Thread: What is the highest grit you have used on a stone?

Lapping a coticule past something in the area of 600 grit is really pointless. The coticule's surface is constantly releasing particles into the slurry, essentially refreshing the surface constantly thus smoothing it. In other words, a coticule lapped with 600 grit will feel just as smooth as another comparable coticule lapped to something over 1200 grit.

As a note, you really shouldn't use the DMT 1200 to lap, it can be damaging to the higher grit diamond hones if I recall correctly.

Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave

Lapping a coticule past something in the area of 600 grit is really pointless. The coticule's surface is constantly releasing particles into the slurry, essentially refreshing the surface constantly thus smoothing it. In other words, a coticule lapped with 600 grit will feel just as smooth as another comparable coticule lapped to something over 1200 grit.

As a note, you really shouldn't use the DMT 1200 to lap, it can be damaging to the higher grit diamond hones if I recall correctly.

+1

I might note/ add that the initial slurry will finish the
process as the early hone strokes with a razor
worry the slurry and the hone surface to finer bits.

After this the dilution process will further remove the
aggressive slurry and leave the hone "just right".

Folk that tape might also consider that the
steel of the spine is part of this process. The
a'retentative folk might use that old razor with
a lot of hone wear for a half dozen strokes to
condition the hone surface. The old razor may become
your fav' shaver in the process. To one degree
or another this initial slurry interaction takes
place on any hone and with many a nagura/ rubbing
stone.

In my opinion, circles and Japanese strokes that
we see in video by the better hone masters when a razor
first touches the next hone optimize this process

Over time a DMT will calm down and this is less
an issue. You want a DMT that is coarse enough
to be durable and aggressive enough to remove
that half a sheet of paper bit of hone that is
needed to keep the hone flat enough over time.
The slurry is a key byproduct...

When I get my Shoubudani, I'd definitely going to use another natural (probably a coticule) followed by a tomonagura to get it as smooth as possible, but for synthetics or even coticules, I've found no benefit to going beyond my well worn DMT 325. The real Jnat experts on here have explained why you want smoother on level 5 stones, but yeah, for most other stones, probably more would be overkill.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I used to go to 1k, but when I bought the Shapton DGLP (325 Grit) and a Shapton 30k, I said "Huh 325 is recommended for a 30k stone" and that was it from then on... Now I use a DMT 525, that would also be known as a well worn DMT 325 or the Shapton DGLP that's it....

I think I am around DMT 425

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

+1

I might note/ add that the initial slurry will finish the
process as the early hone strokes with a razor
worry the slurry and the hone surface to finer bits.

After this the dilution process will further remove the
aggressive slurry and leave the hone "just right".

Folk that tape might also consider that the
steel of the spine is part of this process. The
a'retentative folk might use that old razor with
a lot of hone wear for a half dozen strokes to
condition the hone surface. The old razor may become
your fav' shaver in the process. To one degree
or another this initial slurry interaction takes
place on any hone and with many a nagura/ rubbing
stone.

In my opinion, circles and Japanese strokes that
we see in video by the better hone masters when a razor
first touches the next hone optimize this process

Over time a DMT will calm down and this is less
an issue. You want a DMT that is coarse enough
to be durable and aggressive enough to remove
that half a sheet of paper bit of hone that is
needed to keep the hone flat enough over time.
The slurry is a key byproduct...

I just finished this as seen in this thread( Chinese 12k dressing stone) and it works quit well. I believe it just may take away that first razor smoothing effect or take the place of. It definitely smooths out the roughness left from the DMT.