How about the lapping suggestion?
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How about the lapping suggestion?
I did some testing of the Zulu gray in the days since I received it, the results were great.
I tested Sheffield steel, Solingen, Russian, Japanese and stainless on the stone, the resulting edges were always very smooth and sharp. I did not feel the edges needed any paste action after honing to get the max of them.
For me this is a very very good finisher, easy to use and very reasonably priced.
What Mainaman said....
I use the Shapton GS stones myself. I like them, but I find the edge from the 16k a bit crisp for me. I take it to the Zulu, I used to go from the 16k to the Escher. I believe you can go from an 8k to the Zulu with slurry, but higher seems to work better.
Once I lapped mine, it was cut and sent right from the quarry I think. It took a while to lapp. I started with a DMT XX, then the 325 or DMT C and then 400g up to 1200g wet, and now I use an Atoma 1200 to raise a slurry, it keeps the surface of the stone like glass, which is what you want. I treat it like you would a quality Jnat.
I usually wrap the wet sandpaper around the DMT plate itself. That way you can use whatever grit sandpaper you want, and you have a nice flat lapper. It works great. I lay mine in the sink with water dripping on it, and rub the stone on the wrapped plate....Hope that makes sense...
Yes, Jnats, like the Ozuku. It's best to have a mirror like finish, scratch free on your stone for best results.
I don't know if this is helpful or not, but I use a marble tile from Home Depot or Lowe's as a base for the wet/dry sandpaper. It's nice to have a little more area to lap on.
I just got four blades that Stefan honed on the Zulu today and will test two of them tomorrow AM. Shave report to come
Eagerly awaiting my hone. After reading how well then work I have a lineup awaiting it!
Zulu Shave report:
I did not strop these blades ( not sure if Stefan did or not)
Imperial razor 5/8 full hollow
Used it for first pass WTG: Excellent. smooth and sharp but not a one pass shave, Handled the tough one day chin stubble with no trouble. Handled the whole pass with no problem
W&B Near wedge: Second pass XTG also very sharp and smooth. I like it a lot ( although, obviously there was little to shave). Went ATG for the sides of the cheeks into the chin a bit and it handled it no problem
two more blades tomorrow.
I would say that the Zulu off these two examples ( very different grinds)and Stefan's excellent honing touch is a serious finishing stone.
Thanks for the update! Just what I needed. Now I'll get caught for speeding as I rush home to check my mailbox.
Let's keep this thread on point please Gentlemen. It's about the hone, not the honemeister.
P.S. Guys, This hone is very easy to use. Not to take anything away from anyone, but I'm sure they'd agree, that part of the beauty of it is you don't need to be a honing expert to enjoy this. After using Coticules, and Jnats, etc...This stone is a walk in the park. If you have a steady hand, you can hone a razor.
Two more Zulu edged blades shave tested this morning. Two of my Russian blades, both 5/8" one from '63 one '65 and both have always taken an edge very easily
First up the Borna (sp?) 1965 blade. Very very sharp and keen and got most of the stubble in the first WTG pass. My true test of an edge is my chin and the moustache. The chin to see if it can clear the wire bristle I have effortlessly, the moustache to see if there is any pulling at all in the same space.
The edge passed both tests easily and was a better edge than the Imperial razor yesterday.
Second pass was the "63 blade and this was even better. I still had some hair to remove and this was not only as sharp and keen as the '65 but much smoother. Crazy smooth and this is the most important thing to me. Even ATG it barely made a sound and moved life a hot knife though butter through the remaining beard!
Very nice shave to say the least. Under the scope the edge was not sandblasted like a Jnat but even minute scratches with a distinct edge line. Great stuff!
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...ussianZulu.jpg
I found the same when looking under the loupe at the edge - the pattern of abration is distinct.
Does anyone have the ability to photo then post the abration pattern. Unfortuneately, I do not.
You know, Michael actually sent me 3 hones to test. I need to start posting results from the other two.
It's funny, When I got the 3 stones, and saw the Zulu, I knew he found something good.
As soon as I get my Zulu I will take pictures. I have access to some a very nice microscope with camera. I will be able to reference against a 6k King stone and a 12k Chinese stone from Woodcraft.
Have we been using a dilution of slurry for this stone or water only?
Ill post a review when mine comes!
Thanks guys.
I honed with the Zulu-Gray again last night - no slurry, only water. I used Tim Zowada's technique by adding 2 additional layers of tape to the razor's spine. I finished on Crox on Balsa, Crox on felt, then stropped on leather. I produced the finest edge I have "ever" done. The shave was smooth and very sharp. It must be this great stone - I finally have its feel.
Stefan
Do you think the an Escher would improve a Zulu edge or vice versa? Have you put a blade on an Escher after you finished with the Zulu?
