Thread: C12K touchup

Originally Posted by Jetmech

No offense taken, just trying to understand and learn. So you think I may have dulled it a little with the slurry? Got it. No slurry next time. So what reference do you use to know when you have done enough laps on the C12K or any other finisher for that matter? Visual inspection with magnification?

Visual inspection helps me when I first receive a razor & need to hone it. Visual Inspection is used to evaluate the blade & determine how I want to proceed in the honing process, from the bevel set through finish.
The reference that I always used for the C12k & other finishers is the shave test; does it shave smoothly is what I ask myself. Listening to others before me that had a C12k, a common comment was that it was a slow finisher requiring a high number of strokes. Keeping this in mind, I experimented with stroke increases by 40 count , over a peroid of 2 weeks. I always kept another razor on standby to finish out the shave as I experimented with the C12k. With full Sheffield wedges, I found that 160 to 180 strokes gave me a good comfortable shave. Full hollows around 120 strokes.

As for a reference with other finishers, I listen to the experiences of others before me that have used finishers that I what to buy. I pay attention to their feedback & when I get that stone, I experiment with at least 2 different styles of razors. It took me about a month of experimenting with my coticule to determine how it performs, it's been 3 weeks now with a borrowed Zulu Grey to see some great shaves. My Shapton 16k was my first finisher, I bought it on day one of my shaving journey, even before my first shave. I knew that I would learn to hone my own razors from the beginning. I was fortunate enough to have enough money set aside to get the razor , brush, strop & stones. I got my first great shave off the Shapton 16k about 9 months later. I'm a slow learner.

My only advice in this situation, is do not get involved in various hair tests. Use the arm hair shave at determining the bevel, then use the hair on your face to test it, The Shave Test.

Just my thoughts.

How many strokes for touchups on C12K? I assume the 120 is for after honing?

There are no hard set and true numbers for a natural hone like the c12k. The only way of getting a number that works for your stone is to test it yourself like Hirlau did on his. A good starting point would be 40 laps. Then you test shave it . If that doesn't work come back do another 40 laps. Then test shave. You would continue doing that till you are getting a smooth comfortable shave.

Now you made a statement about crox only being for smoothing not sharpening which is not a true statement. Crox does sharpen the blade it just does it very slowly compared to other thing.

Cool! Thanks guys. I thought I had read somewhere that it's as sharp as it gets after bevel setting and that everything after is just smoothing the striations out. I thought that the CrOx was sharpening as well as smoothing. That's what I was really looking for was what works for someone else and how many strokes. I know, I know, YMMV.

Hirlau, thanks for clearing up the slurry thing. I just thought that since I read that the c12k was so slow that I'd speed it up a little with the slurry. I'll try my next refresh starting with 40 laps with just water. I've also read to use a little soap. When I was just using water I tried a little and it really smoothed it out. That shouldn't impede results should it?

Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with slurry on a C12k, it will probably speed up the cut some. I just don't slurry it. I try to get to know a stone a bit more, before I start with slurry experiments.

I don't know what to say about your soap results, maybe a member with more time on the stones can explain your soap results.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with slurry on a C12k, it will probably speed up the cut some. I just don't slurry it. I try to get to know a stone a bit more, before I start with slurry experiments.

I don't know what to say about your soap results, maybe a member with more time on the stones can explain your soap results.

Well the results were a very satisfactory shave. I just wondered if you'd tried it both ways and what your results were, or if the soap would make it cut even slower. When using mine I sometimes feel little ticks when running the blade across it using just water and the soap seemed to make that feeling go away.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

As for a reference with other finishers, I listen to the experiences of others before me that have used finishers that I what to buy. I pay attention to their feedback & when I get that stone, I experiment with at least 2 different styles of razors. It took me about a month of experimenting with my coticule to determine how it performs, it's been 3 weeks now with a borrowed Zulu Grey to see some great shaves. My Shapton 16k was my first finisher, I bought it on day one of my shaving journey, even before my first shave. I knew that I would learn to hone my own razors from the beginning. I was fortunate enough to have enough money set aside to get the razor , brush, strop & stones. I got my first great shave off the Shapton 16k about 9 months later. I'm a slow learner.

My only advice in this situation, is do not get involved in various hair tests. Use the arm hair shave at determining the bevel, then use the hair on your face to test it, The Shave Test.

Just my thoughts.

What finisher do you get the best shave from?

I hate to answer this because there are so many variables in my "best shaves".
I don't want you to take my best finisher, as a standard for you.

I can say that, as I get more experience with honing, the quality/condition of my razors play a more important part in the end result, with any of my finishers.

Sorry, I won't throw out a favorite finisher. I love all my stones.

I haven't heard of using soap with a c12k. Should work fine I would think if you like it.

Where the idea of using some dish soap in your water came from was as a substitution for oil on oil stones. Most guys here don't like to use oil on any of there stones the alternative that some found was to use the dish soap and water to mimic the slickness of oil.

I have tried it before on a new oil stone I had bought but after trying it a couple times I just found I like oil on my oil stones better.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

I hate to answer this because there are so many variables in my "best shaves".
I don't want you to take my best finisher, as a standard for you.

I can say that, as I get more experience with honing, the quality/condition of my razors play a more important part in the end result, with any of my finishers.

Sorry, I won't throw out a favorite finisher. I love all my stones.

Don't worry, I won't hold you accountable for my next stone purchase Would you at least say whether you prefer naturals over synthetics?

On a side note, I already have a King 800 and 6000 set of water stones with Nagura stone that I currently use for woodworking tools. I have a DMT that I use for lapping those. I will eventually fill in the gap with another stone and use these if/when I decide to hone my razor myself. The other (I have two) razor I will send out for professional honing so I will have a benchmark.