Thread: laps on chinese

Ok,the thing is I'm not quit sure about the "proper" amount on laps to do on my chinese 12000 coticule.
I've been adviced from about 30 (Lynns dvd) to acouple of hundred laps from someone else.
Anyone got some good advice on the chinese? (So far I've managed to hone two of my five razors shaveready.bbs that is)

I think I know what you meant, but you mixed stones in the beginning of your post. The Chinese 12k is a different stone than the Belgian Coticule.

The 12k is a finer and also a slower polishing stone than a coticule. 50-100 passes is not uncommon. I usually do 50 and then test shave and go back for more passes if the edge needs it.

I hope that helps.

Chris L

OK,my bad.I thought all finishing stones where called coticule.
One other thing tough, When I try using my thiers paste after finishing on the chinese cot...stone
It actually seems to dull the edge.I know the thiers is suposed to be a 10000 grit or something,but its still a paste.Would I be better of with cronium?

my approach is a little different .i could be wrong but if you wanna try good luck

Most natural stones will sharpen or put final edge until you will feel some resistance when you move blade it is kinda gets harder that is indication to STOP FOR ME.
i have tried this almost all my natural hones.Now there is a little trick
we are talking about without slurry.if you make slurry then this will not apply
Your chinese could need 30,may be 100 or 300 depends what condition is your blade before you starting on 12..Most people make mistake when to go from 1 hone to another or grits change usually they do early.
hope my little knowledge will help.

Chromium Oxide comes in varying particle size. The powder sought after by our group would have an average particle size of .5 micron (remember guys, particle size advertised with chromium oxide is an average rather than an absolute) which is finer than the reported 12000 grit Chinese stone.

Based on my experiences and I'm sure everyone else's, I can say that chromium oxide after the Chinese 12k, should you choose to do that would NOT dull your 12k edge and would refine it.

Chris L

Your stropping is wrong what could be anything
too much pressure -you should use only blade's weight
bad strop
while you stroppping turning you wrist =wrist should stay still funny
hope this helps

<insert my standard "I'm a noob" disclaimer here>

The Chinese 12k stone, when used with slurry, does a good job at removing the scratches from a DMT Dia-Sharp 8EE plate. It seems to this newb, that using slurry with the Chinese 12k more than doubles the rate it cuts at.

It's a really hard stone, though, and requires a fair bit of rubbing to get a good slurry.

eeeehh didn't quite get that one...

Like Hi_bud_gl said it sounds like you are rounding your edge due to incorrect stropping. If you set a good bevel on a low to medium grit stone and then move up in a progression like 4k, and 8k before you go to the 12k you will get good results. Thing is that if you move up in the progression before the razor is ready you will not get good results. Not without a lot of laps anyway. The chrom ox is great stuff and it wouldn't hurt to get some but remember that a strop with or without paste can round an edge if your not stropping correctly.

Years ago I saw a cookbook entitled "Cook Until Done" which was done by a man who was frustrated by the cooking instructions he was getting from women, who seemed to instinctly know when something was done. Fact is, in cooking and honing, there is some wiggle room. A Chinese 12K tends to take more laps than other finishing hones, most likely because it is quite hard and releases very little slurry during honing, but the exact number of laps is extremely variable. It's going to depend upon
1) what hone preceded it
2) how the preceding honing was done
3) how much pressure you are using
4) what type of metal your razor is made of
5) what vein of strata your particular chunk of mountain, aka, hone, was cut from
6) how you set the bevel, especially whether fully or not,
7) the grind of the razor
8) whether you taped the spine or not and
9) a whole lot of other variables I'm too lazy to think about.

Hone it, strop it, shave with it. If you don't like it then hone it some more. Hone it till it shaves well!