I think I might have to eat my words here. After hearing people compare these to eschers and the likes I though I had best give the 15k Welsh thuri one last try. I decided to try and get the stone as smooth as possible by using the slurry stone to burnish the surface of the 15k until there was a mirror like finish when looking at it from a shallow angle.
After this I took my favourite razor, a Japanese made Swedish steel polgacrup 45, that needed a touch up as it was starting to tug. I done 40-50 laps on water only. Everything felt smooth and it felt like I was doing something positive to the edge. Once the razor started sticking to the stone I done another 20-30 laps under gently running water until the razor was sticking across the whole bevel. A quick HHT on arm hair and thing were popping nicely. Not the same as my jnat edges where the hair falls effortlessly but more like my coticule edges where the hairs pop off. I then took the razor to a leather only strop and done 100 laps. I would normally only do 60-70 but I wanted to give the stone the best chance.
For the shave I done my usual prep. Straight out the shower. My brush was the Simpson Chubby 2 Super Badger and my Soap was Saponificio Varesino Cosmo.
WTG felt very good as I started the shave. The blade felt like butter and was mowing through the hairs with no effort but the true test for me is ATG. I was surprised to find that even ATG the shave was amazing. The edge felt like it was between a coticule and a jnat edge. Very very smooth but still feeling sharp enough.
I followed up the shave with Fines Snakebite which always shows up any problem areas but there was no sting, no irritation, no issues. I couldn't believe it. This stone that I had relegated to a doorstop was giving me one of the best shaves I have ever had.
I would highly urge anyone who has one of these 15k Welsh slates and does not think it is good enough to try again. Smooth the surface and burnish it to get as shiny as possible and do some water only laps.
Maybe I got lucky with the quality of the stone but I am hoping others can get the same results.
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