Thread: Hones and grit sizes, Please Help Me

Originally Posted by cudahogs

Thanks, Joe. I try to treat the Swaty like a finer grit than the Norton 8k, now I feel better that I have a little confirmation.
-Fred

If you use the Swaty to keep your razors at a constant level of keen, will need other stones only occasionally. In the old days it was not unusual for a shaver to maintain his razors that way and send them out to a professional on those infrequent occasions when it became necessary.

In fact, I used to go to an old time master barber who used to do just that. Even with the high volume of use in his shop he sent razors no more often than once a month. He had quite a collection, so I don't know how often he would send out a particular razor.

Some time back I did go to the website for a Col Conk hone and it said 1200 grit. We all agree that the grit rating is not the be all/end all. If some guys rate the Col Conk hone at approx 6000 and base this on actual use then that is a much better yardstick. The info on the grit rating for the black and translucent arkansas stone was also taken from various websites. I kow that the actual rating system they use is very different, I think it is based on specific density but I may be wrong.
There may very well be some black arkansas that are 1200 grit or 6000 grit or even finer but that will vary with each stone. A person can only try what they have and judge the results for themselves.
I have 6 different Belgian coticules and when I examine them under a micrscope both the size of the garnets and their density are different on each hone. So it would not be surprising to find that other natural stones also vary in their characteristics.

That points out the advantage of the current manmade stones from compaanies like Norton. We have a much better idea of what we are getting for our dollars.

Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

I can't explain it, but the grit ratings on these two stones seem to be way off. For Arkansas stones they don't really use the system.

The black Arkansas seems to be about 6K. Ivenever used the Conk, but those who have say it's about in the same range. That is a very useful range, but a little too coarse for a shaving edge. I find that the 8K is about the minimum fineness that's acceptable for shaving, and many guys like it finer.