Terry is gonna put some up soon. I look for the reds to go quick. I have a red, 4 stratas and another that hasn't been named yet, seeing where it leads now.
Had a go with the Red today. On the big Wosty blade... Chosera 1k > Norton 4K > Apache Red > Apache Strata generated some slurry on the red; dilute to just water. Just water on the Strata. A very smooth-feeling edge; HHT pre-strop (a rarity for me!). The red gives much more feedback than the strata. 8/8 Wostenholm blade….
nice stone, I agree with you the feedback is more on the red but I love the strata for the final touch. I found the red to be a very fast stone. the red and strata go together and really do a fine job. Terry hit a home run with these and I hear he has some more on the cutting list. I hope he finds a midrange hone it would be nice to have a set that complemented each other from right here in the good old usa. the strata put the arkie to rest here for straights, retired to knife stone.
Honed my Testbed blade today Lightly killed the old edge with a few TNT's and then went Chosera 5-10 Light slurry raised with a well worn DMT 325 about 5 or so figure 8's 10 Swooping Japanese honing strokes each side 10 Swooping X strokes Dilute 10 Featherlight X strokes Dilute 10 Swooping X strokes Dilute maybe 7 or so finishing X strokes Strop 30/60 Linen Leather Test shave routine Arko Lather on the face using a Semogue 1305 brush minimal prep for test shaves I want to test the edge not my prep skills Results with a single Multi-directional pass were quite impressive The Aqua-Velva splash after the Cold water rinse resulted in zero string Impression of the stone after one razor, very soft action the slurry reminds me of the slurry from a really good J-nat with a silky feel to it.. Really like the action on the hone while honing Polish on the bevel under magnification is also reminiscent of a Hazy finish from a J-nat Good enough on the first try for me to move it into serious testing now Very promising
Not yet. i've only used it on a single razor. It has more feedback than the grey strata (7-8k vs 10-12k), but I've more razors to do before coming to any conclusions
I haven't taken the dive yet... on the Red that is. I have pretty good system in place and don't want to add another stone to the progression. That said, I am certainly curious and the Red is a really pretty stone. So you gents are using it in place of the 8k?
i use it between the coti 8k and the strata. fairly fast on just water that way. they are naturals so you probally aren't going to get two exactly the same. I have grown to love mine. a few strokes on each apach e is al it takes.i could shave off the red but the strata adds a bit of smoothness and seems a bit positive over the strata alone.
So I was able to hone two razors this weekend: the W&B wedge (below) and the FW Engels. Sequence: Chosera 1k > Norton 4K > Apache Red > Apache Strata With both Apaches, I started with slurry (generated with the DMT), then diluted it gradually until using just water. As Glen mentioned above, "the slurry reminds me of the slurry from a really good (J-nat) with a silky feel to it…" Having never had the opportunity to use a Jnat, the closest I can say to a comparable natural stone feel is to the Escher I've used. Silky…. Both razors took an very KEEN edge off the stones. I came away very impressed with these two Apache naturals. I shaved with the W&B and had a very comfortable, very smooth shave—considering this is by far the largest blade I've ever shaved with.
very good glad to see someone else is getting good edges with the apaches , by the way that razor is far to big for you. send it to me and I will use it. I love the big ones have several of them. beautiful razor, I never use anything less than 7/8 anymore. have one stenton over 10/8 and I love shaving with it.
I suppose I could learn to adapt to the bigger blades. I've two more waiting in the wings… I finished honing two more razors this morning using the same progression as listed above. The Wostenholm 'pipe' 8/8 and F. W. Engels 'Special' 5/8. Same silky feel to both Apaches (slurry > water). i'll probably be shaving with these two over the course of the next 2-3 days.
I have used the Apache on all my razors now and have been working my way through them day by day. I have used 10 of them now and felt pleasing results on each one. I am getting closer, smoother shaves than ever before. To me it is a big difference. Thx to my secret santa for the Apache My progression - 1k Pro naniwa, 4k & 8k Norton Combo, Naniwa 12k, Apache Strata, hard pressed wool pad with cro ox 15 strokes, Linen 40 and leather 60 or more. Just absolutely wonderful edges on all but one. My Schulze Inox did not seem to gain as much from the apache but I re did it and will try it again
AS you all may know I received an Apache from my secret santa. Mine raises a pink slurry also and like Oscar I like to go by feel ( it works for me on all my stones. Once I think it is smooth I feel good about the fact that it will feel good to my face) I have used it on about 15 razors or so now and I am a believer. Never had such close smooth shaves. Now I have not been SR shaving all that long but I do have 330 shaves under my belt and have honed a bunch of razors. The Apache rocks for me. I am not sold on the need for a red yet but may be down the road. My progression is Naniwa Pro series 1k, Norton 4k, 8k combo, Naniwa 12k, Apache, Cro Ox on hard pressed wool pad from SRD, linen and leather
Starting to get feedback from Customers which to me is the most valuable of information.. This is one I received where I got more than "Wow great edge" hehehe Hi Glen, You asked for feedback on the Dovo finished with the Apache, so here goes. .. