Thread: curious about natural bevelsetters

Try running some searches.

I'm not all seeing, nor am I all knowing, but I don't know of any new information on natural bevel setters since this thread was active.

But with more insight into honing than I had when this was active, I really think you should consider the motives and results. For bevel setting, you want to have very consistent results; if you cannot get a great bevel, you will never have a great shaving edge. Bevel setters are where you do the bulk of your work, and thus where you spend the bulk of your time. This means the stone should behave in a consistent manner over long periods of time (single honing sessions) and should hold up to repeated use (many honing sessions) or else be easily replaceable when worn. These are all areas in which synthetic stones excel. Bevel setters are also the least expensive in each line of hones (as far as I know).

So you should really consider what your motives are for wanting a natural bevel setter before you invest tons of time (and possibly money) into finding one, testing it, learning how to use it, and learning how to make it reliable.

Just my .02.

Thanks. That's good advice. I have considered synthetic stones in the past, but natural stones interest me more for this hobby. I'm not pursuing perfection or even greatness, just a comfortable, relatively close and even shave. I use a Coticule right now, so that tells people I'm willing to make some sacrifices--and I'm considering an Escher at a later date.

I'm curious to hear what others have succeeded at with natural stones in bevel-setting.

Right now I'm playing with an Okudo suita as bevel setter.
It's not as fast as an 1K AlO syntetic but not far from it, with fresh slurry it's very aggressive even on very hard steels and also on stainless.
If you let the slurry break down it can take the edge all the way to your finisher.
Fun - Yes!
Cost effective - No!

Check this site out: Index website Henk en Ge Bos

At the bottom of the webpage is an English version of this man's study of the natural sharpening stones of Europe. I met this guy once: he is a retired carpenter who spends much of his time travelling in a VW van to the all quarries of natural hones known to him.

Round here Bentheimer sandstone was very popular as a sharpening stone for farm equipment. Many farms used to have one in the yard. I guess you might call such a coarse sharpening stone a bevel setter of some sort.

My original links still work...

Originally Posted by shooter74743

My original links still work...

I'm curious about the Amakusa. You seem to like yours a fair bit. What do you use for raising a slurry and what is your normal routine when you use it? Ever follow it with a Coticule?

Also, do you know others who have bought one? Is yours just a one-in-a-million that works, or do other users experience similar results as you?

Originally Posted by SlowRain

I'm curious about the Amakusa. You seem to like yours a fair bit. What do you use for raising a slurry and what is your normal routine when you use it? Ever follow it with a Coticule?

Also, do you know others who have bought one? Is yours just a one-in-a-million that works, or do other users experience similar results as you?

I use my Amakusa for bevel setting once in a while but only on wedges.
It works but is not well suited for the job, quite soft and that can really mess up your bevel if your not careful.
Depending on your stone and how you raise the slurry it will behave like a 800-2K stone.

Hi SlowRain,

Here's an old thread. http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...n-kc-crew.html
Mike

Originally Posted by SlowRain

I'm curious about the Amakusa. You seem to like yours a fair bit. What do you use for raising a slurry and what is your normal routine when you use it? Ever follow it with a Coticule?

Also, do you know others who have bought one? Is yours just a one-in-a-million that works, or do other users experience similar results as you?

To be honest, I sold it around the time I picked up a 1K Naniwa Chosera. I will tell you why. When dealing with natural stones, every one is different...we all know that. As I am sure you also know, your stone may be perfect, then you lap it, and its got an inclusion. I was hung up on naturals for a bit myself & I learned that the synthetics are just more predictable, every time. Did I mention every time? I still have a Hindostan stone that was gifted to me, otherwise I have sold all of my naturals up to BBW "grit".

I have had a lot of stones pass through my grubby paws & what do I use every time I hone razors? If it needs a bevel set, I will use the 1K Naniwa Chosera. My normal progression is Shapton GS 2,4,8,16K followed by a natural finisher which is most of the time Y/G Escher. This works literally every time and on any razor that can take an edge. I am also one that feels like a natural edge will last longer between touch-ups. I can't tell you why, but I have a strong opinion about it....it just works & natural edges seem to last longer IMO.