Thread: please tell me the hype on natural stones

A valid question. I do the majority of my sharpening/polishing on synthetic hones, namely nortons. But I do enjoy having the last stones that my razor touches to be natural, coticules and eschers/thuringians.

For me it's really quite a pleasure to use a stone that was formed in the earth by nature, not by humans. Synthetic stones are indeed useful and I use them, but there's simple not that sense of appreciation and wonder than comes from using a naturally formed rock as a tool.

I agree that it depends on what you want to get out of honing. If it's purely for a sharp razor than synthetics will do you wonderfully IMO. But if you enjoy honing and want to use a stone with character than natural is the way to go. And hey, there's nothing wrong with mixing the two together!

Also Japanese naturals give off a nice earthy smell when using them. BTW did I mention the fact they are NATURAL.

O_S is right on the money here, it's such a
lovely smell!

- Scott

Allow me an attempt to insult half of the SRP community...

A lot of people shave with a 5 blade-cartridge mounted in a vibrating battery driven fixture. Many use a 3 bladed device called MachIII. Some use 1 blade in a DE. A minority uses the old-fashioned straight razor, which is probably the most challenging of all shaving tools.

This is the same with honing.

I never quite understood the human tendency to convert fellow humans into the same believes, the same methods, the same tools,... The concept "hype" is the culmination of such behavior. I personally couldn't care less.

Bart.

Originally Posted by Bart

Allow me an attempt to insult half of the SRP community...

A lot of people shave with a 5 blade-cartridge mounted in a vibrating battery driven fixture. Many use a 3 bladed device called MachIII. Some use 1 blade in a DE. A minority uses the old-fashioned straight razor, which is probably the most challenging of all shaving tools.

This is the same with honing.

I never quite understood the human tendency to convert fellow humans into the same believes, the same methods, the same tools,... The concept "hype" is the culmination of such behavior. I personally couldn't care less.

Bart.

Excellent, excellent, and excellent. Thank you for giving such a poignant explanation!

He is right. Natural stones are rubbish.

Please send all natural stones to me for disposal.

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

He is right. Natural stones are rubbish.

Please send all natural stones to me for disposal.

I wouldn't dare allow you to take that on that burden all by yourself. I volunteer my services also.

Here's my plan for recycling those dreadful Belgian stones:
(Anyone fancy a game of slurry-chess?)