Thread: Working With The Zulu Grey.

I have used my Zulu grey dry, damp, under water and with a 50-50 mix of Ballistol and water. The best results is the 50-50 mix. I do about 100 back and forth light laps for each side of the blade. This is done in very little time. The edge is extremely polished and the shave very smooth. I have done this after honing on JNats, Coticules and Shapton stones.

"What i've done is i've re-lapped it to have a convexity from side to side. by this I am not running into a risk to ruine the edge of the razor by running it over the edge of the stone."

The Ern looks like it has a slight frown.

love it Marty

Originally Posted by Euclid440

The Ern looks like it has a slight frown.

... it’s optical illusion my friend

Originally Posted by Euclid440

"What i've done is i've re-lapped it to have a convexity from side to side. by this I am not running into a risk to ruine the edge of the razor by running it over the edge of the stone."

The Ern looks like it has a slight frown.

did you convex stone on a concave granite tile? or just eye balled with lapping plate and grit?

For my shallow Zulu I‘ve achieved convexity by tilting the hone during lapping it on a diamond plate (should be bigger than the hone) and after refining the scratches on a glas plate with whet/dry sandpaper in different grits. Finaly I‘ve rubbed the slurry stine on it for a while to get this glossy surface I had before.

Regards

My latest attempts with the Zulu have been giving me very nice edges.
If you all have been reading my honing posts you know that I've finally come away from the keenest of keen edges and started learning comfort. Growing up I guess. The last 4 razors I put on the Zulu were taken to 8K. Then a few laps on the 12K just because I like to go from the 12K to a natural. So far anyway. 100 laps with slurry and pressure, 100 laps slurry, pressure and diluting, 50 laps clean water with pressure, 50 laps clean water with a light touch, 50 laps with shave cream and water with a light touch.

Now, these numbers are just a guess but close enough. And I'm probably over-doing what I really need to do but that will be the next step. Cutting back. I'm getting a keen edge with a bit of comfort. Not the comfort level I find with my new Thuri but it also leaves a little more keen to the edge than the thuri.

So there you have it. My Zulu edge that is keen and comfortable. No DRY STONE. I tried that and it was just not right. Deep stria left on the edge that kept comfort away like a bad fart. And I think the Shave Cream helped to get that last little bit of comfort out of this stone. I could be wrong. But a little, OK Big Birdie, told me about shave creams and soaps on stones for finishing and I think he was right. Thanks, Roy!

Originally Posted by Gasman

My latest attempts with the Zulu have been giving me very nice edges.
If you all have been reading my honing posts you know that I've finally come away from the keenest of keen edges and started learning comfort. Growing up I guess. The last 4 razors I put on the Zulu were taken to 8K. Then a few laps on the 12K just because I like to go from the 12K to a natural. So far anyway. 100 laps with slurry and pressure, 100 laps slurry, pressure and diluting, 50 laps clean water with pressure, 50 laps clean water with a light touch, 50 laps with shave cream and water with a light touch.

Now, these numbers are just a guess but close enough. And I'm probably over-doing what I really need to do but that will be the next step. Cutting back. I'm getting a keen edge with a bit of comfort. Not the comfort level I find with my new Thuri but it also leaves a little more keen to the edge than the thuri.

So there you have it. My Zulu edge that is keen and comfortable. No DRY STONE. I tried that and it was just not right. Deep stria left on the edge that kept comfort away like a bad fart. And I think the Shave Cream helped to get that last little bit of comfort out of this stone. I could be wrong. But a little, OK Big Birdie, told me about shave creams and soaps on stones for finishing and I think he was right. Thanks, Roy!

Know what you mean by the difference between keen and harsh or keen and smooth. I only use Naniwas and after the 12K I do about 30 laps on a Crox sprayed hanging felt stop to tame the harshness. Been getting very comfortable shaves that way.

I do have a Zulu Grey but have not used it in years. Nothing wrong with it but I found that it took several hundred laps to get the smooth I get from 30 laps on a Crox sprayed hanging felt strop. Colour me lazy.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

Know what you mean by the difference between keen and harsh or keen and smooth. I only use Naniwas and after the 12K I do about 30 laps on a Crox sprayed hanging felt stop to tame the harshness. Been getting very comfortable shaves that way.

I do have a Zulu Grey but have not used it in years. Nothing wrong with it but I found that it took several hundred laps to get the smooth I get from 30 laps on a Crox sprayed hanging felt strop. Colour me lazy.

Bob

I use CrOx on The balsa side of a paddle strop. This usually follows taking it as far as I can with a coticule and diamond spray on the hard felt side of the paddle. This progression is what I use when I am too lazy to bring out my Vermio or just want to touch up an edge.

The diamond adds keenness and the CrOx seems to smooth it out for comfort.

I too have the strops with paste Bob and they are helpful as you say. But im trying to learn all my stones right now. I figured i bought the damn things i need to figure them out. When i know ive got everything i can get from them who knows what will happen. Easy is always good.