Inexpensive Straights, Hones, Strops, etc. for Beginners.

I received my Welsh slate stones today. 8-12-15k. @DaltonGang how do I tell them apart? The packaging was marked but the stones themselves were not and look a lot alike. ( indentical ) If anything the 15 k feels the most course. Next what if anything should I do to prep these. I was going to wet them down and work the slurry stones on each one but again I know nothing at this point.

 

The 8k is pretty smooth but the 12 and 15 have some grooves and scratches. How can I smooth them up?

 

15k on the right, the marks are fairly visible.

 

I bought my Gold Dollar shave ready and it was sharp. I do plan on having it professionally honed so that I have a known reference for sharpness. I bought it because I'm a DE man who wanted to try a straight razor and the price was not expensive (if I decided to abandon the straight razor, I'm not into it for a lot of money). I'm hoping to get better so that I can be encouraged to purchase a better razor.

 

I don't like the slurry stones. They are very hard, and just seem to put a high polish on them.I've used them many times, but now I just use them without the slurry.I probably just am not doing it correctly.I
Identification: 8k is the Dark one, and the thinnest.
12k is purplish
15k is the dark, and thickest one.

 

Btw, I relapped mine, on a flat surface, and some 400 grit wet/dry paper. The seller lapped it himself, but there was tooling marks, from a lapping machine. It only took me a couple of minutes.

 

So how did did you deal with the grooves and scratches? Or did you even have to?

 

I just shaved with a Gold Dollar tonight. Very smooth shave.
I hope it is truly shave ready. If not, the shave will not be smooth, and you could get a few nicks. Your first shave will tell.

 

Sorry asked and answered .

 

I use a DMT 325 to bring up a slurry on mine. I wrote the grits on the ends of the stones, which also helps me always use the same side of the stone. After using the DMT for slurry a few times, the grooves are gone, and the surface is much finer.

 

I'm going to work with the sand paper for now, I used some 800 wet and it helped but the 15k has some pretty good tooling marks and a decent scratch on one side. The 8 and the 12 feel pretty good. So I'm thinking palm sander or just taking the slurry stone and getting a tub of water and going to town on it. Or find a DMT and try it your way . I definitely need to smooth the 15 up. But given how fine the 12 seems I might be OK without it for now.

 

I would go lower, 400. The higher grit tends to put a polish on the stones, which cut their ability to work well.I wouldn't use a Palm sander. You need a hard, almost perfectly flat surface. You could go to a countertop store, those that make countertops, and get a small flat piece of granite. Glass works too.

 

My wife would be pissed if I started lapping my hones on our new countertop! I emailed the seller to see what he recommends. Probably a good shakedown with the slurry stones but let's wait a see what he says.

 

I am not sure, but I would not use a palm sander. You need to keek them super flat.


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Put a Layer of Lapping Film on Top..

Billy..

 

Perfect! Why didn't I think of that!

 

I probably won't do that but if you're careful and check your work it would be OK, just don't get heavy handed.

 

Och Aye the Noo..The Cavemen would have been Grateful for a Strip of Lapping Film Back in the Auld Stone Age Days..

Billy..

 

I cheated and used my Norton Flattening stone. It worked well.

 

Danger! Danger! Don't use a power sander trying to lap a hone. I tried this an undid about 8 hours worth of work with the DMT in less than a minute. I had to start all over again.

I would not recommend using a counter top. It might remove the gloss finish, and have to be refinished in that area. (You don't want to have to explain this, trust me.)

Grab a cut off piece of stone or a sample from a countertop store, and use it in the sink with your sand paper on it and running water. These slate hones are pretty soft, so I would suggest using a lower grit sand paper to start, then working up to a higher grit if you want to. That should remove the tool marks before you start polishing it. More effort on the lower grits. Honestly, I wouldn't go over 400 grit with it if you are going to slurry the stone. You are looking for a level surface, rather than a polished ones. Oilstones are the ones that need to be polished.