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So I've got a King 6000 stone and just got a 12k Chinese stone from woodcraft. I can get the edge very sharp of the 6k stone but when I move to the 12k it seems to lose its edge. I've lapped both of the stone flat and let them soak in water before honing. I've used the 12k with a slurry, straight water and dry but my edge still seems to lose its sharpness. Any ideas?
Have you actually tested the edges? The finer edge will feel smoother because the teeth created by the rougher stone are worn away, making it less grabby. As you progress past this (crox, stropping) the edge will get so fine it starts getting grabby again, but because you can't thumb test it without it sinking into your skin.
don't use slurry water should be fine tere slow hones so maybe 50 to 100 laps
6k to chinese natural (no one actually knows the exact grit, b/c each one is different) is a pretty descent size jump. You can start w/ a very light slurry for about 5 laps and dilute every 3-5 laps for a total of about 20-30; it really shouldn't be taking 100 laps to finish a razor regardless of what stone you are using. When you come off the chinese shave w/ the razor, don't strop just shave. If the edge is better then it's your stropping dulling the edge (could be too much pressure or too much slack in the strop, lifting the spine, ect.). If it is the same or worse, then look at your honing technique: too much pressure on the stone, not enough pressure to the point the edge barely touches and really isn't doing anything but grinding at the very edge of the bevel. You should have the weight of the blade on the stone, not adding weight with your hand or arm, but not using so little that the water doesn't ride the edge.
I tested it. I attempted to shave with it and it wouldnt shave. I also raked the razor up my arm without touching the skin and it wasn't grabbing or slicing hairs off. I don't have any crox but I was hopping to get the full potential from the stone before go that route. I'm still new at this so thanks for the help so far. :)
As noted, 6k to that Chinese stone is a big jump. And, as also noted, that Chinese hone is a slow one.
In order to make sure you are comparing apples to apples, do the exact same test that you use after the 6k after you go to the Chinese. If there really is no improvement, my first guess is that you are not doing enough on the Chinese.
I always used my Chinese without slurry, but you may want to start with a light slurry to help speed things up a bit. Make sure you use either a piece of the Chinese OR something that won't break down (like diamond plate or something) to raise the slurry; that way you will only have very fine particles in your slurry. You mention using it dry also, which I have never done.
Now, I have heard that there can be "bad" Chinese stones. I have never seen one, but I have only tried... less than 10.
Totally forgot, but when I saw Glen's tag under holli4's comment it reminded me. Gssixgun has a video on youtube of a one stone honing on a chinese nat. Check it out, might give you some ideas, or even give you a visual to see what you might be doing wrong. Good video whether you use a chinese or not though.
I too got my C12K PHIG from Woodcraft, I lucked out with a great hone.
I jump from a Norton 8K.
No slurry, lots of water, never dry.
I have two razors of widely different grinds, wedge & possibly a full hollow, that are maintained strictly with a PHIG.
Each was finished with over 140 strokes, to obtain a really nice shave. They are slow cutters.
My first experiences with the PHIG was around 35 to 40 strokes, not good results.
Craig "eleblu05" taught me how to get the most out of my PHIG.
**Note**
I use a DMT325 with 600 3M wet/dry wrapped around it to clean the PHIG of metal transfer every 20 laps. A PITA, maybe, but I want the most out of my stone.
I picked up another PHIG last week, can't wait to use it.
I too have the Woodcraft C12K stone. All I ever could do with it was dull the razor after coming off of the Norton 4/8K. I gave up on it and bought a Naniwa 12K instead. Now that's a stone! The Norton 4/8 with the Nani 12K is a perfect combination.
I would recommend going from the 6k stone to a hard back stropping on newspaper (my guess 30K+ grit) until the edge is noticeably mirror bright and then on to you hanging strop. Newspaper works pretty fast and will let you know right away if your 12K chinese stone is worth using and do so without spending a bunch of money on another stone.