Thread: Suehiro (or other synthetic) slurry stones?

Hello All,

Sometimes when removing a nick or honing a wedge, or setting a bevel on a very hard steel razor, i find my self needing to add some slurry to my Chosera 1k, or even my 600. I don't bring the 400 or 600 stones to the table unless its a real challenge, but even on those sometimes you need some slurry...

Sometimes I just use my Atoma 120 to create some slurry on the Chosera 1k,or sometimes i use the cleaning 600 stone that comes with the Choseras 600 or 400... i know! this is a cleaning block (a very very thirsty one BTW), but it gives me just a bit more of power.

I think it would be useful to have slurry stone (of the same or slightly higher grit that the corresponding stone) for all mychoseras up to 3-4k, when i move to 8k and up I don't think I want/need slurry anymore (my humble opinion)...

the down side is that it's impossible to find choseras slurry stones (and it would be really expensive it there were any). So, recently i've been thinking on purchasing some of those suehiro slurry stones from ebay sold by some guys in Japan,
I know i could just buy some natural Naguras from a respectable source) and use them even on my synth stones, but i would rather nt to mix naturals with synths cause then you get into uncertainty...

so, even when they are different brands (my only shuehiro is my SG20k), at least the are both JIS grit measure (should be at least close) and they have grit size assigned.

the plan is to use always a higher grit suehiro slurry on each chosera or naniwa stone, which would hopefully not mess with the progression but also help to develop slurry from the chosera stone itself... lets say:

5k suehiro slurry for 3k-2k chosera,
3k suehiro slurry for 1k -800 chosera,
1k suehiro slurry for 600 or lower choseras

so... my questions are:

1. has anyone has tried those shuehiro and this method before?
2. does anyone know where to find/buy chosera slurry stones (no, i will not cut mine, and yes, the ones in chefknivestogo are too expensive)
3. any of you has a good reason to tell me i'm a fool for thinking this could work?


thanks!!

Gabe

Have you tried a diamond plate?

Diamond plate, but the thing that comes to my mind is that modern synthetics are blazing fast, so if you need slurry on them maybe it's a sign that the low grit work wasn't what it should be.

There's a stone or plate fast enough to do any task a razor needs without slurry. If your Choseras aren't fast enough, try de-glazing them with the brown biscuit or give the Shapton Glass HR a whirl, they're faster than the Choseras IME.

Cheers, Steve

If i feel the need for slurry, and i normally do when setting the bevel when starting, i use a dmt plate. 6 or 8 pazses on my 1k stone and im good to go. I dont think you should need anything special.

Yeah, like I said.. i'm using the Atoma 120, or the 400, but just wondering if this would be a good idea.. also, I agree. in fact it's easy enough to just use the Atoma 400 to fix a nick on a blade.. but wondering i'f i'm using too much brute force LOL

one more thing is that when i use the atoma, i don't know if i am leaving a small diamonds (grit 120 or 400) on a 1000 grit chosera contaminating the slurry... which could scratch the bevel...

If you have to ask if you're using too much force, the most likely answer is yes! Lol.

It's fine to use coarse stones with razors. I came to razor honing from high-end Japanese kitchen knives, and I didn't own anything coarser than a 1k grit except for a two-sided India that used for cleavers, etc. I wondered why razor honers, with their thin, fragile blades used such coarse stones. The answer is that you can't push harder on a razor, at least a hollowground one, to get the stone to cut faster. You can put 15 pounds of pressure on a kitchen knife on a 1k and it cuts quite well. Try that with a razor and you'll have wide rounded bevels and scratches up the side. So we use coarse stones because we cannot push very hard.

Diamond plates don't shed diamonds except maybe at break in unless they've been abused. I used an Atoma 1200 one time lapping stones and let the slurry get dry and sticky. It ruined the plate for razor work, it sheds an occasional diamond chunk. I use it in the garage to put a little zip on garden tools.

Cheers, Steve

Originally Posted by Steve56

If you have to ask if you're using too much force, the most likely answer is yes! Lol.

Hello Steve! when i said Brute Force i was not meaning like my force applied to the razor hehehe, i think it is my Spanish getting in the way... by brute force would be like using Thor's hammer to hammer one inch nail on plywood

Im pretty comfortable ánd sure of the Pressure (force) I use for honing, in fact i think the i could use some pressure some times, but i like to let the stones do the work... maybe, i think then the right idiom in English would be overkill, not sure... something like that...

In this context, by brute force i meant a super low grit, like for example, back when i have only my Norton combos, o i always used the 1,2K and the 4k and then the 8k.. but never really liked to use the 220 grit.. i feel like that is more like for dsharpening machetes hehehe

So, back to the point.... I have seen that sometimes a 1000 grit chosera with its own slurry cuts better (with normal pressure) than a 600... so, in that context, a 400 atoma for a razor seems like "brute force"or overkill when you can have similar result with an 800 chosera with slurry... (i guess that would be equivalent to smart work). I hope i'm explaining myself

Also, you gave some good advise!, i have never let the slurry dry on the atoma, but now with more reason i will remember to keep washing the diamond plate everytime i lap or make slurry...

Now, because of the fear of the plate shedding diamonds, I've used the atoma very few times for making slurry (not that it has ever had any issue with a diamond falling and messing my edge) but after your comment i think i should fell more comfortable about using it for slurry.. nevertheles, you got to agree that it would be easier to use a small slurry stone, specially because you need to be cleaning the atoma every time you change the stone...

cheers!!

Find a little Translucent Arky. The little 3/4th x 1/4th x2.5" used for pocket knives. I have used one for a few years as both a cleaning stone and a slurry stone. It won't hold or shed any grit; rinse it when done with the task. It will work across all the grits and hone makes...'cept diamond! Soften the corners with a fine DMT or equivalent so it does not gouge a softer stone while in use.
JMO
~Richard
PS
A source of an image.
Genuine Arkansas Translucent (Extra Fine) Pocket Knife Sharpening Stone Whetstone 3" x 1" x 1/4" in Leather Pouch
That will give an idea, other sources maybe found.

and just like that you solved my problem!!! haha thanks a lot Richard!!
so, you think i can use that one even up to naniwas 8k? dont think i will use 'higher than that, in the SS12k and the SG20k i think no slurry is alright.. but if this one can be used at least up to 4k or even better 8k this would be the jackpot!!!

thanks again man!

Originally Posted by gabrielcr78

and just like that you solved my problem!!! haha thanks a lot Richard!!
thanks again man!

I use it though y/g Escher's. And any other hone that I have. Enjoy the process!
~Richard