Thread: Container for Chinese 12K

I'm sure someone's come up with this before but I didn't find anything in the search so here goes.

OK so I was in MacGyver mode again today. I was trying to find something to keep my C12K in. Strolling through the Salvation Army there lay the answer, a plastic Velveeta cheese container.

Turn it upside down so the base is now the lid. Put a couple of inches of water in it and you have a place to soak the stone. Use some RTV sealant or hot glue and fix a piece of non-slip drawer liner material to the inside of what is now the lid for a place to put the stone while you're honing. Then finish it up with some stick on non-slip rubber feet on the outside of the lid so you now have a nifty place to put the stone while using it. When you're done just snap the lid back on.

OK guys while the little lady isn't watching it's time to make a commando run on the frig.

Works pretty slick.

Pelkey

pics or it didn't happen.

A picture's worth a thousand words. Unless you're J.R.R. Tolkien, then it's worth ten-thousand.

Pelkey

Cool idea, but do you really soak your 12K.

I just spritz on some water. Mine doesn't soak up any water.

Just wondering.

Marty

Well most waterstones need to be soaked for some length of time depending on their makeup. The instruction sheet that came with my 12K said to let it soak for 30 minutes before use. By comparison the Norton 4K only needs 10 minutes and the 8K needs only to be wet. It would seem the harder the stone the less water it would absorb. You're right that the 12K doesn't seem to absorb much.

I don't know. I wonder if one of our senior members or even a honemeister might chime in on this.

Pelkey

They don't need to be soaked; they really don't absorb any water. My general rule is that if there is water on top of the stone, it's soaked enough. I treat my Norton 1k the same way (so if I'm being lazy and sitting in a comfy chair with my spray bottle and Norton on a cookie sheet on my lap - yes, that is how I hone; hones, cookie sheet with paper towel in it, spray bottle, comfy chair - I just sit and keep spraying water on my Norton 1k till there is a bunch of excess water on top). I figure the point of soaking is just to be sure water is retained right at the surface, so pooling is a sign that it's got enough. Though you do need to keep adding water on top of any hone as it runs off/is absorbed in/evaporates/etc.

For those who want confirmation that the C12k really doesn't need to be soaked, when members have soaked them and cut them up to make slurry stones, it was clear that water was indeed not being absorbed into the hone.

+1 to Dylan's post, you don't need to soak the C12k stones. Just spritz some water on the top and spread it around and you're good to go.

Of course, nothing wrong with storing it in water, unless you keep it someplace it could freeze...

That and after a while, the water will get a little slimy. Yes, I had that happen

So no real effect either way. Do what you like

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

They don't need to be soaked; they really don't absorb any water. My general rule is that if there is water on top of the stone, it's soaked enough. I treat my Norton 1k the same way (so if I'm being lazy and sitting in a comfy chair with my spray bottle and Norton on a cookie sheet on my lap - yes, that is how I hone; hones, cookie sheet with paper towel in it, spray bottle, comfy chair - I just sit and keep spraying water on my Norton 1k till there is a bunch of excess water on top). I figure the point of soaking is just to be sure water is retained right at the surface, so pooling is a sign that it's got enough. Though you do need to keep adding water on top of any hone as it runs off/is absorbed in/evaporates/etc.

For those who want confirmation that the C12k really doesn't need to be soaked, when members have soaked them and cut them up to make slurry stones, it was clear that water was indeed not being absorbed into the hone.

Uh,... Dylan.......... this post gave me a mental picture and I'm pretty sure you need to get out more.

I like that. I will keep my eye out for one of those.

I don't know of any fine grit naturals benefit from soaking. As Avitar mentioned, water and stone getting slimmy from soaking is going to add more issues down the road when your stone feels like a fish and slips out of your hand. Also, you will have to periodically clean or lap off that slime.
However, your set up would be awsome to give your stone a quick rinse or soak while you are working on a few razors, then you can store it safely in your setup when your done so it stays clean and protect it from falls.
Mike