Thread: Hone of the Day

Originally Posted by TristanLudlow

Thanks, good idea.

I haven't shaved with a thin slurry finish yet, but while honing I've felt that a thin slurry felt "smoother" / better while honing than vs plain water.

My Jnat has a nagura of the same fragment, but also came with a ultra-hard Ohzuku Nagura. I'll give that a try.

I could actually feel the stage where the slurry got too thin and too watery that made the feel of the hone and razor feedback change for the worse, actually both on the Escher and the Jnat.

Gonna try a water vs thin slurry side by side shave both on the Jnat and Escher.

If I may suggest, also try undiluted slurry, just keep it wet and working it well and also somewhere in between undiluted and thin.
I have stones that give the best edge somewhere in between and some that like undiluted slurry.

Today I honed up 2 razors, killed the edge and used a Naniwa 1K -> 3K -> 5K progression followed up by BBW -> Coticule

Finsihed one on the Suehiro 20K
The other on an Escher, slurry -> dilutions -> finishing on light slurry (as the label suggested, but they call it "slime")

One weeks worth of growth.
Both razors shaved fabulous. Very hard to notice any difference between them.
I honestly don't know which I like better for now.

I just wet the face, lathered up and shaved ATG on the first pass with one week worth of growth.

Not even the slightest hint of a pull or tug, none.
These stones are fantastic.

Now it's going to be a matter of which edge can I tolerate better when shaving daily, both amazing edges. Superb.

I might experiment more with the Escher, finishing thicker slurry, plain water, etc.
But finishing on a misty slurry really does great things for me.

Honed this Geo. Wostenholm and this New England Razor Company razors. shaved with both this morning...each razor took on half my face. Fine shave from both. Naniwa progression. no issues.

another side by side
2 razors, Swedish steel

Killed the edge on both and corrected the heels, I absolutely hate honing into the stabilizer.

Both honed with the same progression Naniwa 1K -> 3K -> 5K -> BBW -> Coticule -> Suehiro 20K

Took one of the two razors and finished it on an Escher with only water.
(the Escher is sloooow, instead of doing dilutions this time I simply came from the 20K, which is fast for a finisher that grit and leaves a highly polished edge, an easy shortcut that works flawlessly)

Shave test: both super smooth and sharp edges, shave was effortlessly with both razors. Some of the finest edges around. I'm hard pressed to find differences or choose between either.

Didn't notice any difference in sharpness and both very smooth.
The Escher was a tad easier on the skin.

I'm impressed by both, the 20K is amazing.
My Escher didn't degrade my 20K edge at all, au contraire.

Although the 20K finish is certainly very easy on the skin, the Escher just added that tiny bit more. This is the only way I could tell them apart, but the 20K is as close as any synthetic gets to a natural finish.

The 20K reminds me more of a Jnat finish someone else put on a few razors in the past.
Although there are many variables between different Jnat finishes, it's hard to make a generalization. But what a great edge!

I'm all set. I found my favorite finishing stone. And beside the one Jnat I have, I'm not going to chase any more stones.
I've tried so many Coticules and BBWs and I still like them for their capabilities, I will keep using them, but my personal preference for a finishing stone is without a doubt the Escher.

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