Thread: Suehiro Gokomyu 20K Waterstone

Originally Posted by ace

I've always thought the blue/green Eschers came from the right face of Mt.Everest, right near the very top.

No, most of Mt Everest is made up of Marble and Limestone, Greywacke of various kinds with other rock mixed in.. The Eschers are a very different type of rock. Har har.

Originally Posted by cariocarj01

I saw this episode and was unbelievable how shiny a turd ball can be.

Copralites. They make all kinds of jewelry out of the stuff. it can be very attractive.

. Will a hone from Mt Everest work at our elevations ?? Tc

Originally Posted by bobski

Hey guys,

This thread was started as to let people who don't know the intricacies of natural japanese stones which from all accounts are outstanding. I didn't intend to create any sort of competition between all these varying jnats, and some other equivalent synthetics. I think we need to seperate the average home honer, who owns a dozen or so razors, likes to sharpen/hone their own razors, with their own stones, not to hone a stone with an eastern Siberian stone made from a volcanic eruption four billion years ago....lol Us who like to hone a little, like the lovely Sueihiro 20k. We may never in years need to fully take any dishing out. So my view is relatively simple. I love my razors and hones, strops and the lot, but I don't hone for others for money or anything, I've only done my own, and I proud of my razors results, the shave is superb and my hones are in tip top condition too. So sure some stone worth thousands of dollars carved out of the left face of Mt Everest will hone well. With my feet firmly placed on the ground, I've spent enough on good synthetic stones including the Gokumyo 20k, and I'm thrilled with the results I get. I am not critisising those who follow that route I simply offer a different idea. Just as an example I got a $70 razor from Ron Spencer yesterday a Engels. It shaved well after a few leather stops. Different strokes for different blokes./

Regards bobski

I had two koppa that were $70 that did a great job honing a razor, and a vintage japanese barber hone that was $165. If you were a professional, then honing with a gok makes maybe even more sense than an amateur, because you don't want to be puzzling over why an edge isn't as good as you want on a natural stone when you've got a stack of ten more razors to do and somewhere to go in a couple of hours.

The one thing that's a little nutty about folks who just get into honing is the assumption that it's something you do regularly. As a shaver and not a razor refinisher, it's something you do very very infrequently, and very little of it in those infrequent times. If you have a good linen (non abrasive), that may mean every six months if you use one razor, and you'll give up nothing in sharpness along the way.

The real advantage of the gok isn't that it saves you money over any other stone, it's that it's easy to use.

Originally Posted by ace

I've always thought the blue/green Eschers came from the right face of Mt.Everest, right near the very top.

I think PT barnum must've sold them originally.

As a bloke from down here in Australia, I recall Lynn Abrams, telling of when he ground in a bevel, the 'table shakes', imagine what that would to a turd? lol. Seriously though we can get back to the Suehiro Gokomyu 20k. No matter how much I know this hone should be the last I ever need to own, there is this unfinished honing business....damn you fellas and your jnats...hehehehehe, this HAD....it's a problem. I guess if you dried out a turd, what grit are they fellas?


Cheers in fun,

Bob

Originally Posted by bobski

No matter how much I know this hone should be the last I ever need to own, there is this unfinished honing business....damn you fellas and your jnats...hehehehehe, this HAD....it's a problem. I guess if you dried out a turd, what grit are they fellas?


Cheers in fun,

Bob

I guess that would be dependent on what the critter ate!

Originally Posted by bobski

As a bloke from down here in Australia, I recall Lynn Abrams, telling of when he ground in a bevel, the 'table shakes', imagine what that would to a turd? lol. Seriously though we can get back to the Suehiro Gokomyu 20k. No matter how much I know this hone should be the last I ever need to own, there is this unfinished honing business....damn you fellas and your jnats...hehehehehe, this HAD....it's a problem. I guess if you dried out a turd, what grit are they fellas?


Cheers in fun,

Bob

Well, it never was about us getting a minimal tool kit and using it, was it? Famous expression: i could hone with just ___ if I had to.

And if you get a couple of good quality jnats, your odds are better than if you start spending big coin on the coticules!

As much lauded as it is, it's still a finishing stone. Fact is that the 1k work, for your bevel is the key, without that, forget it, from then on I use a 4k Naniwa deluxe Lobster brand, then a 6k King, remember all we are doing here is removing the stria from what the last stone left you with. My 8k is a Kingstone clay based stone 210 x 75 x 25. (Large) Then a virtual feather like 10 strokes on my Icebear (Clay based) 10 K. So, on a set bevel, then through the polishing stones, the Gok 20 seriously is 7 strokes, light pressure. Really guys it should be close. If it's no good, then your bevel was never right. Sure it can be corrected on a 4k or even an 8k, but the whole forum will tell you 1.Bevel, then the rest.

Now, if you have 3 or 4 razors, that are a little less than perfect. All you need is a touch up, no 1k's, you already have a bevel. Just 5 to 7 strokes on the GOK 20, and following linen/leather stropping it should be fine. The full array of stones are only needed when you buy a totally dull razor, or you breadknife it, but as most on our forum will say, it is a stone that requires very few strokes, it is your ultimate polisher, simple as that really. On the downunder forum onimaru55 said it right when he answered a question put as to the number of strokes for the GOK 20k, he said, 'It'll take a couple of minutes unless you are doing 200 razors. That say's it all, less is more once you have a correct bevel set. There are many tests of sharpness. I just thumbpad it, and after a while, you will know straight away if it's OK . That is why your 1st razor MUST be honed for you by someone who can hone, such as Oz (Onimaru55) if ur in Australia. Reason simply being that you have a reference as to what sharp is. Then you have something to compare your efforts at honing, if that is your choice. Be aware though, for that new razor you bought, and had honed, the only stone you need fellas for the first 6 months is an 8 or 10k touch up stone. You won't or shouldn't need anything but a strop, and maybe the touch up stone when the strop gives up. It is every one's choice if they wish to buy stones and a couple of cheaper razors to hone up yourself. My advice as someone who over two years, learnt to hone, learn to shave 1st (3 months min) Then look at our forum, consider the opinions of more serious people and hasten slowly. It's very rewarding to hone one urself, but there are many days, when you want to chuck the lot in the bin.....If you jump in hard, your partner will be less than thrilled when the statement comes in. Have a great time either way

Cheers Bobski