Thread: Scotch Hone

Originally Posted by Kees

The picture above is almost a mirror image of my Machline ware TOS. The edge it produces rivals that of an Escher. Which however does not mean it has the same grit size. Grit size and honing results do not necessarily run parallel.

Seriously?

I just lapped it for the first time this weekend, and haven't used it yet. I just assumed it was a mid-grit sharpener (too fine for bevel-setting and not fine enough for finishing.) But again: I haven't used it yet. Perhaps I'll slide a razor on it tonight. hmmmm.....

I'll report back later.

Tried the TOS last night.... I shaved off of it (after stropping, of course) and while it was able to shave, I wouldn't classify the razor as being "finished."

Perhaps that's just my hone, but I suspect that if I ran that blade over my Coticule then the edge would significantly improve.

I've had a number of tams come and go and still have two. I've never shaved off of one (after stropping of course) but I might give it a try. I have used one followed by a Water Of Ayr and the results were very nice. Right now I'm mostly finishing with a Nakayama asagi that I got from a forum member by way of So Yamash!ta. It seems to be the best finisher I've used to date but that is another story.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I've had a number of tams come and go and still have two. I've never shaved off of one (after stropping of course) but I might give it a try. I have used one followed by a Water Of Ayr and the results were very nice. Right now I'm mostly finishing with a Nakayama asagi that I got from a forum member by way of So Yamash!ta. It seems to be the best finisher I've used to date but that is another story.

Where did you use the Tam? I figure that's certainly between a 1K and a Coti, precisely where I use my BBW. And while I've read with great interest all the recent hubbub about using BBWs from beginning to end I continue to treat it as a mid-grit rock best suited for sharpening, rather than bevel-setting or finishing. I think of the Tam in much the same way. Same for my Dragon's Tongue. For me, the BBW, TOS, and DT all go into the same use category

The only "hole" I can think of in my progression is between my Coti and the Charnley. Sometimes that jump just seems like too much. But it's probably my technique. Before everyone jumps in a screams "Escher," let's just say that I don't want to use one. The same goes for a generic Thury. I'm not in any kind of hurry to find a rock to go between my Coti and the CF; I love shaving off of both, but if I had to pick up another rock it would go there.

Interesting, Im not sure if I prefer my favourite Charnley or my Escher. Probably on most razors, the Escher, or my Thurry.

Back to Tams...Ive have had 2 - a 'White Tam' and a generic grey one. The White Tam improves an Naniwa 8k edge. I wouldn't say it is a particularly useful hone, as it is not as fine as a my coticule, neither is it as course as my 8K and the gap between them does not need bridging.

I really only use it when Im bored, or require a back-up hone when something just isn't working well.

It is meant to be great for razors prone to micro-chipping, however as far as I am aware I've not yet encountered this problem...

But we're rockhounds! Just possessing the rock is enough for me.

Originally Posted by Scipio

But we're rockhounds! Just possessing the rock is enough for me.

True that!

Although, just to get back on track to the thread that has now been officially hijacked, I figure that there is a big jump from my Cotis to my CF, and have always been on the lookout for a jump-hone. It's not a big pressing need. I love the edge off my Cotis, and don't really care what "grit" they are. I use 'em and love 'em. I really only use the Charnley when I'm looking for something new to do.

side note: why are the images I've uploaded gone? I'm not hosting them; I uploaded them when I posted. It happened in another thread too. hmmmm.

Originally Posted by MarkinLondon

I figure that there is a big jump from my Cotis to my CF, and have always been on the lookout for a jump-hone. .

Not sure what you're using before the coti, but if I were going 8K - Coti - Charnley, and felt I needed an intermediate between the latter 2, Id get rid of the coti altogether (or use as an alternative finishing/honing system) and employ a 12k Naniwa, or a Thurry.

Then it would just be 8k - Thurry/12K - Charnley.

OR why not just use slurry on the Charnley?

EDIT: Just remembered you're signature. In that case go for a 12k Nani, 16K shapton or Thurry. I suspect you dont want a synthetic, so you're gona tend towards the Thurry. I wouldn't have thought you'd need it, but I dont know how fine your coti is so I can't say.

Different strokes for different folks. I have had a couple of Charnleys and didn't like them particularly. I've got a slue of coticules and have liked some of them but vastly prefer my Eschers. My j-nat may have shot them out of the saddle though.

As for the Tam, I was told by Randydance, that it is best used with slurry. I've used it following the norton 8k but that was a long time ago and I followed it with something else. That one is gone. I have a very light colored vintage tam that is great for sharpening pocket knives. I've not done much with it on razors.

I have a dual tam/woa that I've used with razors recently. Within the last couple of months. Norton 4/8, tam with slurry, woa to finish and got a very nice edge from that series. That is about the limit of my current experience with them but I will eventually mess with it some more.

That's all interesting. So you both (Scipio and Jimmy) would use the Tam after a Naniwa 8k. I just assumed that its natural place was before the 8k.

Scipio: I'd be happy if I only had a naniwa 1K and a Coti. I can do almost anything with that combo. And most of the time (because I know that my current razors have good bevels) I only use a Coti, foregoing the use of either the BBW or CF. Like I said: I'm very happy with my Cotis.

But when I'm playing around, I group the BBW, TOS and DT into the "sharpening" category of hone, and go from one of those to my Coti before calling it a night.

As for the Tam w/slurry, I'm still a bit uncomforatble using a DMT card as a slurry stone. I suppose that I've always thought that I was ruining a perfectly good lapped surface when I use that thing. If I had a Tam slurry stone then I'd try it. Still, slurry stones (in my opinion) only impact a hone's speed, not its "grit" level. I'm not sure that using slurry (or not) would move the Tam from prior-to-8k to after-the-8k.

Man, this thread is seriously hijacked. I feel like the Carlos the Jackel of SRP right now. We should finish this discussion in Tripoli or Havana and wear a beret with dark glasses and sleep with flaxen-haired beauties who drive wild and are fast with a knife. Or a razor. Whatever.

I guess I need to test my Mauchline ware TOS on more razors. It fixed my Thiers Issard Silverwing. I could not get it to shave comfortably using a modern day coticule, a vintage coticule, an Escher, a vintage Thuri, a Hohenzollern or even the Nakayama.

Could it be the Mauchline ware TOS's are finer?