Thread: Method to test stone's finish?

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Naturals are only rated by someone trying to sell them

And therein lies the inspiration for this thread. I would like a finisher
which would remove the last traces of scratches which I can see with the naked eye.
8K Norton doesn't do it. The barber hone comes very close. The Crox pasted strop
would maybe accomplish the task if I lived long enough and my arm held out but then
the edge would likely be gone.

Making an informed decision by actually obtaining the stones and using them and shaving
to test their effect is a long way to travel to get where I am going. The variations between
individual naturals only complicates the matter further.

For now proper technique with the barber hone seems to be close enough.

Scratches that you can't see with the naked eye are from hones 8k and above (even 3k and above if you won't check it with angles). After that, if the finish is not mirror, or matte like a few stones produce, you can say that it's because of scratches. It's more of a polishing matter than honing. A mirror polished surface, with CrOx or 0.25μm diamond paste, WILL give you scratches if you try to hone it with anything with lower grit.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

All things being equal there is a thing some call "feedback".
When moving from one hone to the next the feedback can be a big help in this.
At first the next finer hone grabs and you can almost feel the steel being
removed. Then the razor seems to sit down and stick to the hone a bit as
the two surfaces mate up tightly.

I really like this description. I've been trying to figure out the sensations I get on the hones, and this is exactly how I would describe what I am feeling when I change grits. I was thinking it had more to do with the surface of the hone, but now I'm not so sure. I guess it could be the surface of the razor, moving to a finer surface.

Michael

Originally Posted by jaswarb

And therein lies the inspiration for this thread. I would like a finisher
which would remove the last traces of scratches which I can see with the naked eye.
8K Norton doesn't do .....snip....

One detail to watch for is polishing will expose scratches that were invisible.
The chemistry of a hone contributes to the polishing action too.

The best razor for this is an ugly old well worn blade with a big bevel and lots of spine wear.

For me a norton 8k will show a good polish if I did my job at 1k & 4k. I confess to owning a 1k, 2k, 3k hone set that makes removing scratches from 1k and coarser bevel repair better.

Of interest the Naniwa White 8k is compounded to polish better than their superstone IFIRC.

A less expensive high polish trick is pressure sensitive adhesive film on a very flat base.
Woodcraft's 15/5/0.3 micron film will result in a nice polish.

This may no longer be of great use seeing that I am late to the party but I had a Hibbard Spencer OVB Barber hone. I used it for about 6 months then sold it. I'd say it is an adequate finisher, but preferred edges from my coticules and Escher. It wasn't particularly fine, maybe somewhere a little past 8K. Bottom line is that you can shave off it and maintain razors with it for a very long time provided you do not damage their edges and that they are shave ready to begin with.

Originally Posted by Scipio

This may no longer be of great use seeing that I am late to the party but I had a Hibbard Spencer OVB Barber hone. I used it for about 6 months then sold it. I'd say it is an adequate finisher, but preferred edges from my coticules and Escher. It wasn't particularly fine, maybe somewhere a little past 8K. Bottom line is that you can shave off it and maintain razors with it for a very long time provided you do not damage their edges and that they are shave ready to begin with.

And considering I might never find or be able to pay for an Escher and there seems to be such wide variation in coticules I might just as well enjoy the HSB I have. It seems to take me beyond the 8k.

Originally Posted by jaswarb

And considering I might never find or be able to pay for an Escher and there seems to be such wide variation in conticules I might just a well enjoy the HSB I have. It seems to take me beyond the 8k.

While it is great that there has been an explosive increase in the art of straight shaving, it is a great shame that the prices of all ancillaries, particularly hones, has rocketed. We are victims of our own demand and vendors across the world have long caught on to this. It is a necessity for the vast majority of the content of SRP to be within the public domain in order for beginners to commence straight shaving, lurk and eventually join the forums, however we inadvertently provide valuations for vendors and again the effect has been drastic for those wishing to make acquisitions.

Back to the topic, there is nothing wrong with the OVB and it is a good finisher. Do enjoy using it. The truth is if I had to use one to maintain the few razors that I have reduced my weekly rotation to, my life wouldn't be compromised. There was a time when I was more obsessed but today with all the complexities I have to endure on a daily basis, I use my straights and hones as tools. I still get the thrill though from time to time.

I couldn't believe the question! I was confused. I thought, well a finer grit is going to finish smoother than a coarser grit. But then I thought maybe you were asking the question: "As between two stones of identical grit, how do you determine which one is going to finish smoother than the other?" So I ran downstairs and got out my 10,000 grit Chosera stone and my 10,000 grit Sigma and gave then each a lick. What do you know, the Chosera came across on the tongue as smoother. So when I got back upstairs my wife asked what I was doing so I told her I was downstairs licking my stones.

Cheers

insert crude joke comparing mans flexibility to a dogs here.

So, the only way to test unknown hones is under a microscope, and nothing else? (Yes, and the tongue trick)