Thread: Charnley Forest?

Ok just added a CF to my hones. It will take a bit to get here from across the pond, but it seems like a good size. 22cm x 5cm x 3cm in an old box. The guy used it for knifes, but in my understanding of how these are like an Ark, this is a good thing in preparing the stone for a razor. So I wonder if this could help it give a better edge. I will find out either way. I went back and forth on this stone for months now and just finally pulled the trigger. The price didn't seem too bad based on the stone and the size. Plus I will check it, but according to the seller was lapped and flat on one side. So that could save me a lot of work since this is a hard stone and I do things the hard way.

I look forward to the pictures.

Originally Posted by RezDog

I look forward to the pictures.

I will see what I can do once it gets here. As for now here is one from the listing.

Addressing the original question, yes, I prefer to stick with one finisher. I lucked out with a very fine Charnley with my second attempt and I'm quite happy with it. I use Smith's Honing Solution on it. It is water soluble and my preference is to dilute it to about 50% with water--it's a little too thick for my taste to use it straight. I just put a few drops of Smith's on it and then start adding drops of water while I'm honing until I reach the consistency that I want. If I'm honing on it for an extended period, I have to add a little more water but usually don't need to add any more Smith's.

I have a CF hone, I use it after my Thuri and I get a very nice edge I use just water with mine.

Congratulations sir, thanks for sharing. They are some of the prettiest stones to look at. IMO the final finish from a high quality CF imparts micro serrations “toothy” to the very edge. A good CF will yield a robust edge that requires smoothing down with stropping.

A high quality Charnley Forest stone can improve the final finish on stain-less steel or cast steel or any other hard razor steel that is not responding to a more conventional coticule / thuringian progression. Used with oil a quality CF is very fine and a faster cutter in comparison to a high quality Turkish oilstone or vintage translucent Arkansas. Experiment with it.
Mike

Never slurry a oil stone use oil on the stone for best performance also you should prep the stone before use

Originally Posted by eleblu05

Never slurry a oil stone use oil on the stone for best performance also you should prep the stone before use

Whatis your suggestion on prep?

Originally Posted by eleblu05

Never slurry a oil stone use oil on the stone for best performance also you should prep the stone before use

Agree...like the other novaculites, the particles just aren't very small.

They are pretty much a softer hard arkansas stone without pores that softer arkanas stones have.

They're nice looking stones, though, even the ones that are just green.

CF perform very well with slurry. I use Mikawa shiro naguras. Slurry from JNATs smooth stone surface and final result is better.