Arkansas Convex Hone

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by Edison Carter, May 3, 2019.

  1. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    The soft ark is thirsty ... are you soaking?
     
  2. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    I have come to a few conclusions on the convex soft ark, translucent convex ark

    * the convex ark is AMAZING!!!

    * I have improved on all of my best honing efforts with convex trans

    * I don’t think, maybe just for now, that I can get an edge to progress far enough on the soft/ coarse ark alone, prior to the translucent.

    * you need a pretty advanced edge for the translucent to really shine

    I think you need at minimum a very good 10k like edge or better 12-14 +..... before the translucent. And my coarse ark cannot get me there yet.
    I’m going to run a few chef knives, maybe even screwdriver on it tomorrow to try and refine the coarse stone

    In the mean time I’m going to use my whatever progression of hones I have to get me to 12k plus. Then transition to the convex translucent.

    I’m also curious to try a mid level ark some thing in between the coarse and the translucent.

    I hope to finish my master granite concave tile on Sunday.... and convex some other stones ......
     
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  3. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    3rd shave on the ZY 430, different edges each time.
    New - Et Tu, SS & Star Jelly AS
    Simpson Emperor 2
    Convex Arkansas combination hones

    [​IMG]

    Freshly honed for the best edge yet for this bent sorry excuse of a shaving device. The packing document even called it a 'make up tool'. The first edge courtesy of ZY's very own honemiester. The 2nd was the best I could do on the Naniwas without grinding the bejeebers out of it. Took almost forever, but I got an acceptable edge to shave with. First time this one made it to the end of shave. I'm going to keep working to further refine this edge.

    I heard so many nice things about the Brut copy 'Et Tu'. Being the Brut fan that I am, I had to order some. Nice stuff, but it'll set you back $$$. Marketed as smelling closer to the original than what is commonly available these days. I can't really remember that far back, but it isgood. Anyone looking for a balm type AS that isn't greasy, this is good. Has alcohol too, which I like.

    Happy June gang!
     
  4. basil

    basil Well-Known Member

    Having some great success with the convex ark.

    As long as the blade is shave ready the ark has made it better.

    This blade was maintained on a coti for years before I bought a jnat recently. The jnat brought up the edge to make it much sharper but just as smooth.

    The convex ark has made it slightly sharper as well as keeping it just as smooth. DC180F95-6919-403D-A110-1F4969750054.jpeg
     
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  5. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Nice looking blade.

    ..
     
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  6. basil

    basil Well-Known Member

    Thanks! The ti Le grelot blades are my favourite. I have 4 of them that I rotate through.
     
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  7. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    Interesting.

    My thought process is that a convexed stone would hone at an angle slightly more acute than a flattened one, making for a difficult transition.

    Assuming your bevel was set on a flat, may I ask, how much effort was used on the convex to finish?

    Also, what is your honing lube.

    Doing kitchen knives, many times I will compound bevel because it extends the edge life. I wonder if we got something like that going.

    You got me wanting to experiment.
     
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  8. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    Apologies for jumping in here

    On another forum jarrod addressed the flat to convex issue, basically said it’s fine, but convex to convex will be better. Ans states more effort going convex edge back to flat.

    I basically I am not using my coarse convex except for kitchen knives for now, I feel like it is a bit to coarse but is breaking in , but that is another issue....

    So all my convex ark edges, which are spectacular, were started on flat stone progression and finished with convex translucent black ark. I mentioned one in another thread here where I achieved my sharpest edge ever recently. coti >> convex trans ark

    I have been taking my previously flat hone edges, direct to convex ark. These were previously finished on Coe arks, film, coti. I have found It is no great effort to finish on convex ark, yes more strokes than other finishing stones. But I think that is the.partly the polishing nature of a trans ark. definitely more strokes than flat finishing stone. For some reason it is much easier to use advanced lapping strokes/ techniques, back and forth, circle laps, speed, swiping etc etc on the convex vs flat. I think the convex ark allows and un-complicates the more advanced lapping techniques. At first it was meticulous, straignt lap, x stroke, Rolling x, then with my “beater blade” tried fast stroke, and more complicated strokes as a experiment and found the convex accommodated. I'm getting close to a slow version of the lady in the dovo video.

