Thread: Dragons Tongue

Originally Posted by rodb

I use the whole set often if I want to use a natural stone progression. I use my PHIG (C12k) the most as a finisher with the fine dark stone from AJ 2nd, it's a faster cutter than my Chinese hone.

I think AJ's numbers are a bit high, DT 6k, Purple 7-10k(maybe), Dark 10k+

This is roughly equivalent to my experience with them. I don't know if AJ was actually able to fill my request, but for laughs I asked him if he could possibly choose finer grade hones since my intent was to use them on straight razors.

Unfortunately I've no synthetics higher than 8K to compare stria to, so I can't accurately guess what equivalent my particular hones perform at. The best I can say is Norton = DT < Purple slate = PHIG < Black slate. This is evidenced both by the feel of the edges on my face, and pictures of the stria taken at 200x magnification. Pictures can be found here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...ne-camera.html

I haven't shaved off the Dragon's tongue to be sure of where it lies in the progression, but visually I'm placing mine at 8k equivalent. Maybe that will be a weekend project.Could be a fun little experiment.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I have seen that advice many times for the Norton 4k, but never for a natural hone.

I don't even want to know how long it takes to lap 1/8" off a PHIG. It took me 3 hours just to get mine flat so I could start to polish the #$%^ thing.

Originally Posted by Marshal

I don't even want to know how long it takes to lap 1/8" off a PHIG. It took me 3 hours just to get mine flat so I could start to polish the #$%^ thing.

Naturals don't need 1/8" like some synthetics. 1/8" Off a hard PHIG or Arkansas hone might kill me or at least give me tendonitis lol!!!

Agreed, I've only had to do that to the Norton 4K. I don't think I've ever heard of it being applied to another type of hone.

“I think AJ's numbers are a bit high, DT 6k, Purple 7-10k(maybe), Dark 10k+”

“The best I can say is Norton = DT < Purple slate = PHIG < Black slate. This is evidenced both by the feel of the edges on my face, and pictures of the stria taken at 200x magnification. Pictures can be found here:”


Ok, so if you want to grit rate “YOUR” stone, hone a razor on a synthetic stone of known grit, a quality synthetic, 8 or 12K, mark the edge with a line in the middle of the blade on both sides. Now hone the razor toe half, by keeping the halfway mark at the edge of the stone, so you are only honing half the blade.

Now compare the stria from each stone side by side until you find a grit that matches the known grit stone. Now you know what your stone is the grit equivalent of. And says nothing of any other stones of the type just that is what your particular example is.

Some natural stones can produce different grit from side to side.

Very few natural stones are close to 8k, fewer over 10k. The Welch slates I have tested are between the 4 & 8k grit range and nowhere as uniform in grit as vintage slates.

And that is the difference between the Welch stones and a quality vintage slates; uniform grit, high grit range, uniform release of grit or not and friability.

It is not just about the grit size, but grit size is important and often mis-represented and promoted by vendors and or lack of proper comparison. One cannot just pull a number out of air or say it feels like…

The photos are nice, but have to be compared to known grit, with the same razor and with the same preparation, preferably.