Thread: What is a PHIG?

Blame it on Utopian / Ron and holli4pirating / Dylan

Way back in the early days hehehe

Way back Ron was trying to point out to people that there is actually no real grit rating for natural stones, and was saying that calling it a Chinese 12k is essentially wrong
Dylan IIRC came up with the saying well then we should call it the "Peoples Hone of Indeterminate Grit" PHIG stuck after that


Unfortunately Ron's correct assertion about rating naturals has fallen mostly of deaf ears and ebay sellers to this day continue to rate their different stones with ever higher ratings and ever higher prices to follow...


Here is an old thread I did about the stones, be sure to read it through as there a some new tricks about using the super hard scratchy ones

http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...nese-hone.html

gssixgun, I tried to read "re-visting the Chinese hone" But I got cracked up ! My scene of humor sometimes blocks my understanding This brings up new questions for you guys ! Now my question is the Chinese created a stone or hone that they can't seem to name??? Or they have created a hone or stone with a goofy grit that they can't figure out a use for ??? I am going to read that revisiting the chinese hone again.

Originally Posted by AlienEdge

gssixgun, I tried to read "re-visting the Chinese hone" But I got cracked up ! My scene of humor sometimes blocks my understanding This brings up new questions for you guys ! Now my question is the Chinese created a stone or hone that they can't seem to name??? Or they have created a hone or stone with a goofy grit that they can't figure out a use for ??? I am going to read that revisiting the chinese hone again.

Mother Nature Created the Stone = Natural

The Chinese dug it up and quarried it in the Guangxi Province hence the "Proper" name of the stone "Guangxi Waterstone or Whetstone"

Natural = Unknown Girt

Some marketing genius along the way stamped 12000 on the box and the rest is history


Some fun Huh

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Mother Nature Created the Stone = Natural

The Chinese dug it up and quarried it in the Guangxi Province hence the "Proper" name of the stone "Guangxi Waterstone or Whetstone"

Natural = Unknown Girt

Some marketing genius along the way stamped 12000 on the box and the rest is history


Some fun Huh

I came in on the slow bus, but I think I'm about to get off of it now ! The word "Guangxi" helped. I type in guangxi hone into Ebay and found this picture of something that looks like mud slate to me. Natural whetstone for sharpening, honing.12000 grit size, Slightly imperfect.

How about an Acronym for this instead of an abbreviation ? "M.I.S.T.A.K.E." mystery imperfect stone that always kills edge ! Just kidding for those of you that might love this hone! Just kidding

I don't know if it is still the case, but it used to seem that the best option for getting better ones was to get it at Woodcraft, where they are listed as Natural Water Stones.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I don't know if it is still the case, but it used to seem that the best option for getting better ones was to get it at Woodcraft, where they are listed as Natural Water Stones.

These things are starting to get more expensive. I think I paid $30 for mine including shipping, Woodcraft wants 40 for an 8x3, and ebay seems to be 35-45 depending on the seller. Much as I like my Guangxi hone, I'm not convinced they're a $50 rock. Especially in the condition mine came in - it still had saw marks from the blade that cut it on one face, and the other side looked like the natural face of the rock it was cut from. Took me 3 hours just to make the sawed face flat enough it could be polished and burnished, no idea how long it's going to take to clean up the backside.

Originally Posted by Marshal

These things are starting to get more expensive. I think I paid $30 for mine including shipping, Woodcraft wants 40 for an 8x3, and ebay seems to be 35-45 depending on the seller. Much as I like my Guangxi hone, I'm not convinced they're a $50 rock. Especially in the condition mine came in - it still had saw marks from the blade that cut it on one face, and the other side looked like the natural face of the rock it was cut from. Took me 3 hours just to make the sawed face flat enough it could be polished and burnished, no idea how long it's going to take to clean up the backside.

So based on these prices and what was said earlier about getting through 2 or 3 to get a good one a naniwa 12k 10mm thick os sounding like a good deal. And lapping takes about 5 mins

Originally Posted by Marshal

These things are starting to get more expensive. I think I paid $30 for mine including shipping, Woodcraft wants 40 for an 8x3, and ebay seems to be 35-45 depending on the seller. Much as I like my Guangxi hone, I'm not convinced they're a $50 rock. Especially in the condition mine came in - it still had saw marks from the blade that cut it on one face, and the other side looked like the natural face of the rock it was cut from. Took me 3 hours just to make the sawed face flat enough it could be polished and burnished, no idea how long it's going to take to clean up the backside.

They cost $3 in China. But you have to come to China to get it.

AlienEdge,,,actually there are two well known PHIGS, as the name well precedes any SRP member. Only one has been seen by the public.

The Frankenphig is one of the rarest of natural stones, as there is only one known to the public. This stone was found deep in dark mountains of Ingolstadt, Germany. A very slow cutter, but strong stone. The slurry is created differently than in other naturals. The slurry in the Frankenphig is created by an electric charge running from the south end of the stone, exiting the north end of the stone. Most slurry is raised by abrasion; the slurry on the Frankenphig is expelled from inside the stone.

Behold the Frankenphig,,,,,,,