Thread: Chosera 1k problem

Never read about anyone having problems with their chosera, seems like I am the only exception! I like the stone very much, everything that has been said about it is true. My only problem is that I can't get a nice edge with it. I use the TNT while setting the bevel, and a microscope to check the edge a few times. No matter how much I try, the edge looks like it has been torn apart. Not badly, just the very edge, and the TNT feels like a very fine saw on my nail. It shaves arm hair, but not as it should, and the TPT isn't the best either.

The scratch pattern is ok, so I don't know what the problem could be. I have no problem setting the bevel with a DMT1,2k, coti w slurry, naniwa 3k, etc. I tried slurry, more pressure, less pressure, alternative strokes, but no big improvement. Maybe there is something I am doing wrong, or missing something, I hope someone can give me advice what I should try. I wil be getting a veho in the near future, but I hope I will solve my problem before it arrives. I was tempted to buy the naniwa SS 1k in my desperate moments, but everyone loves his chosera so much that the problem must be somewhere else.

Originally Posted by jeness

Never read about anyone having problems with their chosera, seems like I am the only exception! I like the stone very much, everything that has been said about it is true. My only problem is that I can't get a nice edge with it. I use the TNT while setting the bevel, and a microscope to check the edge a few times. No matter how much I try, the edge looks like it has been torn apart. Not badly, just the very edge, and the TNT feels like a very fine saw on my nail. It shaves arm hair, but not as it should, and the TPT isn't the best either.

The scratch pattern is ok, so I don't know what the problem could be. I have no problem setting the bevel with a DMT1,2k, coti w slurry, naniwa 3k, etc. I tried slurry, more pressure, less pressure, alternative strokes, but no big improvement. Maybe there is something I am doing wrong, or missing something, I hope someone can give me advice what I should try. I wil be getting a veho in the near future, but I hope I will solve my problem before it arrives. I was tempted to buy the naniwa SS 1k in my desperate moments, but everyone loves his chosera so much that the problem must be somewhere else.

Ok, I read that choseras perform better when soaked about 5-10 minutes
minimum.

Next question is, did you flatten it before use?

Sharpman

Sure, it was the first thing I did after getting it. I spray it with water, and start to hone about 5 mins later, I never soaked it.

Jeness, I can't be helpful on this, but am very interested in hearing of what comes from others using the stone. I have one on order. Best of luck. I'm sure you'd rather find the issue w/ the chosera than buy yet another bevel setter.

Originally Posted by pinklather

Jeness, I can't be helpful on this, but am very interested in hearing of what comes from others using the stone. I have one on order. Best of luck. I'm sure you'd rather find the issue w/ the chosera than buy yet another bevel setter.

Thanks, I am hoping too. The worst thing with this is that I never had any issues with other stones. I tried about 5 different razors on it, but got the same results on everyone of them, so its not the steel either.

Jeness - I don't soak mine either, I do much as you do, but I keep a pool of water on the surface of the hone throughout honing. It has been used on several hundred razors now, and the reults have always been good. One thing I do is use the deglazing stone a lot - I know its for refreshing the surface of the hone to get metal deposits out of the pores, but I use it like a slurry stone and it really does wonders - for me anyway.

Regards,
Neil

I usually soak the stone, and the little slurry/cleaning stone that came with it for about 10 minutes beforehand. The trick I have found with using the chosera is to do heavy circles, then heavy x-strokes with slurry until I can feel the edge starting to form (with the TPT and armhair test for me). Once it starts to shave armhair I do light circles, then super super light x-strokes, both with no slurry. After this, most of the time the arm hair just slices right off.

I have been lapping my Chosera 1k with the Norton 1k instead of the DMT325. The Chosera puts a great bevel on any razor in my experience. Lots of water on the surface of the stone seems to be good also.

run the razor on the corner of the stone gently then do your routine again and check the edge.

Originally Posted by mainaman

run the razor on the corner of the stone gently then do your routine again and check the edge.

+1

"killing the edge" I use this quite a bit because at least half the razors I hone come out of the shop off the buffers with pretty ragged edges, I just set the bevel, "kill the edge" and reset the bevel, second time takes near zero time...
When Stefan said "gently" I agree wholeheartedly, in fact IIRC I referred to the pressure in on of my Vids as the same as what you would use on a TNT...

Another trick is to use 5 super light finishing strokes as the last strokes on each stone, including the Bevel Setter