Thread: South African Hones....

I am in the beginning stages of learning to hone. And up to this point, all of my stones have been synthetic. The Zulu is the first natural stone in my collection. It has elevated the edges on the blades I’ve put over it tremendously. My first attempt with it was a big fail. Using a new DMT to raise slurry, I think I destroyed the edge on the blade in question with loose DMT particles. At the time I didn’t know why the edge was getting worse not better. Stupid mistake. Since then, I have broken in the DMT and smoothed the surface again. I took some expert advice and approached it much more cautiously and slowly doing 20 laps on it and then testing the edge with a shave (water only). In most cases its taking about 100 laps to show some benefit but the edges are quite nice and extremely sharp. HHT? Pass. Today’s shave was with a Friodur I honed from bevel set through the Zulu. Wow. Best edge I’ve ever been responsible for. Great, smooth, close shave. With the DMT broken in, I will be attempting to see how I do working with slurry. Long story short, iIf I was able to achieve this as a novice, I’m sure the pro’s are loving this even more than I. If you’re new like me and considering adding a natural, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Just do yourself a favor and break in that DMT first.

Another Zulu hone success but a learning lesson. I've been having great luck with using just water on my blades with this stone.50-100 laps on plain water has been making them very sharp and smooth. But when I put my Heritage Flaschner on it I could tell that it didn't like it. It was not smooth at all but almost scratchy. The Flaschner is a stainless steel blade that takes and holds a great edge but has been picky about hones


So I used my dmt to make a medium slurry and it took to it like a duck to water. Just used finger drops to keep the slurry thin for about 30 X strokes then started to dilute dipping the blade in water every 10 laps until I got to plain water, whereupon the blade started feeling the same scratchiness, so I stopped. 30 on linen, 40 on buffalo and 20 on palm.

Shave today was nothing short of amazing. Silky smooth and effortless. Just how I like it. Now I have to revisit the slurry method on other blades. I love this rock!

well after reading this from page 1 (2 times now) i decided to place an order ..
i was gonna order a 12k before but decided a 1k was more important at the time so i went with a 1k and cro-ox spray on a strop as my finisher .. well i figured its time to get a true finisher as i greatly enjoy working off a stone versus ny sprayed strop so i went with the Zulu & Zulu slurry stone since i will work off of an 8k as being my highest hone right to the Zulu and work the slurry down to water and see what happens ... i will say that im very excited to have ordered this hone , and even more excited to see what i can do with it !!!

Originally Posted by gooser

well after reading this from page 1 (2 times now) i decided to place an order ..
i was gonna order a 12k before but decided a 1k was more important at the time so i went with a 1k and cro-ox spray on a strop as my finisher .. well i figured its time to get a true finisher as i greatly enjoy working off a stone versus ny sprayed strop so i went with the Zulu & Zulu slurry stone since i will work off of an 8k as being my highest hone right to the Zulu and work the slurry down to water and see what happens ... i will say that im very excited to have ordered this hone , and even more excited to see what i can do with it !!!

You will need higher than 8k to get best off the zulu gray, or you will have to spend a lot of time on it to get the max edge of it.

Originally Posted by mainaman

You will need higher than 8k to get best off the zulu gray, or you will have to spend a lot of time on it to get the max edge of it.

I use a Chinese 12k as a step up towards ZG. I can feel the C12k removing something from the lower grit. Then, when I move to ZG I can feel there is still something left from 12k but after the first 40-50 laps it is all smooooooooooth. Now all my razors have the best edge. Seriously, they do.

Question is now, should I order a slurry stone? I have been doing only water so far.

Originally Posted by mainaman

You will need higher than 8k to get best off the zulu gray, or you will have to spend a lot of time on it to get the max edge of it.

yeah im still probably gonna get a nani12k , i figure i have some time before the Zulu gets here to work on getting one , i almost got one yesterday , but i didnt have enough cash-ola with me while at the store ...lol..
thanks though , i kinda wondered really cause in some post guys say they were going from 8k-16k then Zulu with water, or that they were going from 8k-escher then Zulu with water that are now going from the 8k-zulu with slurry down to water ... but everyone seems to agree that to achieve maximum potential the higher before the Zulu the better .... ive got about 20 razors honed up to 8k so on the bright side if i plan this right and get a 12k and spread them out i could be done with them on the 12k about the time my Zulu gets here so i wont be bored with nothing to do while waiting ...lol

Originally Posted by Storsven

Question is now, should I order a slurry stone? I have been doing only water so far.

i wasnt gonna at first , i was gonna get one of those higher grit DMT credit card size plates , ... i at first told myself i was only gonna use water , but after reading more and thinking more about i went with the slurry stone ...

Originally Posted by gooser

i wasnt gonna at first , i was gonna get one of those higher grit DMT credit card size plates , ... i at first told myself i was only gonna use water , but after reading more and thinking more about i went with the slurry stone ...

That's what I use on my Zulu (DMT 1200 Cred card)...it works really well TBH...I have been using my Zulu with slurry quite a bit lately, and I haven't found the need for a slurry stone...The DMT credit card works just fine!

Originally Posted by jpcwon

That's what I use on my Zulu (DMT 1200 Cred card)...it works really well TBH...I have been using my Zulu with slurry quite a bit lately, and I haven't found the need for a slurry stone...The DMT credit card works just fine!

Same here!
+1!

Originally Posted by jpcwon

That's what I use on my Zulu (DMT 1200 Cred card)...it works really well TBH...I have been using my Zulu with slurry quite a bit lately, and I haven't found the need for a slurry stone...The DMT credit card works just fine!

i couldnt find them by me to save on shipping (until today ..lol) so it was all bout the same price wise .... i went to get a 12k from woodcraft cause there right down the road from me and found that they had the DMT card size and nagura slurry stones but didnt stock the 12k Chinese i was after .. i also saw those little 3/4" wide x bout 2-3" long DMT's with the plastic handle for working scissors and such that i'd imagine would work also .. i keep knocking things off my list as i buy them but i seem to keep adding more to ...lol..