Thread: New dovo won't shave comfortably.

So all naturals are a completely different animal because each stone is different, even the same stones from the same mine. It is very easy to sink a lot of money chasing an edge, by chasing natural stones, when it’s not the stone. Fast and great edges in a finisher are mutually exclusive, a finisher need not be fast, if the edge is properly prepared, it takes what it takes.

As a stone collector, with hundreds of natural stone, first master honing with synthetics, I mean fully understand what is happening with an edge at the various stages of the honing process and how to diagnose and work around problems. Then experiment with naturals, at the very least you will be able to shave with the knowledge of synthetics and it will make your natural path much more enjoyable and successful. There is not much performance improvement above a 15k Shapton in the right hands.

The problem I have with Jnat stone rating is, that is one person’s opinion. If you do go down the Jnat path, find a good stone provider, stick with him and do what he recommends, but first, do your homework. There are tons of great Jnat threads here and on other forums, consensus is a good indicator, as is longevity. Some of these guys have been around a long time…

Sage advice, often given… It’s not the stone…