Thread: Testing finishers

Thanks to DaveW I now have a Welsh 15k? and a PHIG as well as my Thuringian. So I am testing. I am honing up to 8k then using one finisher after another. First iteration Chinese/Welsh/German. Hands down the Thuri is magnitudes sharper and smooth as a hot knife thru butta. I am shaving the hollows under my chin and around the point ATG to assess the blade. Next will be the Welsh/Chinese/German.

Given I have a lot of time on the German and nearly no time with the others it is to be expected the German would come out ahead but I didn't think it would be so noticeable. The Welsh is notably smoother than the Chinese even given the Chinese 120 passes. The Chinese hone has only marginally improved the 8K shave. Obviously I need much more practice with them for this to have any meaning to my mileage at all and of course YMMV.

My hope is to discover something close to or better than the "magic escher" as I have the secret honemeister chant memorized. So far this is more like the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" than "Harry Potter" but I still have hope for a happy ending.

I dont understand why you are using all three finishers after 8K. You will likely overhone the razor and not get good results. Try one stone after 8K on three razors with similar steel like 3-sheffield steel blades.

IMO overhoning on a high grit finisher is nearly impossible, you will need to a lot of strokes unless you use uneven pressure on back/forth strokes.

I've intetionally tried to overhone razors on different stones, and even on the Chosera 1K I had a hard time getting the edge to break down.

Originally Posted by Zephyr

IMO overhoning on a high grit finisher is nearly impossible, you will need to a lot of strokes unless you use uneven pressure on back/forth strokes.

Try 20 x strokes on a Shapton 30K. You will have overhoned...

Originally Posted by shooter74743

Try 20 x strokes on a Shapton 30K. You will have overhoned...

That is true, but the Shapton's, and specially the 30K are extremely aggressive.

To reformulate a little: It will take a lot of strokes on most natural finishers to overhone.

Well since the common knowledge states that "finishers" only polish and these three finishers are all claimed to be close in abrasiveness it seemed logical to discover in which sequence would the edge develop progressively better. By using the same razor each time and taking it back to the 8k then starting with a different finisher and proceeding through the other two(I am stropping and then shaving the edge between stones) the differences are thus far quite clear.

As far as overhoning, it is a term I have heard often used as a threat. I don't really believe in the condition of overhoned unless it refers to the condition of an edge which is left with a feathering burr which easily breaks unevenly when put to a cutting chore. Such an burr doesn't stand up to stropping without leaving a very jagged edge which when I have been able to attain is very visible in the 45x B&L stereo microscope I use to check my edges and bevels. The only reliable means I have found to "overhone" utilizes fast cutting barber hones and many too many passes.

The overhoned edge is quickly dispatched with a strop and is very coarse indeed. When subjected to a few very light passes on the finest of hones the fragile overhoned edge breaks way and a new polished edge appears.

Maybe I am doing something wrong and I don't know how to create a proper wire edge but it has never been a problem for me. YMMV

What I am discovering is the Welsh and the PHIG are giving me edges which I abandoned as too dull weeks ago. The fault may be found in my lack of dexterity and unfamiliarity with these rocks so there may be a change in my results as time on the line increases.

They have a tough challenge tho as the Thuri gives me the edge I can comfortably shave ATG and with something less than 40 passes although I must admit I don't often count as much as check the edge as I go along.

I have some hope the very hard and smooth and painfully slow cutting PHIG might improve the Thuri edge but it is wild speculation at this point.

If there was a solid one stone fits all answer no one would bother owning so many different hones.

I love the journey it really is a lot of fun.

It just keeps getting better.

I have a PHIG finisher, rated at 15K?? buy the seller, it does help my Norton 8K edge much but be warned it does take a lot of strokes to get there!! I lost count on the last honing I did with my Dovo 'Best Quality" 5/8ths' Str8.
But I think it was in the 80 to 90 range, very very light strokes and lots of checking with the TPT.

Hope in some small way this helps,

Thanks for listening, have a good one chaps!!