Thread: Is this an okay stone?

"I'm looking for a finishing stone to use after my Norton 8K stone."

After Norton 8K stone you can use 12K Chinese natural stone. It's good and final. Very often it gives an effect of overhoning to the razor.

Maybe if you make 1000+ passes it could happen, but I don't think so

No, no, not 1000 passes. But probably one hundred. The point is, that Chinese stones are like lotery. First stone, blueish, which I bought, was not good. Luckily these stones do not cost much. I purchased another one greyblueish. After lapping it showed much better cutting. Frankly speaking I value this stone much more than 35$, which I paid for it.
There is another thing with stones. I collect razors and stones, from time to time I buy or sell something. When I sell a razor, I sell it well honed. But I'm not professional, I do honing some 25-30 times per year. It's not a problem for me to make 100 passes, I like honing. I'm not a professional honemeister. Those stones, which I have, are much more than I need. I have Escher, thin and not comfortable when I held it. I use it together with strop to maintain razors, which I use for shaving. Last time I notice, that more and more I'm turning to chinese from Escher in honing.

Do yourself a favor and get a naniwa 12K from www.straightrazordesigns don't mess with the C12K/PHIG

You will thank me in the end...

The WoodCraft PHIG is pretty good. I got one from them and I have been very pleased. It is a hard, slow cutting stone, but it leaves a great edge. I used 220g w/d paper for the initial flattening and then went up until it was smooth. For the money, you can't beat it. I can understand why guys who hone lots of razors don't like it, as it takes a LONG time, but if you're like me and only have a few razors, it's not bad. Now, with that said I have been drooling over the naniwa 12k, and am looking to acquire one of those as soon as I can so who knows? I may have a completely turned around opinion of the PHIG in a few months..........

Note the differences in opinion ????

By their very nature natural stones create this, all natural stones are different, even stones from the same mine or quarry can be hugely different in honing ability... It all comes down to what stone mother nature tosses yer way....

Here is a bit more reading on the PHIG in particular

http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...nese-hone.html

I bought a nani 12k to replace my PHIG, and I will never look back. Much faster, consistent results, known grit, much better overall for me.