Thread: Chinese 12k question (s)

I use a Chinese 12k on every razor I hone. It is the finest grit hone I own. I'm kind of a hone minimalist in that I own one hone for each process in my progression. No multiple stones that do the same thing. Anyway, I love my 12k. It must be a good one. It is the 2" model. I get great edges every time. It isn't quick, but I wouldn't say it takes forever to finish a razor on it. Recently I started going from 12k to chrome ox and I like that even better, but before that the 12k was the final step and people loved the edges it got (when I would sell razors or hone someone's).

I always use mine dry now. I find it gets better edges that way. Wet would cut slightly faster but it wasn't worth it for me. I lap it on a DMT D8C. The first lapping took a while but as long as you use no excessive force, the DMT was fine. Now it is just a few laps as a refresher after every razor to KEEP it flat.

I have really felt no need to 'upgrade' to a 'better' finisher. I believe that it can yield edges as comfortable as most hones as long as you practice with it. I do not find it to be inconsistent either. After going to chrome ox, there is no need for anything else (besides stropping) IMO.

To those of you who use both the coticule and the 12K, do you notice any major improvement in using the 12K after the coti?

One poster said the edge off the 12K wasn't better per se, just different than the edge off the coti. Is that the general consensus?

I have several cotis and have always been pleased with the edges I get. While I do eventually want a thuringian(sp), I am just curious if it is worth is to get the 12K.

I should point out that my honing progression goes DMT1.2K, BBW, coti, so it's not like I would be using it after a Norton or anything, it would most always be following the coti.

Originally Posted by JCitron

To those of you who use both the coticule and the 12K, do you notice any major improvement in using the 12K after the coti?

One poster said the edge off the 12K wasn't better per se, just different than the edge off the coti. Is that the general consensus?

I have several cotis and have always been pleased with the edges I get. While I do eventually want a thuringian(sp), I am just curious if it is worth is to get the 12K.

I should point out that my honing progression goes DMT1.2K, BBW, coti, so it's not like I would be using it after a Norton or anything, it would most always be following the coti.

"Better" is subjective. We're talking some personal preference here. I've found that the edge off the chinese 12k is sharper than off the coticule, and I like it better. Just my personal preference.

Dammit.

After reading this, i am starting to regret selling my chinese 12k and buying a naniwa 12k.

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Dammit.

After reading this, i am starting to regret selling my chinese 12k and buying a naniwa 12k.

Why would you regret it? Were you getting good results with the chinese 12k

I don't understand Slartibartfast? I've not tried the naniwa 12k, but it gets such rave reviews, I can't imagine anyone would find the chinese 12k any (if at all) better? I'm sure the naniwa is faster, at least. I wouldn't regret that decision at all. I'm considering a naniwa 12k at some point myself, but then again I have HAD pretty bad.

Did you get better results with the chinese 12k or something?

Originally Posted by pjrage

"Better" is subjective. We're talking some personal preference here. I've found that the edge off the chinese 12k is sharper than off the coticule, and I like it better. Just my personal preference.

I hear you. It just seemed like everyone was talking about the 12K versus the coticule as a finisher. I am curious about the 12K being used after the coti. I know people say that the escher's can improve on a coticule edge, would a 12K do the same?

Also, Pjrage, what's you progression?

Originally Posted by JCitron

I hear you. It just seemed like everyone was talking about the 12K versus the coticule as a finisher. I am curious about the 12K being used after the coti. I know people say that the escher's can improve on a coticule edge, would a 12K do the same?

Also, Pjrage, what's you progression?

I use bbw/yellow to finish on and refresh /Maintain. I got a nice ch12k of a polish chap on ebay it was about 6x2 aprox. It comes already lapped and only cost 19.00 pounds with delivery. And i have to say honing on the 12kch feels realy good. I did 100 laps after my coti followed by ch.5 on s/s dovo and it was ultra smooth and literal glided. So i took ch12k to another razor and did the same on my dovo prima klang which to be fair shaves exallant and i did'nt notice alot of differance realy so its hard to say because it could of been the ch.5 that added the ultra glide i'm not sure but i no one thing it is a nice hone and a good polisher you never hair any down sides to that hone apart from it is slow 50 to 100 laps what i do and it does'nt take long.

Originally Posted by JCitron

I hear you. It just seemed like everyone was talking about the 12K versus the coticule as a finisher. I am curious about the 12K being used after the coti. I know people say that the escher's can improve on a coticule edge, would a 12K do the same?

Also, Pjrage, what's you progression?

I personally did use the chinese 12k after the coticule a couple times. For me, it was a noticeable improvement.

My progression lately is starting with the dmt 1200, followed by the norton 4k (or bbw with slurry), then the norton 8k (or coticule), then finishing with some combination of eschers/vintage thuringians, nakayama, chromium oxide paste, and the < 0.5 micron red paste karakoup1 sells in the classifieds. I'm still relatively new at honing, so I'm in the process of running tests on all of my hones to see exactly how they perform and finding out exactly what I like best. For what it's worth, I haven't been using the chinese 12k lately, but I'll definitely be getting back to it to run some proper tests with it after I finish playing with my newer hones.

I thought I'd be in that stage as well, but now this is going to be permanent.
Guess I'll give it away.