Thread: These just came in!

So I had a couple rocks custom cut, each are 12" X 3" X 1" and come with slurry stones.

Top one is a Welsh slate at 15+K Thuringan (correct me if I have the wrong name)
And the second is a purple LLYN MELYNLLYN at +- 12K

I was wondering what is the best way to treat the surface? There are a few deep scratches in the face, would they cause issues? Is it possible to wreck the surface trying to smooth things out?

I have read a couple posts on the slates, but all its done is made me scratch my head. If someone can make an educated guesstimation from the pics and provide an opinion on how to finish the surface, I would appreciate it.

Now, I need to learn to use them correctly! lol!!

Here they are wet.

You should really lap the stones flat before use - that will take care of the scratches. You can use a diamond plate such as a DMT 325, a stout piece of flat glass with wet'n'dry sandpaper and water, or glass with lapidary grit and water - there is plenty of info on this site about lapping and how to do it. Lapping to 325 grit is the minimum - the stones will perform better if lapped to 600 or higher, but work your way up from low grit to high in steps, eg, 240, 325, 400, 600.

I agree that one stone is probably finer (of a higher grit equivalence if you like, though you can't assign grit ratings to natural stones, its just a convenient bechmark for performance), but I would be very leery of those vastly over-inflated grit ratings you have got from somewhere. I wouldn't put the highest one at much over 10k, personally.

Regards,
Neil

Great stones! "As with all Naturals" as everyone here says and you will see over and over again, there is some variation in performance. Maybe I just got a 'good one' but my purple stone from AJ puts a nicer edge on my razors than the 12k naniwa (just my opinion) and I use them as pre-polishers for my jnats now. The "thuringian" which it is not, might slightly improve the edge. Very versatile hones. A few of the very senior guys have used them with great success, especially the purple one. The purple one was also used by Lynn to do the one stone honing, if i recall correctly.

Here's a thread about using these stones, the given names are purely a sales pitch: http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...ns-tongue.html

+1 With Neil

I have a set of these also and they are rather nice Finishers, in Glen's world anything that improves on a Norton 8k edge is a "Finisher"

Mine came pretty flat, and the "Well Worn" DMT 325 I have smoothed the surface right up

I named mine Greenish WHIG and Purple WHIG because the Names and Grit ratings out there are "Quaint" at best and down right misleading at worst


WHIG = Welsh Hone of Indeterminate Grit

Stolen from the term PHIG for the Chinese Guanxi Hone = People's Hone of Indeterminate Grit

I've got the black, purple and green ones too!
Really fun stones, fun in that way thickness of slurry and pressure really matters for the result, you have to get to know them well to get the most out of them.

I know very little about sharpinin' rocks, but, I know how my luck runs. For future photos, why not put them on something flat to take the picture. Balancing them on the center of the sink looks like the makings of a potential bad story. I'd hate to see your next post be something about cleaning up a chipped corner of a stone!

Originally Posted by brooksie967

Maybe I just got a 'good one' but my purple stone from AJ puts a nicer edge on my razors than the 12k naniwa (just my opinion)

So with that statement are you saying that it is a "Higher grit" then a 12k ????

Because that is exactly how many would perceive what you posted, which is exactly where AJ gets the idea to contuinue to boost the Grit ratings in his advertising, and the cycle continues...

Both these are from AJ, yes you can't peg a grit on a natural, but a "range" is helpful

@ Mattin103 Yes, this is the thread I read through, as well as the one Tim Zowada started.

These are excellent stones for learn how to squeeze the most from a finish stone. As said, finishing the stone properly does make a difference, most especially for a finish stone. I like a drop or two of Smith Honing Oil with water on these for final finishing.

Experimenting with slurry’s, sprays, viscosity and pressure will enlighten and entertain you for some time. In the end you will develop some skills.

Enjoy