Thread: Llyn Melynllyn stone revisited

Llyn Melynllyn Welsh Stone

My favorite student [don’t tell him that] dredged up one of my old threads Llyn Melynllyn Welsh Stone dealing with the Llyn Melynllyn stone. I got this stone from Neil Miller a couple years ago but never really tried to master it. The stone has sat on the pile ever since then until Sunday evening. I decided to give it an honest try.



After re-reading the old thread, it seems that most of the posters recommended using slurry to get a 4k edge after the bevel set. Then use clear water after the slurry to refine the edge. Then to use oil to refine it even further. After thinking about it a moment, it sounded to me like they were actually recommending the coticule “dilucot” method.
So I treated the LM stone as if it were a yellow Belgian coticule. Started with a medium thick slurry and began the very slow dilution process put forth by the coticule.be website. After getting to clear water for about 50 strokes I rinsed and added glycerine in lieu of honing oil for about 75 strokes. Stropped and test shaved. Every bit as good as a nice, smooth 8k shave.

Then 35 strokes on the Gokumyo 20,000 grit stone. Prepped and did a full shave. The result was a smooth and effortless very close shave. I am very pleased to have revisited this stone. I just needed some motivation. Thanks Josh [wyobarbershop].

Allow me to recommend this all purpose stone ………………………….

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I might add that the razor I honed for this experiment is a Johann Breidour three crosses 15/16 width. A very nice razor to look at.

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Got it and the Dragon's Tongue, both work very well. So far I've only done x-strokes on them while slowly watering down the slurry but will try using the Dilucot method next time I use them.

A question has been asked a few times about where these stones (LM &DT) should be used in a progression as in before or after a Coticule. In case no one caught it Glen (gssixgun) answered the question in a previous post. His answer was use the two Welsh stone (LM & DT) 'instead' of a Coticule. I've tried it and it works for me.

Lately, I've been using the Coticule more due to experimenting with the Ellipticot method shown on Coticule.be wed site but will soon switch over and try that method using the Welsh Slate stones. As has been stated many times by various SRP members, its all about experimentation, you never know what results you will get.

I've tried so many experi"mental" progressions over the years they can't be counted. I've basically given up on using powders as slurry because most stones do the job sufficiently. The Norton pyramid works. The coticule methods all work. The Shapton set and the Naniwa set both work very well. And now I have found that the LlynMelynllyn dilution method does the job quite handily.

I started in the 60s with a Carborundum stone and a Swaty. We've come a long way since then and I thank the web forum format for today's great results. I was getting nowhere before I found the internet. Full speed ahead lads............!!

I have had the 3 stones from AJ at Ebay for a couple of years now. They do slurry easily and some are capable of producing a fine shaving edge after a 4 or 8K synthetic stone.

Being a friable slurry polishing stones, experimentation is in order to break down the slurry and get the best shaving edge. As with all natural stones performance and finish/grit will vary and technique and experience will determine the best edge polish.

As always preparation, full bevel setting and edge quality will play an important part in the finish edge. These are fun stones at reasonable prices that when combined with paste/sprays and stropping can produce very nice comfortable shaving edges.

I use a thin slurry, diluting out to plain water and final finish with water and Smith’s Honing oil, followed by stropping with Chrome Oxide and .50 and .125 CBN for a keen comfortable shaving edge.