Thread: Slurry????

Ok, Maybe I should be posting this in the Newbie section, but I leaned more towards this section.


I've read a quite a few posts that refered to slurry on a hone. I get the idea that it is some sort of paste? Possibly made up from the stones grit? What exactly is Slurry and when/where and to what extent is it used? Is this something that is important to know?

-Billy

My hone is a Japanese water hone which came with a seperate smaller stone to create a slurry.

I soak both stones for about 15 minutes then rub the smaller stone over the top before use. this creates a thickish slurry (paste) that helps with honeing. If I don't do this the stone cuts at half the speed. Just my 2c.

I'm sure there are others on this site that could explain it better

By definition a "slurry" is a liquid mixture of water and an insoluble solid material. Waterstones depend on the formation of a slurry to do the actual work of cutting and polishing. Norton sells a "Prep Stone" to speed the slurry making process for use with their waterstones. I hope this helps.

Jim

Originally Posted by Billy

Ok, Maybe I should be posting this in the Newbie section, but I leaned more towards this section.


I've read a quite a few posts that refered to slurry on a hone. I get the idea that it is some sort of paste? Possibly made up from the stones grit? What exactly is Slurry and when/where and to what extent is it used? Is this something that is important to know?

-Billy

Your new Norton combo stone don't need slurry. Just a 10 minute water soak.

Nenad

Thanks for the info guys... Its good to hear that I dont need to do even more work to my nortons to use them =P

-Billy

couple suggestions for your new norton 4k/8k

- go out to home depot/lowes and buy one of those flat marble tiles. they have isles full of different kinds the are all about 1' x 1' square..pick one that is a flat top to it, smooth top and buy it to use as the surface to flatten your new norton on before you start working on blades. the marble tile will only cost u 2 or 3$. put some 600 or 800grit wet/dry sandpaper on it.. wet the paper and soak your stone then draw some pencil lines on the stone then rub the stone on the paper on the marble tile till all the lines are gone.

- when i buy an ebay restoration blade where i have to sand the entire thing and clean it up. i do use a slurry on my 4k side of my norton to start. i got a nagura stone from woodcraft.com.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=242

soak the 4k, then put some drops of water on top of the 4k and take my dry nagura stone and rub some circles on the 4k which builds a slurry (a mud like paste on it). then i do some honing passes with the slurry only on the 4k side. after hard restoring on blade, it needs more work then a touch up and thus the use of the slurry. so maybe i do 15laps on the 4k side with the slurry. then rince off the blade and the norton, rub the norton with your hand to get all the grit off it. then start my pyramid honing without any slurry. wipe down my nagura stone, let it dry for a tad then put it away. it will last a very long time.

i don't own any grit lower then the 4k and thats prolly why i like the results of starting with a slurry on the 4k. it works alot faster.

thats my use of it. hope that helps.

~J

Originally Posted by jscott

.......i don't own any grit lower then the 4k and thats prolly why i like the results of starting with a slurry on the 4k. it works alot faster.

thats my use of it. hope that helps.

~J

If I want to baby a ebay razor does this sound like a good plan (to accomodate my noobness):

.make a 4k slurry
.do 2/3s the laps you propose
.make a 8k slurry
.do extra laps to get my skills up

....than start the pyramid?

To establish the initial bevel, I'd do about 20-40 passes on the 4k (depends on how sharp it initially was and how delicate the grind is), another 20 or so on the slurried 8k and then move on to the pyramids.

i personally have found it worse to baby any ebay razors i have restored/sanded etc etc. i've found it harder to evenly hone a blade if i baby it thru and end up with the heel sharp but the tip dull or visa versa ...something like that is harder for me personally to fix. so i don't baby the first time thru for that razor. also i changed from straight honing (my hones are all large enough to accomodate my razors straight) to now using X-Pattern always. i have found i can control the pressure of the blade more evenly this way which in turn also helps me from having uneven sharpness heel/toe.

just spend 5$ and buy another razor and practice on that one over and over, all you like cuz you don't care about it. hone it... then go run the edge on some wood or something then hone again! whatever floats your boat.


what i used on my last restored ebay.

Norton 4k (YES slurry) - 20-25ish laps
Norton 4k/8k Pyramid (NO slurry)
..5/5
..4/5
..2/5
..1/5
..1/5
Norton 8k (NO slurry) - 12ish laps
Chinese 12k( NO slurry) - 35-40 laps
Strop Linen side - 25 laps
Strop Leather side - 45 laps

Booyah!!! ohhhhhhh, it was sharp.

but thats just me. hope it might help you
~J

What I do to an Ebay razor or a new razor is to
1. Evaluate the edge of the razor for nicks and bevel development by using the thumbnail test. An old razor will have an oxidised, rusted, weak edge that must be honed off until you are back to good steel. A new razor will probably not have a well developed bevel. This must be created.
2.Tape the spine with electrical tape
3. Develop a slurry on the 4K
4. Hone until the nicks, oxidised edge and poor bevel are removed. Use a 30X or greater microscope to view the edge and monitor your progress. You are done with this stage when the bevel extends all the way to the edge. Under the microscope this appear as a uniform color for the full width of the bevel. If it appears as a two tone color then you have two bevels, the old and the new. There should also be a uniform scratch pattern for the full width and length of the bevel.
Also use the thumbnail test. You should feel a uniform amount of "draw" cutting into your thumbnail for the full length of the edge. If it is not then go back to the hones until it does.

This stage is where the foundation of the razors edge is developed. It is the most important part.

Hope this helps,