Thread: Natural replacement for DMT 8K?

So... I have a DMT 1200 and think it's great. I have a DMT 8k and used to like it. The more I hone, and the better I get, the less I like that goddamn thing:

I DO like the fact that it cuts fast, but it really doesn't leave scratch marks like an 8k and it can gouge some of my harder razors, and that makes for more work on the finishing hones to clean up. Screw that.

I would really like to get a natural stone to fill that slot, but I don't want to use my coticule with slurry since it dulls the edge considerably, and that seems a bit like a backwards step.(I have done it more than a few times, and I still eventually get a good edge, but I can't help but think it's a waste of time.)


Belgian blue with slurry sounds about right grit-wise, but there's that damn slurry dulling effect again...

Tam O Shanter perhaps?

I got a chance to use someones Shaptons at the Mid-Mo get together, and they felt great. BUT, I would really like to have a natural.

I REALLY like my Nakayama from O_S, but he doesn't have any coarser stones on his site right now, so that's a no-go.

I also have a birthday coming up, so the wife is allowing me to spend some cash.

Any suggestions gents? I am stuck.

Don't use the slurry with the coticule and Belgian blue if you feel they(it) are(is) counterproductive.
And there you are with natural stones filling the slot.

We are here to help.

Originally Posted by Bruce

Don't use the slurry with the coticule and Belgian blue if you feel they(it) are(is) counterproductive.
And there you are with natural stones filling the slot.

We are here to help.

Well, I have a coticule and it's way too fine to go from 1200 without taking all day. I heard a belgian blue was too slow without slurry, hence my reluctance to purchase such a stone.

I've got a good solution that may be workable for both you and me.

I have an extra unused, unlapped NOS Tam that I bought from Coully. I paid $85 for it. I have no problem keeping it/no strong motivation for selling it right now.

I'm slightly more motivated to buy a D8EE. A new D8EE from Craftsman Studio would set me back $83.06 after shipping. It's good that your D8EE is broken in, but still, I likes my stuff new if I can help it. Priority mail each way for you and I would be a wash. A straight up trade......maybe sweeten the pot just a tad? Would you take a $10 and D8EE trade for my NOS Tam with box, slurry stone and completely unlapped/untouched state?

You can PM me with your thoughts and we can talk about that D8EE a bit more.

Chris L

you won't find a replacement for that diamond speed. i suggest you find something constructive to grind on over the whole surface some more, maybe a lot more ;0

there's always ceramic varieties to choose from : why you looking from diamond to natural?

probably some shobu, narutaki, etc that would suit that are not over the top $wise

Originally Posted by kevint

you won't find a replacement for that diamond speed. i suggest you find something constructive to grind on over the whole surface some more, maybe a lot more ;0

there's always ceramic varieties to choose from : why you looking from diamond to natural?

probably some shobu, narutaki, etc that would suit that are not over the top $wise

Yeah, diamond is faster, but that gets me into microchipping territory with harder razors in my stable.

I have a Spyderco set of hones, but I don't like the feel of em. They seem to dull down after a while and need refreshing. Plus they don't feel as good as naturals.

I have been lookin' at some shobu and narutaki stones, but I don't know much about em, and I don't want to get saddled with something that isn't going to work for razors due to inclusions or somesuch...

What is wrong with a Shapton? There I said it!

Later,
R

I haven't yet shaved off the sougoroh i got on ebay. that's a shobu stone. It is soft,pretty cheap. 20$ best offer got it. At first I didn't think much of it: it's homely, inexpensive, soft, as I said. Lately I have been sharpening a few knives on it and I'm starting to like it. I have no clue on the grit. but it does indeed cut and polish

I won't promise it's what you're looking for but it's an interesting stone. Ive been fairly sloppy with lapping- It makes a huge amount of mud and the black seems to get way down in there... I can almost make sense of the sellers description in that regard.

Originally Posted by riooso

What is wrong with a Shapton? There I said it!

Later,
R

Well.... I sure did like it... but I would really like a natural hone. I have a coticule that is awesome for the pre-final finish, and my new bestest finisher the Nakayama.

I just wanted something to go before the 1200 for aesthetic purposes.

I wants it, I needs it...

You've got sort of a tall order here: natural, not slow, but no slurry...

My feeling is give the belgian blue a shot. The blue-yellow sequence after dmt is in my experience very different from just yellow. The blue with slurry gets the scratches out in a hurry, and though it does dull the edge a bit, it doesn't dull it as much as yellow with heavy slurry. I think this has to do with less concentration of garnets in the blue...

Then when you go the yellow, your DMT scratches are already out and your heavy work is done, and you can use a very light slurry with the coticule. The grabby edge comes back in a hurry. Then another 30 or so laps with just water and you're in business.

The whole process is very quick indeed. As in, 50 or so laps on blue w/slurry, 30 or so on yellow with light slurry, 30 with plain water.

The blue is cheap, has a lovely feel, is a nice match for your coticule, and works great on kitchen knives.

The other option is the Dalmore Blue, but those are a little harder to come by. I have a 6x2 Dalmore Blue/Dalmore Yellow combo that I'll be putting up for sale here pretty soon, but I'm not sure just when, and frankly a belgian blue of that size will be cheaper.