Thread: The C-Nat-athon

I had a lot of trouble with it so I put it aside

Standardizing a progression w/ a natural stone is, ah, questionable. There will be alot of variations in the stones. You guys that get smoothness in your edges from the cnat are very lucky - most report crispy/harsh edges.
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It was my finisher for 7 months, and the value is very high w/ the stone. I'm not sure the value is there while learning to hone, apart from the price. Learn enough tricks, and you can get fine edges, but that's not the person just learning.
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My stone is one of the crispy ones, requiring further refinement to tame the harshness. I'd raise a very light slurry to begin with, do 40 circles each direction, each side, then 50 x-strokes. I would dilute the slurry, using a stroke that undercuts the water/slurry and scoop up slurry on the blade and save it off in a tupperware container. Add a few drops of water and repeat the 40 circles, 50 x-strokes. Sometimes it would take 2-300 strokes before I started using slurry & circles. When I had enough slurry saved, I'd reconstitute the slurry in the cup and paint the surface of a linen/cotten strop and give the blade 5-10 strokes on the slurry-painted strop to tone down the harshness. 'Worked moderately well. Tylerbrycen can tell you about the edge. 'Wasn't as good as a jnat or thuri, but gives a decent shave.

Thought I'd try my Chinese stone with a slurry finish as I've not tried that before.

1. Razor edge dulled on edge of stone
2. half strokes then x-strokes on a King 1k until it cuts leg hair nicely, I don't count laps at this stage
3. half strokes then x-strokes on a King 6k
4. clean off 6k then 30 or 40 laps on water
5. 100 or so laps with slurry on Chinese stone, diluting to finish.
6. 60ish laps on some Tony Miller latigo

Decent shave but not as sharp as I like. I think I need to work a little better with the slurry. I'm going to take it back to a water only finish on the Chinese stone, which is what I'm used to, and then do some touch ups on light slurry to see if it helps or hinders.

I've got another smaller Chinese stone which I should give another shot as a finishing hone, it's been living in the bathroom as a touchup hone for a while now.

Razor is 6/8 Gong hollow grind, if you put it near a strop it starts to sing. Same stone above and below - flash on, flash off.

The shave was really smooth I enjoyed it I can't wait to get that kinda of edge with my c-nat stone

It's a very interesting stone to get to know the personality. It's based on luck if you end up getting a decent one or a high end finisher. From the people I have talked to they range from having a grit of 8-15K (comparison as naturals don't have grit ratings). They seem to range in color from whitish grey to black. I feel lucky because mine is jet black, surface feels smooth as glass, and has a very silky feeling like pushing milk over a glass plate and leaves a polished scratch pattern close to a 15k. Leaves an extremely keen edge rather than smooth but 60 laps on canvas smooths it right out, then 100 laps on horse hide. I'm actually very impressed with the edge it leaves.

I lapped both sides of mine tonight. Previously I had done only one. That side is of uniform color, grey to me. I noticed the other side has a pattern to it. Black and grey swirls. This has got me thinking, [Watch out!] has anyone noticed a difference from one side to the other?

Tim

Originally Posted by 32t

I lapped both sides of mine tonight. Previously I had done only one. That side is of uniform color, grey to me. I noticed the other side has a pattern to it. Black and grey swirls. This has got me thinking, [Watch out!] has anyone noticed a difference from one side to the other?Tim

The first one I bought was grey on one side and the other side was slightly lighter grey and had blue streaks in it. This stone was not even close to being a finisher.

Mine looks really light gray when dry and just kind of a slate color when wet. I've only used mine as a touch up stone so far, and it does leave a keen edge. However it's easily tamed with linen and leather. I haven't honed a razor up and used the c12k as the finisher yet. Probably do that this weekend then report back on monday after a test shave... I'm having too much fun with my coticule right now.

My progression on the 1k-4k-8k I haven't hit the finisher yet but it's the same. With slurry the first set is as is. 40 circles on 1k than add alittle water, then 20 x strokes, flip stone then 20 x strokes always make sure the heal is going first. The second set is the same but without slurry and rinse lather and repeat on the other stones hopes this helps some guys out

I'm thinking I got a bad one.

I used 40 circles then 20 X on a Norton 1k.
20 circles and 20 X on a Norton 4K.
20 heel first and 20 X on a Norton 8K. At this point it was popping hairs.
Went to 20 X strokes on my PHIG. The blade was completely dull at this point. It wouldn't cut hair at all.

My stone has a small dark vein across the middle. Even after the stone is lapped, the blade tends to stick when I cross the vein.