Thread: SA Zulu grey update

For all the proud ZULU owners:

I have found a good method for the Zulu Grey and would like to share my findings. I did this with 10 consecutive quality razors.

Starting with a good shave ready 8k edge, then did 5 laps with soapy water on a Frictionite 00. ( you might sub with a Norton barber hone )

Then 50 laps with .25 CBN spray and just a little soapy water on the Zulu followed by 60 laps on plain English Bridle leather.


I have 10 very, very shave ready blades sitting on my bathroom sink. Give it a try.....

JERRY
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Is Zulu grey a good finishing stone?

If you take my above description literally, it seems that it is a very good finisher. I have no complaints at all.

JERRY
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Jerry, my only complaint is the use of either a really expensive barber hone, or a super ridiculously expensive barber hone, prior to the very affordable cbn, and leather.

If you are using CBN spray on the hone you aren't really using the hone much at all. Thanks for the info though.

I used to do that, minus the barber hone part, but it was on a C12k. You should be getting good, if not great shaves off the zulu on it's own. Bevel setter, 4/8 then Zulu, that's it. I think some guys throw a finisher in before the zulu too.

All the razors that I own and have honed myself were finished on a Naniwa 12000 followed by 10 laps on a Crox pasted balsa strop. I have been slowly redoing each one of those using a Zulu Grey with water followed by 10 laps on the Crox pasted balsa strop. I each case I have felt that the Zulu Grey improved the edge sharpness and smoothness. Next time I have to reset an edge I will skip the Naniwa 12000 in the progression and sub the Zulu grey in it's place to see if I get the same result as I did doing touch ups. I am guessing the Zulu Grey is a pretty darn good finisher.

Bob

So far, my shapton gs progression thru 16K, then back to ZG works well. This is the same honing process I have been using for a couple years using Escher as well...really works with any good finisher.

I refuse to use anything other than the stone I am using & it's slurry. It may be possible to improve the edge using other stuff, but I get along just fine. I've really never been much on slurry's and still only like a light slurry & dilute.

Hi Jerry, I have done two razors using CBN .25 and .10, after a normal progression to my Shapton Glass 16k. Which by the way, is what I have found, for me, to be the most consistent, 4k, 8k, 16k G'S, then Zulu, to get the best edges out of the Zulu.

I was trying to imitate a friable stone, which particles get smaller by the pressure of the metal and the particles of the blade to further polish the edge, beyond the initial stone grit. I went to water only on the Zulu, then added, a half a pump spray to the cap, then diluted further with 50% of water, then I added the mix to the Zulu and ended doing about 25-30 passes, clean stone with water, then repeated with the .10 CBN. Note that I didn't dilute the CBN on the stone.

This two razors I shaved with before the CBN treatment (Zulu with water only) and had very close and smooth shaves. After the CBN progression, I did feel a little improvement on smoothness and maybe on sharpness (maybe). But I determine for me, that to go thru the hassle of doing the dilution slury of the CBN and the cost of the spray, it was not worth it, since I'm happy with the finished I get after the 16k and the Zulu with very, very light zulu slury to water only.

I'll keep experimenting for that ultimate edge, but right now, I'm enjoying the zulu. Double O

Originally Posted by shooter74743

So far, my shapton gs progression thru 16K, then back to ZG works well. This is the same honing process I have been using for a couple years using Escher as well...really works with any good finisher.

I refuse to use anything other than the stone I am using & it's slurry. It may be possible to improve the edge using other stuff, but I get along just fine. I've really never been much on slurry's and still only like a light slurry & dilute.

+1.....I do exactly the same thing......