Thread: Hone of the Day

A beautiful little Apache Strata with a 6/8 Friodur.

I have been experimenting with this razor on and off for a few months. I have never been a big fan of stainless steel but when you nail an edge with one of these beauties it seems to keep it for an extended period.

It was in need of a touchup so I tried a three stone progression. My convex La veil Rouge De Regne (LVRR) to a La Veinette has been a successful combination lately but I have felt that a touch more keenness might be possible.

I haven't exercised this Apache Strata for a while so out she came. This particular little stone is pretty touchy but capable of excellent result when used properly. Although it is a fine finisher, I find it to be rather slow and not really a capable mid level stone. I have found, through trial and error, that there are a few details that must be followed in order to succeed with this stone. I always remove the glaze with a coticule slurry stone before use. This dramatically improves it's speed. When I believe I am just about done I always rinse the Strata before the final finish. This seems to make a big difference. Pressure can be the enemy with this Strata. Light, razor weight only passes are the key. If I follow these rules on a razor with a properly set bevel thru a penultimate coticule it will deliver a sweet edge.