Thread: Gokumyo 20k One Stone Hone Experiment

Recently Bobski was talking about the Gokumyo series:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...0k-update.html

and I posed the question that since the 20k is a hard stone with ceramic binder - and it comes with a 1k/3k rubber, could it be used as a one stone hone.
I am definitely not an adventurous honer, I prefer the simple and safe route of naniwa 1 - 12k followed by a few laps on a natural, but I gave it a try.

Here's what happened: I completely blunted my extra hollow bengall test razor.
Generated a good slurry with the 3k side of the rubbing stone - circles and Xs - bevel set and popping hairs in floating aht all along the edge within 5 minutes.
Diluted as per dilucot and then a final 20 or so with just plain water.
Gave the stone a rub down with the 1k side to clean it up.

It gave a pretty good shave, with the characteristic edge.

Of note, the 1k side of the rubbing stone made a very rough slurry. I used it briefly but didn't like the feel, so tried the 3k. The gok is an aggressive stone and with the 3k it cut a lot of steel fast.
I don't have a microscope, just a simple glass loupe, so I can't see too much detail but it seems to leave some deep scratches on the edge, but still gave a really smooth and sharp shave.

It would be interesting if anyone else wants to give it a go.

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

It would be interesting if anyone else wants to give it a go.

I read this, went upstairs to the honing lair, and honed 6 razors.

You sir, may have sucked all of the joy and mystery out of nearly 500 hones.


I am shocked at how well this worked. I tried the 1k side, the 3k side, a dragon's tongue rubbing stone (it was the closest non-Asano nagura within reach), and grit water. All had basically the same effect. That is, they cut a bevel fairly quickly and with dilution allowed for an easy transition up to final polish.

Because I had the Gokumyo 10k available, I tried it as well and got what seemed to be even faster cutting of a bevel, but I'll have to try a few more to get a better comparison. Regardless, it appears that the Gokumyo 20k is perfectly capable of being the only hone a person needs.

Good job sirs.

I wonder if one of you fine gentleman would have the time to do a video for us mere mortals.

Very interesting - thanks to both of you.

The first questions please...

Tape or no tape?

Did you lap before, during, after in the process?

Any quick thoughts as to razor brands, grinds, sizes ?

Need to sit down, room is spinning...

I recorded a video. Youtube says it will be uploaded in 494, wait 496, now 493, now 490 minutes. I'm pretty sure it will be uploaded when it d#mn well feels like being uploaded.
Now it's 486 minutes--progress!

Regarding MJC questions.

Tape or no tape, like any other honing it is up to you. There is nothing special about this method or hone that would require one or the other.

I lapped before because I wanted a pretty hone for the video. Otherwise I would not bother.
I also lapped (refreshed) before the final polish to make sure that all residual foreign grit was removed. I addressed this in the video but I would strongly recommend for someone considering doing this regularly that you use one side of the hone for slurry and the other side just for the clean final polish, as I found that some slurry did embed in the hone.

Brands?
Anything you got. I don't see why it would make a difference.

Grinds?
Any--but if you want to do it on a wedge, I would refer you to a therapist I saw for a while post-divorce. As he once said to me, "what are you, nuts?" Seriously, that is an odd thing for a therapist to say but it applied for the circumstance and it would apply for a wedge. You want to use the most efficient tool that you can for bevel setting a wedge and a 20k hone ain't it.

Sizes?
Like brands, I don't think it would make any difference.

If the room is spinning, sit down, and adjust your alcohol level!

With 4% loaded, only 472 minutes to go now.

Funny this should come up . I was mucking around with Belgian hones for slurry recently.
Coti on 20k was one combo. Surprised me how quickly it reclaimed a glassed edge.
There are quicker & cheaper methods if you are starting at bevel set but for someone who just wants to maintain his edges, the 20k is more versatile than expected.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I recorded a video. Youtube says it will be uploaded in 494, wait 496, now 493, now 490 minutes. I'm pretty sure it will be uploaded when it d#mn well feels like being uploaded.
Now it's 486 minutes--progress!

What's your youtube channel, Ron?

I am still scratching my head over the 20K having a 1K/3K. Mine just came with the 20K itself, plus the 400 rubbing stone. What am I missing?

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

Good job sirs.

I wonder if one of you fine gentleman would have the time to do a video for us mere mortals.

Hi Mark, looks like Utopian has this covered. I'm a bit late to my own party, lol.

Great to see some interest in this idea. It's an honour for me to be able to give ideas back to SRP, after having learned so much here over the years.

I only have my phone internet connection at the moment, so I can't really watch Ron's demonstration in entirety, but will be able to at work this week.

As mentioned, I used the 3k, and had a bevel in about 5 or so minutes, followed by about 10 mins to get to the end. This may have been because I don't tread lightly in the early stages of honing, and often use quite a bit of pressure. I figured, on this hone, once a good bevel had been set you can't go wrong - it's a finisher after all.

Regarding wedges. While I defer to Utopian's greater experience and knowledge, I'm not quite ready to say that this method will not work for wedges. I think it's pretty easy to put a good edge on a hollow ground, but I'm not ashamed to say it took me a very long time before I was really comfortable doing wedges. About 85% of my collection is wedges of one type or another spanning the period ~1770-1900 and I use them as daily shavers. None of these razors lay flush on the hone, all being warped to some extent - which is why I mention this. As long as you tape, and feel every part of the edge meeting the stone there should be no problem with them.

If anyone is interested, I would be happy to do a few different edges and provide some basic numbers and timings as a rough guide.

Sorry, I did in fact mislead with stating that this was not a good method for wedges. Of course it would work, but it would be slower.