Thread: Beginner Question - Alternative to slurry stone?

Quick question. I got my Norton 4k/8K and a Chinese Water Finishing stone. However, I don't have any slurry stones.

Are the absolutely necessary, or can you just use wet/dry sandpaper to rub on the stone to create a slurry?

It's a pain for me to try track down and purchase a slurry stone for my hones if they're not needed. Not to mention, after purchasing those plus my two razors (primary and backup), my spending fund on equipment is depleted! LOL

the norton 4/8k are reasonably fast cutting stones already and don't NEED a slurry to work well but you can use a DMT card to work up slurry, this is what I used untill I got a DMT8C.
The card would also work fine on the chinese hone but being a natural stone I can't make a reccomendation on slurry thickness.

You dont need a slurry for either, though if you are trying to set a bevel on the 4k it may speed things up. I would grab one of the DMT Credit Card sized hones if you want a slurry stone.

I use a DMT CC course on my King 1k.

SO...let me throw an odd curve into the mix.

Could a guy use a knife/tool stone as a slurry stone? Most guys have one of these. I have a Norton kinfe/tool stone and I recently picked up a Carborundum knife/tool stone. Don't know how either would hold up to a Norton 4/8 or the Chinese hone, but supposedly the Carb. is an incredibly hard stone (haven't had a chance to really test that). The Carb was a $5 Antique store find. And the Norton knife/tool stones can be had at the hardware store...I noticed one there the other day for around $8. I think you'd want to lap both of them before using them as slurry stones IF that would be something you'd want to do.

Peace,

Originally Posted by BigJim

SO...let me throw an odd curve into the mix.

Could a guy use a knife/tool stone as a slurry stone? Most guys have one of these. I have a Norton kinfe/tool stone and I recently picked up a Carborundum knife/tool stone. Don't know how either would hold up to a Norton 4/8 or the Chinese hone, but supposedly the Carb. is an incredibly hard stone (haven't had a chance to really test that). The Carb was a $5 Antique store find. And the Norton knife/tool stones can be had at the hardware store...I noticed one there the other day for around $8. I think you'd want to lap both of them before using them as slurry stones IF that would be something you'd want to do.

Peace,

This is what I use on stones I have no dedicated slurry stone for. Amazon.com: DMT 3-inch Dia-Sharp Diamond Sharpener, Coarse, Credit Card Sized: Industrial & Scientific

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

This is what I use on stones I have no dedicated slurry stone for. Amazon.com: DMT 3-inch Dia-Sharp Diamond Sharpener, Coarse, Credit Card Sized: Industrial & Scientific

Thanks for the link. As a new guy to honing and subsequently stones, it's sometimes confusing what all the DMTD8EEPHIGQRSTWXYZABC's stand for.

That, and sometimes all I'm good for is throwing out crazy ideas.

Peace,

Originally Posted by SpicyJem

Quick question. I got my Norton 4k/8K and a Chinese Water Finishing stone. However, I don't have any slurry stones.

Are the absolutely necessary, or can you just use wet/dry sandpaper to rub on the stone to create a slurry?

It's a pain for me to try track down and purchase a slurry stone for my hones if they're not needed. Not to mention, after purchasing those plus my two razors (primary and backup), my spending fund on equipment is depleted! LOL

None of these "need" a slurry stone.

The Norton makes a slurry under the razor just fine.
Just leave any mud on it when you lap it flat, rinse
it off for the second half of the honing effort.

The Chinese Water hone are hard as heck. Do not
tear up a good DMT on it by going crazy. Lap it
flat on some very coarse wet-dry paper. Also it does not
need a slurry to finish an edge after it has been lapped
flat and smooth. If you want a slurry stone for your
Chinese water hone visit the classified (see the top of the page).
once in a while someone picks up a big hone and slices it into
a handful of slurry stones. The price was right last time
I looked.

A lot of wood working shops have man made nagura stones like this.
2000242
Many small hardware stores can also get you one if asked.

Some folk use a pocket Arkansas or a pocket ceramic DMT
to work up a slurry. As long as the nagura (rubber) does not
shed grit that wrecks the quality of the hone.

A nagura does two things. One of which is clean the swarf laden
surface exposing a clean surface of the hone. The other is to
build a mud of the natural grit to increase the cutting speed of the
hone.

A Norton cuts fast enough for me that the natural slurry is
all I want. For you finisher you want it to polish more than
abrade so if it loads up with swarf just rub with 3M wet dry
or even a green Scotch-Brite and cleanser then rinse clean
to finish hone.