Natural Finish

[Bayamontate]

P.S. With both pastes and sprays, less is more, 5 or 6 laps at most. There is a post by RayMan (Ray Habyan) that's invaluable regarding this issue.

[Earcutter]

P.S. With both pastes and sprays, less is more, 5 or 6 laps at most. There is a post by RayMan (Ray Habyan) that's invaluable regarding this issue.

Thanks Bayamontate.

[Bayamontate]

I found it, Ray said,

"I have had experience with the SRP Hard Felt Strop and both .5 and .25 diamond spray.

The first thing I found out is that you can over apply this to your felt. Don't do more than 3 quick sprays back and forth. Once it dries, you will see, the first time you use it, a powder come off and onto the razor. That is normal.

The second thing is that the diamond spray was originally created for the new super-hard steels used in knive making. Someone, somewhere decided to try this product on razors and that's how it showed up in usage. The issue I have with this is that it seems to me to be just a little harsh with the soft carbon steels of the razors we use. So in order to compensate for this, one must use it very carefully. Here is my recommendation, and this is only my personal usage of the product. The strokes, on the felt, should be extremely light. Absolutly no pressure and sound like a wisp of air. Next, never more than 20 laps on the .5 and never ever more than 6 laps on the .25, fewer is even better.

Finally, the feedback I have received from users has been mixed at best. Most of them prefer not to have it used again. I seem to have the same problem with using it for myself. It produces, what I think is, a rather harsh edge. Some, however, like the stuff. Maybe you could have someone work up a sample on one of your blades to see how you personally like it. Might save you some money. Heck, I will do it if you would like.

One other thing I would recommend, since you have a Hard strop with crox, is to put 1 piece of tape on the spine of the razor and do 10 laps on the hard strop. Then do 50 on your leather. Remove the tape and try it. This is what I do with my Hard Balsa Strop and it keeps the edge going for about 3 months."

Ray

[Wid]

I've been using the .25 diamond on hard felt hanging strop and like it. Using 5 to 10 passes is normally enough. It leaves a very keen edge indeed. I suppose if one has poor technique and uses to much pressure it could be perceived as harsh. I quite like it.

[Earcutter]

Interesting - thanks again!\

I use the Dovo pastes and love them. I understand they are completely different than diamond. Just glad to know that no matter what I do stone wise, I don't have to change anything post stone.

[Pkrankow]

I typically start on a coticule, then finish on a coticule...(unless it needs heavier work, then I have a 1K Chosera) I *THINK* I get nice edges... I have had little to compare to.

I have tried using a balsa strop pasted with CrOx and FeOx. I get fair to good results. Since it is a solid substrate I find that more laps do help, and do not create harshness. I have done up to 40/40 on CrOx/FeOx and had a bad honing day turn into an awesome shave, still don't know what I was doing wrong to that blade, it honed up just fine a few weeks later. I have done lower lap numbers too, but below 10 laps on a pasted balsa strop there seems no change in the edge...might be me...

I just built a cotton belt strop for pasting, but have not tried it yet. (heck, I have not even pasted it yet)

A coticule seems to generate a very keen edge to me. I don't have to hit pastes afterwards.

Phil

[Bayamontate]

I use .25 and .125 on felt without incident, 5 laps with the lightest strokes possible.

[Earcutter]

Ok so my paste regiment is good to go - as is my Coti and strop. So here’s what I am going to invest in:

- A set of Naniwa’s (believe it or not the 1K excites me the most)

- I have a barbers hone coming in that I am going to give an honest try for a while which will also become my travel stone, unless I learn to love it, and then I’ll keep it in the routine (more on that later)

- A “finishing” stone

The Naniwa’s are easy to find and the barbers hone is being generously given to me, so all that’s left to “source” is the finisher.

Do you guys have any suggestions as to which stone a "noob to finishers" should start with, and do you have any links to a good source? Oh and what do you guys use to make a slurry with were I to want to make a slurry.

Thanks again gents... And to think I wanted to be nothing more than a one rock guy lol... Yeah right lol! If I really wanted that, I shouldn’t ever log on to this site lol!!

[Wid]

You could get some lapping film and save some coin on the Naniwa set. I find the finish is quite a bit a like. Still pick up a Chosera 1K though, it's a wonerful stone.

