Thread: Slurry on a touch-up hone?

The idea which slurry from 8k will get smaller(by using it) and will act differently then original slurry is wrong . Doesn't matter 45 k or 9k .i just put 45 k example .
Now when you use your norton 8 k have you ever seen slurry formation? you see just black metal particles on surface of the 8k right?
if you want to make slurry off the 8 k you have to use dmt make slurry?
Your blade most like will never produce slurry off 8k.
hope this helps.

"Second, When you sharpen the blade on the N8K with slurry, it will not act the same way because the slurry will be constantly refreshed with 8K grits from the stone."
This process never happens my friend

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

The idea which slurry from 8k will get smaller(by using it) and will act differently then original slurry is wrong . Doesn't matter 45 k or 9k .i just put 45 k example .
Now when you use your norton 8 k have you ever seen slurry formation? you see just black metal particles on surface of the 8k right?
if you want to make slurry off the 8 k you have to use dmt make slurry?
Your blade most like will never produce slurry off 8k.
hope this helps.

"Second, When you sharpen the blade on the N8K with slurry, it will not act the same way because the slurry will be constantly refreshed with 8K grits from the stone."
This process never happens my friend

Yes… using the N8K does produce slurry, but not as fast as first using a rubbing stone, that’s why the slurry becomes black quickly.
And yes, the particles in the slurry does break down into smaller particles… and cuts differently…
And as the blade is honed the old slurry helps to raise fresh grits from the surface of the hone, this is why you have to flatten your soft water hone often, and also why soft water stones work well (and quickly) with razors.

I post the results of my experience and explained as best as I can.
It may not be what most of us have been thought (or believe), but that that does not make it wrong.

Hi_bud_gl, we are still friends, but though you say it is "wrong", you never say why.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

if you want to make slurry off the 8 k you have to use dmt make slurry?

You don't have to use a DMT to make slurry, you can use many other harder stones to make slurry... you should know that.

When I use stones like the Naniwa 12K or the Shapton 16K I occasionally get the feeling that they are not cutting uniformly. It's like the cutting grit plays hide-n-seek with the binder.

Now take slurry from that same waterstone and put it on a smooth hard surface. Suddenly the waterstone cutting grit is "between a rock and a hard place". It can't hide. So the cutting process is boosted. The cutting rate and feedback are much more uniform. Also, I don't enjoy lapping waterstones (lazy I think). With this slurry-on-UF method I don't need to lap anything (maybe someday).

I lapped and polished my Spyderco UF on one side. It is so smooth that it doesn't cut much at all. So the only cutting action I get with the slurry method is from the slurry. My guess is the effective or nominal grit produced with this slurry method is coarser than the grit of the slurry source. I say that just because the cutting action is faster.

I know some waterstones supposedly have slurry that breaks down into finer grit, but I don't know if the ones I use do. The scratch pattern from the slurry is very different than that produced by the slurry source stone. Instead of tiny uniform grooves it is more of a mist. So comparisons of fineness are difficult.

I just sharpen my own stuff, so I am not experienced enough to make any broad statements about this method. I just like the option of doing it when I think it helps.

Originally Posted by smythe

You don't have to use a DMT to make slurry, you can use many other harder stones to make slurry... you should know that.

what is dmt another stone (metal plate with diamonds)right? doesn't matter you use dmt or chinse 12 k etc etc. meaning is you will not get slurry from norton 8k just using your straight razor?
i hope i was clear now.

'the particles in the slurry does break down into smaller particles… and cuts differently… '
i am not sure you are talking about Norton particles(not natural hones) if yes please provide information i would be glad to read that concept.

This has been an interesting thread!

Some things I am sure of

1. All aluminum oxide is not the same. It has different methods of manufacture and as a consequence it has different grain shapes and friability ( sp?), (the point at which it breaks down).
The same applies to garnets, iron oxides, ceramics and binders.

2. All barber hones, even of the same name (i.e. Swaty), are not the same. The abrasives used change as do the binders and the mfg process ( temperature, pressure, time).

This experimenting using a slurry derived from a different hone to change the effective grit of a hone is a very interesting experiment.

We here at SRP really do try to make sense of what we are experiencing when we hone. That effort frequently leads to a better understanding of what works, but not always to being certain of the reason why. We simply do not have the information or tools to get to the answer of why.

As has been said here at the SRP many times in the past, give it a try, see what happens, do it a few times, then post a thread.

Just my $.02,

Excuse me but I have a question. What would these various slurries do to the surface of your swaty? Has anyone tried this or should I go back downstairs into my hole and see for myself?

So far my Swaty has remained flat. However, that may be due to the way I'm raising the slurry.

In another thread I had read a suggestions to rub two barber hones together to ensure both were flat (and possibly de-glaze them?) Anyway, I've been creating a slurry by rubbing my Swaty and Apart hones together, then using the Swaty.

The slurry is extremely fine, which is no surprise, but I can feel a slight difference on the edge between the touch-up with water only and the very slightly more aggressive touch up with slurry.

It appears that the Swaty is tougher than the Apart, because it seems that the slurry is a more reddish than brownish, which matches the Apart.