Thread: South African Hones....

Add one more convert to the Zulu Gray list.

When I first received my ZG back in January I didn't have the means of raising slurry on it and so only gave it a half-hearted try with water. Not being impressed with the results of my half-hearted, 5-minute, water-only test I stuck in my hone cabinet with the intent of trimming a small piece of it off to use as a slurry stone.

6 months later I finally got around to not only doing just that - but to also giving it my full attention in a 2 razor test. I had a 7/8 3-Crosses (J. Breidohr) and a 6/8 Estas (Max Sommer) that needed significant refreshing.

First, let me say that raising a slurry on a Zulu Gray with another piece of Zulu Gray is very difficult. After some serious rubbing I was only able to produce the slightest hint of 'smokiness' (it didn't even come near to being 'milky').

But that hint of slurry was all that was needed...

And the results were amazing.

I've tried Lynn Idwalls... light green, dark green, and dark blue Thuringians... kiita... asagi... oohira karasu... and a few synthetics, and none have been able to surpass the love I have for the edge I get off my La Dressante coticule (a very hard coticule)...

If the results I got from the these first two tests are any indicator, the Zulu Gray may very well become my new favorite finisher.

Nice to hear, Malacoda. I've only had one chance to play w/my Zulu so far, and had the same experience w/the slurry stone. Will give it a better go when I'm resettled back in the same pace as my hones.

My Zulu has become my final finisher for several months now I really like it. My Japanese naturals are gathering dust. : (

Originally Posted by Malacoda

Add one more convert to the Zulu Gray list.

When I first received my ZG back in January I didn't have the means of raising slurry on it and so only gave it a half-hearted try with water. Not being impressed with the results of my half-hearted, 5-minute, water-only test I stuck in my hone cabinet with the intent of trimming a small piece of it off to use as a slurry stone.

6 months later I finally got around to not only doing just that - but to also giving it my full attention in a 2 razor test. I had a 7/8 3-Crosses (J. Breidohr) and a 6/8 Estas (Max Sommer) that needed significant refreshing.

First, let me say that raising a slurry on a Zulu Gray with another piece of Zulu Gray is very difficult. After some serious rubbing I was only able to produce the slightest hint of 'smokiness' (it didn't even come near to being 'milky').

But that hint of slurry was all that was needed...

And the results were amazing.

I've tried Lynn Idwalls... light green, dark green, and dark blue Thuringians... kiita... asagi... oohira karasu... and a few synthetics, and none have been able to surpass the love I have for the edge I get off my La Dressante coticule (a very hard coticule)...

If the results I got from the these first two tests are any indicator, the Zulu Gray may very well become my new favorite finisher.

On other expert advice I have been using an "extra fine" DMT to raise a slurry on my Zulu. I think you will find it much more efficient. I actually prefer to use as heavy of a slurry as I can manage with it and try not to water it down too much but rather work a small puddle of it in front of the blade diluting it slowly. Prior to doing that, I wasn't getting much of a result from it. The resulting edges that I've been getting are ultra smooth and very tame.

Originally Posted by Malacoda

First, let me say that raising a slurry on a Zulu Gray with another piece of Zulu Gray is very difficult. After some serious rubbing I was only able to produce the slightest hint of 'smokiness' (it didn't even come near to being 'milky').

Originally Posted by roughkype

Nice to hear, Malacoda. I've only had one chance to play w/my Zulu so far, and had the same experience w/the slurry stone. Will give it a better go when I'm resettled back in the same pace as my hones.

I also had the same issue with mine. It simply takes forever to get a slurry, but it is possible. I got lazy/became a genius and swirl the slurry stone on my DMT to get the slurry and then tranfer that onto the stone. If not enough, can just add more. Saves the main stone a little bit and is MUCH faster .

I borrowed a Zulu from Double0 for about 2 months, finished off 4 razors, coming from an 8k. I never slurried, 60 to 80 strokes for beautiful edges, great shaves.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

On other expert advice I have been using an "extra fine" DMT to raise a slurry on my Zulu. I think you will find it much more efficient. I actually prefer to use as heavy of a slurry as I can manage with it and try not to water it down too much but rather work a small puddle of it in front of the blade diluting it slowly. Prior to doing that, I wasn't getting much of a result from it. The resulting edges that I've been getting are ultra smooth and very tame.

Yeah, right after purchasing the Zulu Gray I had also ordered a credit card sized DMT for use with the Zulu Gray. A couple of days before the ZG was delivered I decided to give the little 1200 grit mini-DMT a test run on a VERY hard coticule I have. Little did I know that DMT does not advise using anything higher than 325 grit from their product line to lap waterstones...

Sure enough, the hard coticule took the 'diamond' coating right off the little DMT leaving it useless...

The still simmering disappointment and frustration in the mini-DMT is what led me to do nothing more than a quick water test with the ZG when it arrived.

That said, if I spend money on a diamond plate, I want it be able to use it on all of my stones, including the hard coticule - not just the Zulu Gray... so another DMT is out of the running for my needs/purposes.

Maybe if I have a little extra spending cash this fall I'll work up the nerve to at least dish out $120 on an Atoma and give it a try in the hope that it'll hold up to hard stones a good deal better than the standard DMT did...

Originally Posted by Malacoda

Yeah, right after purchasing the Zulu Gray I had also ordered a credit card sized DMT for use with the Zulu Gray. A couple of days before the ZG was delivered I decided to give the little 1200 grit mini-DMT a test run on a VERY hard coticule I have. Little did I know that DMT does not advise using anything higher than 325 grit from their product line to lap waterstones...

Sure enough, the hard coticule took the 'diamond' coating right off the little DMT leaving it useless...

The still simmering disappointment and frustration in the mini-DMT is what led me to do nothing more than a quick water test with the ZG when it arrived.

That said, if I spend money on a diamond plate, I want it be able to use it on all of my stones, including the hard coticule - not just the Zulu Gray... so another DMT is out of the running for my needs/purposes.

Maybe if I have a little extra spending cash this fall I'll work up the nerve to at least dish out $120 on an Atoma and give it a try in the hope that it'll hold up to hard stones a good deal better than the standard DMT did...

WOW. I can't speak about the Coticule, never had one or used one. But the 1200 DMT runs just fine with the Zulu and leaves the surface silky smooth. I don't think I would try to flatten a hone with it but for raising the slurry it works just fine. But yes, at an expense.