[Earcutter]

You could get some lapping film and save some coin on the Naniwa set. I find the finish is quite a bit a like. Still pick up a Chosera 1K though, it's a wonerful stone.

Yeah the film isn't my thing - gave it a try but it wasn't for me. Thanks for the idea though!

[Bayamontate]

A King 1K and a Chinese natural 12+\- K both totalling under $50 is all you need.

[Gamma]

I used .25 diamond spray for a good while - 200 laps on a leather covered paddle strop brought the edge to an incredible level of stupid-sharp and comfortable. And I soaked the paddle down with about 10-12 sprays the first time, maybe 1-2 spritzes each time after that. I found that this worked best after an 8k stone finish - doing the same thing after finishing on a higher grit stone produced a less smooth but just as sharp edge. A friend of mine finishes on 5k and then goes to .25 diamond and his edges are amazing.
Diamond spray was not created for the knife industry, it has been around a looooong time.
My grandfather was using 100000 mesh diamond to polish Opal cabs back in the 60s.

[danjared]

Thinking of getting a natural finishing stone…

I'll just point out that the coticule you have is a natural finishing stone and a very fine one at that. That doesn't mean that you can't try something else, but also don't let it stop you from trying to get the most out of what you already have just because there are other stones labeled as "finishers".

[Kentos]

I would also say meh to the Naniwa's. I have a full set gathering dust. I also have a coticule gathering dust too. Jnats and nagura are the hone of the month at Kentos .

But like anything else, first hand experience is King.

[jeness]

Why would you like to get a set of naniwas? Have you considered other synth setups out there? Do you have a DMT for lapping? What is your experience level in honing?

If you want to go to a natural finisher every time, than imo a 8k is totally enough at the end of the progression, if you will go tomonagura slurry for finishing. But, I have found that I like synth finishers a lot, especially the Naniwas, they are worth a shot. They are cheap compared to natural stones, and if you are going to pastes, than they give a very sharp and comfortable edge.

Just don't make the same mistake as a lot of people do here and on other forums as well, and take your time learning to use it. If you get harsh edges, (which is easy to do, because these stones are fast) than thats not a feature of the stone, its you.

The majority of people don't take their time to mess around with their synth stones to learn them, I just don't know why. Jnats and cotis are so hyped about that everyone knows that they MUST give an incredible sharp and smooth edge, and people will use them untill their nose bleeds, to reach that edge, and will buy and sell several of them if they don't get the results they were after. You can't do this with a synth, because the second and third will be the same as the first. If the hones doesn't work for them the first few times, than they sell it, and say that "synth stones give harsh edges for me", while they just didn't take their time to get smooth edges out of them.

[Kentos]

Interesting Jenes, as I am one of those who feel Naniwas feel harsh. Any advice you can give? I got really sharp edges, just harsh.

[jeness]

Interesting Jenes, as I am one of those who feel Naniwas feel harsh. Any advice you can give? I got really sharp edges, just harsh.

They felt harsh after pastes too? When I was using nanis, my 10k and 12k felt just ok after about 30 laps, coming off a 8k. This worked ok, but a few laps on linen with crox gave a very smooth shave. I had the biggest problems because I overhoned my edges every time, that was the major thing that lead to harshness for me. But that problem was easily spotted with my mircoscope, after that I knew every time what the problem was.

[Doc226]

You can jump from a Coticule on water edge straight to a tomonagura slurry then water no problem.

That's what I do.

I just didn't want to invoke nagura ADs by mentioning it but a nagura between the Coticule and jnat WOULD be nice.

Yea right, I blame you for my recent strop purchase.

As Keith mentioned, I go from Coticule (La Veinette) to Jnat (Ozuku Asagi LV5) on a regular basis. I only do so when I know I have maxed out the Coti as much as possible. From there I use a heavy Tomo Nagura slurry and do circular strokes till almost dry. Then I do just like a diluticot with a Coti and finish with 100 x strokes.

I got it from Wid

[global_dev]

I would also say meh to the Naniwa's. I have a full set gathering dust. I also have a coticule gathering dust too.

i have found that like to rotate hones every couple of months and it's nice to have variety on hand..