spring steel aren't they? They are tough and well hardened, the one I have shaves excellent though a little clunky in handling.

Originally Posted by Srdjan

Right, so until now, I've been very gentle with my Cretan friends and have reset bevels and honed to shave ready several razors, which have been in my rotation for a while. I am happy to report that my Cretan blue hone is indeed a finisher, although the edge so far has been a bit harsh for my taste, but I have to say I haven't really figured it out completely. I will keep experimenting.

Last night I've done something different and I will let the picture speak for itself. 45 minute job in total, a lot of pressure (I'm talking both hands), slurried all the way. Only the last 20ish strokes were gentle. The razor is a Gold dollar.

Srdjan, your stone is a finisher although I only saw it, not tested it, but the Cretan stones can even get quite finer than the one you have.
The problem is the relative to non existent demand for them. 90+% of the people who buy Cretan stones are butchers-general knife sharpening and carpenters. What these people want is a single stone to cover the whole grit range until the edge is sufficiently sharp. Most use a Chinese 1 euro coarse stone, after that a Cretan, and that's enough for them.
These finer, darker stones are slow. Compared to the white variety, the one most sought after by far, they are really slow for the heck of an "one stone honing method" of 200 grit/4-8k grit gap they are accustomed with. The dark finishing grade not only it has less than limited demand, but it has also gained a bad reputation here for "not being fast enough, it barely cuts".
The equivalent in Japan I can think of is, preferring a soft Okudo suita, over a medium hardness Nakayama kiita.
As such, the owner of the mine himself (here) hesitates to sell these pure finishing grade, because of potential complaints of buyers that they are "not being fast enough" or "barely cut".
I'm trying to change this attitude, and although in Greece the people's opinion is set no matter what, I have high hopes for people interested in this type of stone, in other countries. Sure, the white type rocks. The black on the other hand still exists but the bad reputation it has makes it really difficult to find, although it's a top finisher, comparable only by few.
Something else I suspect and would like to add here is that, the whiter the stone the higher the percentage of Novaculite, 99% minimum, with the black variation being at around 95 or so, but I'm still waiting for powdered samples to test.

As for honing, don't overdo it with pressure, as razor blades are thin and can warp with enough pressure. On tools, go for it, but on razors you might not want to overdo it.

As for the Gold Dollar razors, I think their steel is a "secret steel" and a not that high quality, secret. Sure, they can shave, but are generally regarded as razor shaped objects, not razors. I myself get them for 2$ or so per piece, and use them for unknown stone testing. Still YMMV, I know people who like them.