Thread: The C-Nat-athon

Originally Posted by mjhammer

Well, what do you know, I have a woodcraft just on the other side of town!! I might just have to pay them a visit!!

M

Tell me if they have any good deals, I have heard of them selling those stones in the stores at really low prices. Sometimes at 75 percent off on the large ones even. I have a woodcraft here but it's about 80 miles away, and to answer the other question from rodb I would say to look for dark grey to black stones with stripes or squigly lines of the same color that are somewhat hard.

Originally Posted by rodb

I'll save one or two good ones for you (if I can figure out what to buy?)!! Or maybe you're closer and will get all the good ones before me? ... lol

I about stopped out there yesterday but between me and my wife we spent to much already. If you find a good one we could cut it in half. I have a saw.

Tim

I have a theory why the softer c-nats leave lower grit scratch patterns. If they have similar composition as my stone, the stone abrades faster always releasing new and larger particles. Where with the harder ones, the chalk like particles abrade smaller without releasing new particles. Just a thought.

Razor: "Perfecto" made by Carl Friedrich Ern for the Crown Barber Supply Co.

Whetstones: used: King 1k, Norton 4/8k, C-Nat

Method: Killed edge, 40 circles to sharp on the King 1k then X strokes with a slight back hone stroke half inch before each stroke until it popped hairs nice and easy. Norton 4k light slurry 40 circles until scratch pattern was close to being replaced by the 4k. Then same X stroke until It felt desirable (counting strokes is pointless to me based more on feel) ending with just water. Norton 8k same as the 4k accept finishing on almost no water (just damp).

C-Nat finish: Worked up a good thick slurry using my method I described before. 40 circles method, did about several laps using that technique with weight of the blade pressure. Then X strokes diluting the slurry every time I would feel the blade get slightly sticky few drops of water at a time until I reached a very very thin slurry.

Stropping: 60 laps denim (works better than my canvas strop), 40 laps cowhide, 100 laps horse hide

Results: This razor took an amazing scary sharp edge straight off the stone. It would shave hairs off clean without even barely touching the skin. I only did a small shave test on my side burns as I don't need a complete shave yet. But the C-nat improved the edge a lot more than coming off the norton.

A very important characteristic of my c-nat is that mine is a very hard stone. Hard enough it does not release slurry from just the blade. Which is the key to why my stone is such a high end finisher, and why it works best ending with a light slurry. After creating a good slurry, the stone feels silky and leaves a scratch pattern that resembles a 12k. After working the slurry for a while it begins to feel slippery as the slurry particles break down much finer leaving a scratch pattern closer to a 15k comparison. So I think that's the key characteristic to why mine is such a high end finisher. It's hard enough it never releases new particles in use breaking down the same slurry particles from beginning to end. Just starting it feels silky and after the soft particles break down it feels much more buttery and slippery.

My stone is like xMackx's, super hard and it doesn't auto-slurry at all. I still haven't honed anything using my PHIG since this thread was started. I've got a razor that I'm working on right now, and as quick as the scales are back on, I'll hone it up and post my results.

Originally Posted by xMackx

Razor: "Perfecto" made by Carl Friedrich Ern for the Crown Barber Supply Co.

Whetstones: used: King 1k, Norton 4/8k, C-Nat

Method: Killed edge, 40 circles to sharp on the King 1k then X strokes with a slight back hone stroke half inch before each stroke until it popped hairs nice and easy. Norton 4k light slurry 40 circles until scratch pattern was close to being replaced by the 4k. Then same X stroke until It felt desirable (counting strokes is pointless to me based more on feel) ending with just water. Norton 8k same as the 4k accept finishing on almost no water (just damp).

C-Nat finish: Worked up a good thick slurry using my method I described before. 40 circles method, did about several laps using that technique with weight of the blade pressure. Then X strokes diluting the slurry every time I would feel the blade get slightly sticky few drops of water at a time until I reached a very very thin slurry.

Stropping: 60 laps denim (works better than my canvas strop), 40 laps cowhide, 100 laps horse hide

Results: This razor took an amazing scary sharp edge straight off the stone. It would shave hairs off clean without even barely touching the skin. I only did a small shave test on my side burns as I don't need a complete shave yet. But the C-nat improved the edge a lot more than coming off the norton.

That blade is so thin I had to look several times to figure out what I was looking at.

Razor: Winchester straight razor that my wife bought for me from a junk store. When I first saw it, I thought there was no way it could be made to shave again. However, a little work on the dremel and a new set of scales and I think she's going to be a serviceable shaver.

Whetstones: Norton 220/1k (only used 1k side), Norton 4/8k, coticule, PHIG

Method: this was the first time I've ever honed this razor, and since it came from a junk store it needed a lot of work done on the bevel. It probably took 30 or 45 minutes to get the chips honed out. Setting the bevel didn't take too long after that was accomplished. Circles and X strokes on the 4k until it felt maxed out, which didn't take too long. On the 8k, I just did slow, light x strokes until the stone went almost dry. 20 laps on the coticule with just water.

My C-nat's characteristics: Very hard and has a translucent sort of look to one side, which is the side I've been using for honing. It doesn't release slurry from just the blade, so the slurry stone has to be used if slurry is desired. Color is dark grey when dry, almost black when wet.

C-nat finish: Slurried the stone heavily with the slurry stone and did x strokes until the stone got sticky, at which point I diluted the slurry and started x strokes again. Probably did two or three dilutions. Then I rinsed the hone and ran the slurry stone over the hone one time, then did 15 x strokes.

Stropping: Did two sets of 40/60 linen/leather

Results: Blade is definitely sharp. It'll cut arm hairs 1/4 or more above skin level. I don't know if I'll shave with it tomorrow or just wait until Friday, but I'm sure it'll be a good shave. I've been using this stone to touch up razors, and they've all been pretty smooth off my PHIG. Here's a pic of the razor with the PHIG. I'll let everyone know my results once I test shave tomorrow or the day after.

I went ahead and shave tested the razor this morning, and it was really nice. DFS in two passes. My neck does have a little irritation, but that's because I attempted an ATG pass and failed. If I'd stuck to my normal routine, the shave would have been irritation-free.

After I did these other three and test shaved just one of them, which was not to my liking whatsoever, I shaved last night with a razor my friend nicknbleeding had honed for me. My little friodur 4/8 Inox. The edge he put on her I can only hope to emulate. So today, I'm going to take the Robeson back to the hones. I do believe the bevel is set correctly, I think (emphasize 'THINK') that it is just harsh as hell and needs to be smoothed up somemore. I'm going to start on the 8k and do a few laps, then move to the CNat with no slurry and just polish in it for a while. Perhaps I just have not done enough laps on her and it needs more time.

I'm hoping this experiment pans out and I just need to develop a technique on it that works. I really hope that I haven't gotten one of the not so good ones. I posted up some pics of it here earlier in the thread, so if you haven't had a chance to examine it, please take a look and give me your impressions of it. It has those red lines running through the entire stone, and i'm wondering if they are responsible for the not so great results. (Blaming everything but my horrible honing skills, hehehe). Really I'm such a rookie I'm not sure if I could tell if I have a good or bad one myself.

Hmmmm say's I....

Mike