Still can't afford one. Hopefully prices haven't gone up after xmas! I wonder if I can get one set aside at the current price :P
Are there a shop/store where we can look at prices and sizes?
Getting more anxious. Hopefully my will be arriving soon. Have the 1st razor picked out; a Herbert Robinson&Co.
Ok, I finally got to lapp my Zulu Grey. Did a 200 w/d carbide sand paper, follow by 400, well worn DMT325, 800, 1000, 1200 w/d carbide sand paper and then finished with an atoma 1200. I don't know if it was the carbide paper or the stone was well lap from factory, but the lapping went much quicker than I thought. All the grid lines disappear evenly and quickly, the higher the grit the more time it took, but not much either. The surface felt smooth, but not much smoother than the no lapping side. Except when wet, the lapped side was shiny vs the other side was not evenly wet. In other words, I have to wet the stone to find the lapped side.
For the testing I took a Torry that is on my regular rotation. A few days before this test, the razor was starting to pull, so I took it to the pasted strops and it got smooth again, for a 85% BBS. After the new pasted refreshed shave, I decided to take it back to the 16K shapton glass, 2 laps on the .5 diamond strop, 4 laps on the .25 CBN pasted strop an finished with 20 laps on the .01 pasted micro felt (3"X8")+ 60 on leather. Shaved 3 passes on one side of the face (right), 90% BBS. Took the razor and did 25 laps on just water on the Zulu grey stone + 60 on leather. Re lather and did 2 passes on the other (left) side of the face, for a 95% BBS. The pasted side (right) was like "wow, this is smooth". The Zulu grey (left side) felt like "is this edge on my face or what?" specially WTG. I for go the XTG and went to ATG on the left side (Zulu grey). I could feel the blade as smooth as the pasted side but with definite improve sharpness. Went ahead and finished the shave with touch ups for a total BBS. The post shave with alum was also reveling. The left side (Zulu grey) had more overall "tingleness" (due, I think, to too much pressure) than the pasted side, where I felt the tingle on the chin and mustache area only.
I'm no honemeister (far from it). But using it like a hone/finisher water only, it improved the edge, both on sharpness and smoothness. More testing would let me know how far I can go with it. After that, my friend Jimmy Had (a true honemeister) will test it and then we'll see how far it can really go! Double O
Hi guys,
I just wanted to pop in with a quick catch up - Firstly just want to say again how glad I am in reading the very detailed shave reviews using my Zulu Grey hone, it really makes it all worth it indeed.
For those who are still awaiting their hones, I just wanted to tell you that I have almost all those orders on my bench waiting to be lapped and packed. So I'm looking to send off those this week as and when I finish them up - I'll PM those members who's stones will be in the mail this week.
Then I'm just still waiting on the remainder of newly cut stones to come back - so those who ordered latest will wait longer - and again I truly appreciate all your patience in this regard.
This brings me to my final point, and that is after I receive the newest batch of stones back, I should have plenty of extras 'wrapped and stocked' so all this waiting will be a thing of the past. There is an ongoing source of this stone, so for those interested I just wanted to let you know that I will stock the Zulu Grey in many sizes for quite the foreseeable future and will have a proper online store soon enough.
That's it, just wanted to check in and give you guys an update, to appease any concerns you may have - and so things are rolling forward for sure. Thanks again for you patience - it will be rewarded.
Sincerely,
- Mike
Hey, Thanks for the vote of confidence. Not that I'm offended or anything about all the testing I did. I pm'd Jimmy as well, and he told me he wasn't interested.....? I even offered to do a blade for him.
P.S. I did test this stone before and after an Escher. It will improve an Escher edge, not the other way around it. It's finer than an Escher.
Zib, you did get offended, well don't. Your reviews alone got me to buy a completely unknown stone. But "believe nothing you read and only half what you see" (Jimmy's dad quote). I will now see for my self how good this stone is. That's all. Jimmy told me he would test it for me on some of my blades, that's what I was referring. He honemeister, not me. You weren't even thought of when I wrote that, wasn't wrote to exclude you. So don't be offended. Double O
O.K. I'm convinced she's a great hone,:shrug:
but before I buy one, I need to know if she can fix a good sandwich & pour me a drink when I'm done with her. :beer2:
Hey DoubleO - I think your previous post at the end there was just worded poorly, as you have addressed in your latest post.
I'm sure we can all agree the only reason this hone even exists as the product I've called Zulu Grey, was because Rich and Burt both took it upon themselves to dedicate proper time to testing this rock - for all our benefit. Zib especially has dedicated much time to his evaluation of this stone, and his initial findings have clearly been confirmed through your guys' own experiences in using the hone just as Rich had prescribed...
Poorly worded posts aside, Rich I don't think anyone here would argue your honemeister credentials.
Just saying.
- Mike.