Thread: please tell me the hype on natural stones

Without mentioning any of the above analogies...

Synthetic hones are cheaper, easier to use, and easier to replace!

Originally Posted by Utopian

Without mentioning any of the above analogies...

Synthetic hones are cheaper, easier to use, and easier to replace!

Wait, is that an argument for or against natural
stones?

- Scott

not convinced.

maybe for finishing. but i use .5 micron paste and .25 micron paste so...

i like your arguments. but i like my synthetics for now. besides i dont have to soak my naniwas.

my naniwas dont smell. so no problem there.

i just think your a bunch of hippies

Oh yes? ääääh yes actually
You just don't know what you're missing!

Originally Posted by majurey

My only experience of a natural hone is the coticule/bbw, which I've settled on as my main hones (having started on the synthetic Nortons, which were great too). Everyone here has done a great job of describing the emotional/artistic/romantic reasons for preferring naturals, so thought I'd stick to a few more practical benefits of nats over synths.

- no soaking required
- very hard to overhone (has anyone ever managed to overhone on a coticule?)
- less lapping required
- better feedback (ok, a little subjective)
- more versatile (one coticule can do it all, though that requires much experience)
- less cost (yes! Think about it, if it's more versatile, and takes the place of two or three synths...)
- easier to handle: with synths you really need to hone using a stand, but I now prefer to hone with the stone in my hand, flat on my palm. Easily done with naturals, but can be awkward or heavy with synths -- anyone try hand honing with a DMT? Woah!
- flexible sizing: some of us prefer wider hones, some longer and narrower (e.g. for warped, smiling, frowning etc. blades). You don't get that luxury of choice with synths on the whole, but naturals come in all shapes and sizes.

Are you persuaded yet?

I also hone holding hone i my hand it is a lot easier for me

my first hone was a norton combo then a 12k kitiyama pasted paddle. then i thought i'd try the bbw/yellow. I found straight away the smoothness was amazing of the naturals no one can say any differant. all i need now is my bbw yellow they do the job very well the yellow with slurry also amazed me how you can put a bevel on a razor thats not to far gone given the choice again i wouls have both norton and naturals they work well together or on there own.

im sure ill try naturals one day.

you guys are making me wonder...

Originally Posted by OutlawSkinnyD

im sure ill try naturals one day.

you guys are making me wonder...

Aha!!!

James.

Dave,
Well dood, I'm in your boat..... but here's my dilemma; I was using Diamond lapping films ( as per Seraphim) and loving them, sadly though after 3 razors from start to finish, the film is das kaput! Quite honestly for 40 bucks worth of films and the purchase of lapping plates, it's not worth the coveince for me. So I want a permanent solution. I would say naturals but from what I hear the master himself is using Naniwa stones... so what's a fella to do? This is my conudrum, and I think I have an answer. Well, I have to be honest, I don't like honing, I know.... eegads....blasphemy... I just don't like sitting there, all day getting frustrated as to why a blade isn't passing the HHT for me. I'm a newb at honing, I've only honed 4 razors so far, and one wedge that I gave up on... cause well their a bitch... and I don't deal well with bitches, I like nice things. Anywho.... I'm thinking Naniwa's willl solve my problem nicely, sadly I'm cheap, and in my mind, I'd rather sped 160 for a new sik razor then on some damn stones I'll use once then nor for ages, but I'm getting addicted to collection n restoring razors, I've done 2 so far and love it...so hrmmmm


I wish I could put my razors under my pillow and the hone fairy would come and make them all sharp and sexy for me in the am. Ah...to dream!

Until this happens, I think I'm gonna buy the 1k and 5k Naniwa's and start there.

Cheers
David

There is so much discussion on which is better, but very little on the difference in the result achieved. My Naniwa 3k/8k polishes the edge moving toward a mirror finish. Chromium oxide paste and diamond spray continue down the path of creating a mirror finish. Natural stones are doing something completely different. The finish off of my Coticule and Shuobudani are a bead blasted look. They actually remove the mirror finish and replace it with a beautiful multi colored Seurat(the artist that painted with dots) finish. I find this process and finish very rewarding. I struggled for weeks with my new Shuobudani, but found I was over cooking the edge. I solved that by finishing on slurry.