Thread: belgian pyramids?

After it is HHT sharp, I use yellow to finish. it's grit size may vary a bit, but is said to be around 12K. Blue is said to be about 6K.

So I still think yellow is the ideal finishing stone. In fact, several people here use it for finishing.

I've noticed a lot of variability too Ivo, but I always assumed it was a question of grind, steel temper and so on. About ten passes on a hollow filly, forty or more on a TI wedge.

Originally Posted by Bruno

I used blue and yellow for pyramiding.
YMMV but for me, the blue was dog slow. Granted, my edge was gone, thanks to my own mistakes, but it took me over 5 hours to get it back to HHT sharp.

Is this normal? The other night I brought a DD satin wedge from ebay dull to shave ready. I went from hard white Ark to blue belgian and then to yellow. I spent about 45 minutes each on the white and blue, max.

Originally Posted by Bruno

After it is HHT sharp, I use yellow to finish. it's grit size may vary a bit, but is said to be around 12K. Blue is said to be about 6K.

So I still think yellow is the ideal finishing stone. In fact, several people here use it for finishing.

It is a fine finishing stone, indeed.

I am not using it as my last stone, because often I get even smoother edges when I follow it with CrO2 (and sometimes Escher a/r Yellow and b/e CrO2)

I was just asking if people find that different razors require a widely varying number of laps on the Yellow after passing HHT from the Blue (or - for example, Norton 4K / 8K) - as little as 10 and as much as 40 or more to get a smooth feeling edge

Cheers
Ivo

Originally Posted by dylandog

I've noticed a lot of variability too Ivo, but I always assumed it was a question of grind, steel temper and so on. About ten passes on a hollow filly, forty or more on a TI wedge.

Hey Dylan, the interesting thing for me is that sometimes a wedge would take relatively few laps. It makes sense, as you suggest, that this is where temper comes in (e.g. a hollow Friodur might take more laps; in fact, my Friodur passes HHT off the rough hones but I still have not gotten it smooth-feeling for shaving after many laps on the Yellow ) I guess even comparing wedges to wedges and hollows to hollows (carbon) I still experience more variability than I would expect...

Originally Posted by dylandog

Is this normal? The other night I brought a DD satin wedge from ebay dull to shave ready. I went from hard white Ark to blue belgian and then to yellow. I spent about 45 minutes each on the white and blue, max.

I think this depends on where you start. When I remove *deep* chips - I don't even want to think how long it would take on the Blue to get that new edge (on a wedge) HHT sharp. I have gone to paper or Norton after hours on the Blue so I understand how it's normal

Cheers
Ivo

Originally Posted by izlat

I think this depends on where you start. When I remove *deep* chips - I don't even want to think how long it would take on the Blue to get that new edge (on a wedge) HHT sharp. I have gone to paper or Norton after hours on the Blue so I understand how it's normal.

Yes, but assuming you remove the chip and cut a fresh bevel with something else?

Originally Posted by dylandog

Yes, but assuming you remove the chip and cut a fresh bevel with something else?

I have done this. 1000 can remove chips (depending on size) in minutes. I have even ground whole blade length for huge chips with a Dremmel I have read, however, honemeisters opinions against both approaches.

I have also used Norton. And I have tried Blue only - just to experiment. Ops, just remembered I once used a Lithide - now this was something I won't repeat for chip removal

I think Bruno just chose to stick with the Blue, that's why he's quoting such long hours

Cheers
Ivo

Originally Posted by izlat

I think Bruno just chose to stick with the Blue, that's why he's quoting such long hours

Well, that was the first time I ever honed a razor, and I also had only a blue / yellow natural belgian combo.

If an edge is truly gone and you only use the blue stone, it takes a very long time, but I did not have any choice at the time.

Now I also have a norton 1/4, and there is a 4/8 on its way.
With the 1K, it would have been a matter of a minute or less.
Really, If you have never used a 1K norton before, I suggest you try it with a real knife / axe / whatever before you touch it with an actual razor.

If you don't you might suddenly discover that your 5/8 full hollow is a 4/8 after a couple of passes.

Bruno,

Reading your comments about the Norton 1K made me rush over to leevalley.com and buy one. I spend way too much time taking out big ol' nicks, so I hope it cuts as fast as you say.

Josh

Right,

with my ebay purchases it makes sense to get Norton 1K - but as it is I am trying to stop as I have acquired enough (or more, really) already

1K sandpaper works pretty well - IF you don't get more microchips later (but I guess you never know before you actually do this)

CHeers
Ivo

Originally Posted by izlat

Right,

with my ebay purchases it makes sense to get Norton 1K - but as it is I am trying to stop as I have acquired enough (or more, really) already

1K sandpaper works pretty well - IF you don't get more microchips later (but I guess you never know before you actually do this)

CHeers
Ivo

I have tried 1K paper as well, but it doesn't hold a candle to a 1K Norton.
The norton is also easier to work with IMO.