    While in cooking school and cooking professionally I experimented with compound bevel angles (didn’t know it by that name then) . I ended up finding single bevel and frequent steel use is king, but I did use a more acute or more obtuse bevel angle for certain knives and for certain pirposes. I have thought about the compound bevel issue as it applies convex stone. I’m hypothesizing that there are no compound bevel issues with flat to convex honed edges because of the curve vs linear hone. And if there was a negative compound condition it is gone once the edge becomes sharp.

    As for lube i’ve Tried, no lube, ballistol, ballistol water, Ballistol/water/soap, water, glycerin, soap and water. I haven’t come to a conclusion on what is best yet. But my best edge has been with light coat of ballistol only
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2019
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  9. basil

    basil Well-Known Member

    The convex bone will change the edge angle slightly. Going from a flat stone to the convex one isn’t much of a problem I did maybe 100 laps. Used sunlight dishsoap and water and also ballistol with water to hone. Gave each a try to see which I preferred more.

    The problem with a convex hone is trying to go back to a flat stone. When going back to the flat stone you will have to spend a little extra time to work out the different angle. That being said I haven’t tried going back to a flat stone with this razor yet, just repeated what others have said about that.
     
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  10. basil

    basil Well-Known Member

    He said what I said. Only better lol
     
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  11. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    I'm going to have to play with that some. The bent ZY was very difficult to get a bevel set on flats. Much easier for me to get on the ConvArkie soft side.
     
  12. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    I would think that it would difficult to do a compound bevel freehand. I use a rod guide system which makes it easy and repeatable.
     
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  13. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    I have gone from a convex TO a flat for a touch up without an issue.
     
  14. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    I had to learn to 'let the stone work' on the bent up ZY. My earliest tendency was to do the manipulation moves like a flat.
     
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  15. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    I’m questioning the dual convex ark
    I’m not doubting the value of the convex
    Just the idea of a 2 stone process
    I finally got my convex coarse stone useable after burnishing with kitchen knives and the the stem of a box wrench.
    And tried going from bevel set on the soft/ coarse to finish on the convex trans ark. I spent approx maybe 3x the time on the trans ark and only just passable results.
    I went back to progression of stones then convex trans ark, and got a spectacular edge.
    Traditional thinking would never have you jump From a 1K stone to a 12k+ stone
    Not to mention I consider the trans ark mostly a polisher vs a cutting hone

    Curious if any of you dual convex ark owners are using the 2 stone process only ?
     
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  16. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    Tried to bevel set a boker king cutter on a convex soft, I think this one is stainless, which I understand is harder, can anyone confirm?... could not get bevel set. Went to standby king 1000, was able to set bevel, Then coarse convex, and trans convex. Got it popping leg hair, shave test pending.

    Pleased that I ‘m closer to 2 convex ark stone hone! I’m going to write this one off to hard steel. Was happy I didn’t need more stones in honing progression
     
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  17. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    I moved from my King 1000 to a Norton 1k. World of difference, in bevel setting. I started to enjoy bevel setting, after the switch.
     
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  18. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    It took me a while for me to learn the king 1k.
    How is the Norton better?
    Are the Norton combo stones with one 1k The same as. 1k only?
     
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  19. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Much much faster, and consistent.
    I now use the King 1k after the Norton 1k, and before the 3k. It seems to work nicely.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2019
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  20. basil

    basil Well-Known Member

    I keep telling myself I need to get a 1k stone!

    I recently bought an atoma 1200 that used for setting a couple bevels. Did the trick but I’m pretty sure it’s not the best choice.
     
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