Thread: Slurry! Yes or No ?

Why not use slurry on a finisher? People talk about slurries on eschers etc all the time. If i'm finishing on my natural i tend to use a more dilucot method on it. Moving from the 12k naniwa to a welsh slate finisher i'll make a light slurry and dilute to the point that i finish it on just water and have had excellent results.

Originally Posted by brooksie967

Why not use slurry on a finisher? People talk about slurries on eschers etc all the time. If i'm finishing on my natural i tend to use a more dilucot method on it. Moving from the 12k naniwa to a welsh slate finisher i'll make a light slurry and dilute to the point that i finish it on just water and have had excellent results.

I would not suggest NOT to make a slurry...I would suggest trying it both ways and see what works.

I used to spend a lot of time on my finisher starting with a slurry and doing 20 circles, 20 passes and thinning the slurry to water.

More recently, I have started producing much better edges off the 8K and as a result I spend very little time on the finisher. My next honing will likely involve coming from the 8K and going to my finisher for ~5 passes without slurry to test the result.

I am not sure there is a right answer here....just the one that is right for the user

Slurry to remove metal, it's fresh abrasive.

No slurry to refine the edge.

Your choice. If you get an edge you're comfortable shaving with using light slurry, then you can finish that way, but you'll find that a lot of stones have abrasive particles too large to do that as easily as you can just polish the edge on clear water and get a very keen feel.

See the pictures from the wiki for a couple of stones where a slurry and no slurry comparison is done, especially with the chinese and coticule stones:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi..._various_hones

Originally Posted by mainaman

On all finishers I use I start with slurry and dilute to water, so slurry yes and no at the same time.

On Most Finishers I use I start with a light slurry to train the edge to the stone then dilute out to clear water, so pretty much the same here..

@WCD, I use my WHIGs the same way very light slurry about 20 Pigtail laps with that slurry then dilute out to clear water with X strokes that get lighter and lighter until I have clear water.. But I would never call them 12k stones and I would never use "Oil" on them other then "Smith's honing solution"



Just to be very technical, which we are kinda doing here

Stones and the slurry they produce are quite different, there really is no one size fits all..

Finishers with light slurry to water has nothing to do with the dulicot or unicot method of honing, that method was introduced in 2009 the slurry to water techinique has been around since the stones were used..

Not all slurry is a "cutting" slurry

Now that glen has spoken and corrected all our misconceptions, we can all shut up!

I do a quick lapping, about 5-8 back and forth or figure 8's then work that and dilute to clear water, some nice perfect x strokes to finish when the stone is just barely wet and done.

Originally Posted by brooksie967

Now that glen has spoken and corrected all our misconceptions, we can all shut up!

Or you could wait until Lynn jumps in and says he doesn't hardly use slurry at all

There is no real rule, hence the term YMMV

Glen, I guess when it comes down to it, we all have different beards and different skin and different steel. Once you figure out a combination that is comfortable, usually through trial and error, you should go with that! Then buy an ebay special and practice with new methods that intrigue you; you never know when you'll find something you like better. In the past I have found myself, and still find others, asking for the 'answer' to their questions. There really is NO magical razor used on a magical finisher with a magical technique that will work magic for everybody!

Short answer: Final passes on natural stones are just water, no slurry.

Originally Posted by brooksie967

I guess when it comes down to it, we all have different beards and different skin and different steel. Once you figure out a combination that is comfortable, usually through trial and error, you should go with that! There really is NO magical razor used on a magical finisher with a magical technique that will work magic for everybody!

Hmmmmm I think perhaps I have read that in the past