Thread: Slurry this & slurry that...on Shapton GS stones

It seems that slurries are the buzz right now and I've used them from time to time with varied success. One combination that has me intrigued and pleased is what I use on my Shapton GS progression, so I felt compelled to share it with the crew.

What you will need:
-Shapton GS stones 1,4,8,16K
-Coti or coti slurry stone
-Thuringian slurry stone
-.5 diamond leather strop
-leather strop

-1K:
I typically use my gs1k to reset a bevel, but if there is a lot of work to be done like a auction razor, frown, or chipped blade I start with a king 1k with tape until I get the blade "worked out".
-4K:
Still refining the edge: Once I get the bevel set, I work with my normal progression on the GS stones. On 4k I start with a medium slurry of coticule bbw, ten circles one way, then ten the other...both sides of the blade. I dilute the slurry solution with water to where there is a slight slurry still on the stones and then repeat the circles. Rinse the stone and then ten x-strokes. Rinse again (I use a squirt bottle and rub the stone with my fingers for the "rinse")and 10 more x-strokes, but slow and light pressure, that I call my polish pass. I know that it's not polishing on a 4k, but it's giving the best polish that stone/grit has to offer.
-8K:
We are in the polish stage now with very little edge refining now: On the 8K I start with a light slurry of coti, ten circles one way, then ten the other...both sides of the blade. Rinse and then 10 x-strokes. Rinse again where you have a clean stone and 10 more x-strokes, but slow and light pressure, the polish pass.

You should be able to strop and shave with the razor right now, the rest is simply icing on the cake.

-16K:
I take it easy one the 16K because it is an aggressive finisher. I've got a couple different ways of finishing, but we are talking about slurries. I have one of those 5"x1" thuringians that is my "barber hone" in the bathroom. It also serves as a slurry stone on the 16K. I build up a medium slurry and give 10 normal x-strokes, wipe, followed by 10 more x-strokes, but slow and light pressure, the polish pass.

-Strop
I use paddle strops. There, I said it. My stones are flat and my strops are too.

I make 20 passes each side on the .5 micron diamond strop, wipe, and then 30 passes on plain leather.

That's it...now the best part: SHAVE!!

The circles and x's "method" is not mine, but the slurry is something that I have found to be quite successful...every time. So far I haven't had a razor to not give me a good shave using this method. Try it...you will more than likely like it...

If you have a slurry method that is successful and proven, share it!
Scott

You know, it used to be so simple when we only disucussed the validity of the hanging hair test. Now before we hang the hair we have to make slurry from a variety of slurry raising stones, apply that sludge to another variety of hones, both natural and unnatural, er, manufactured, and stroke away until that magic edge appears. All these permutations and combinations of slurry, stone, and hone away have long ago exceeded my ability to either understand or enumerate.

And we still haven't hung the hair. Ah well, good slurrying, friends.

Very nice post! I think we will need to see a video of this method at some point though LOL

I love messing around with slurry on my hones. I don't own the Shapton series but I do own Nortons and Naniwas and this method works on those stones too. I have used BBW slurry on my Norton 4/8K before and it was a great help in setting an edge. When I finish on an Escher I use the slurry stone also.

I guess it all comes to what Lynn says: Experiment and Have Fun! I imagine that this would work with any stones like that Naniwa's or Nortons...it's just something that I decided to try and it worked. Now I have a escher, so there's another stone to learn in place of or after the 16K. That in itself is an experiment. I love the experiments, don't you?

You can try whatever test you wish, but it all comes down to one TRUE TEST, the shave. No other test is as true.

Almost identical for me, but I have only used a DMT or DGLP to raise a "Shapton" slurry..

Never even occurred to me to use the Shapton plates as a base for another stones slurry.. Interesting very interesting...

I will be honest here, I read on other forums when people say things like the Nortons, Naniwas, or Shaptons, give a harsh edge, then kinda giggle as I say to myself "They haven't taken the time to learn to use the stone in front of them"

You obviously have taken the time, thanks for sharing...

Glen makes a good point that I was thinking about the other day. I think letting your face adjust to the stones you own as well as your technique is what makes the biggest difference. For example to say that the Escher edge isn't as good as a coticule edge, etc or that the Escher edge isn't as smooth, vice versa. This just says to me that that particular individual that prefers the coticule over the Escher may sit in front of the coticule more and didn't invest a year on just finishing with Escher stones...this works with any stone comparison. I think this is what leads to the "norton is a harsh edge, shapton leaves a harsh edge..." mentality we see in the forums.

I used to own a Shapton 16 and I sold it because I thought the edge was bad. I only finished with this stone for a month or so before getting rid of it. Now looking back at it I see that if I spent several more months using it I may have ended up loving the stone the way others that use it all the time do. I used to think the Naniwa was harsh and left a fragile edge, now that I am using it more since deciding to give it a change I see less and less of this initial symptom. Why? Because I have been practicing on it more, that's all there is to it.

In the end I think all of these stones we use are effective and produce awesome edges, but it comes out to who wants to dedicate their time to learn them according to their tastes.

YMMV!

Originally Posted by Disburden

In the end I think all of these stones we use are effective and produce awesome edges, but it comes out to who wants to dedicate their time to learn them according to their tastes.

YMMV!

Thank you. This is about the single most accurate post I have heard in a long time.

If a person learns every stone that they have, they can get the best it has to offer (as Glen has mentioned with a giggle) ...these folks are the honemeisters. It's not about letting your face adjust, it's knowing your stuff & stones. This is why there are honemeisters, journeymen, and apprentices. I fall in the latter half, but I am steadily learning. I have figured out two methods on one set of stones and there are SOOOOOO many more stones, methods, and so on...not to mention the naturals.

I guess the key is truly knowing what a good edge is and then putting that edge on every razor you hone. I still keep a couple razors honed by pro's to reference...

Just finished honing up a Wosti using a slight variation (tools at hand vs those desired sort of thing) to this method. Great edge. thanks for the inspiration.

This is a neat idea to play around with. We sure are seeing a lot of "slurry" threads around here lately and in my mind it supports an idea I've been adopting gradually over the last 2 or 3 weeks. It's already been mentioned but:

It is NOT the stone...it is IF you've learned the stone.

Going from Shapton GS to Nani SS, and recently seeing a Master Bladesmith use nothing but a King 1k & 6K to produce insane edges (no slurries there btw) makes me respect both the differences in stones and the results that can be achieved with any of them.

That along with being reminded of my humble, yet curiously successful, beginnings using nothing but sandpaper and lil skinny Spyderco Med and Fine sticks to hone razors I think prove that the operator can make or break the stone.

For the record, this operator still "breaks" as often as he "makes". I've got a King combi stone in the mail so see what I can do with it...and I'm going to have to go back to the spyderco sticks to make sure my memory isn't fuzzy.

Having said all that, I've not played with any slurry method yet...and by-golly I'm going to have to now just for kicks.

I've often wondered if anyone got 'smooth' from shaptons (or c12k, or translucent arkies). I've had no trouble getting sharp, but that leaves me wanting.

'Would love to hear about what techniques are used to get smooth from those stones.

On the c12k, I tried slurries of varying thickness, Slurry mixed w/ crox, crox grid painted on the flip side I use for finishing (this helped some). Short of pastes and the like - what are you doing to get 'smooth'? Arkie, I've used only oil.

I know some prefer a brisk, super keen finish w/ somewhat of a scraping sensation on the skin. Is it just that preference? or can coti-like smooth be had from there stones?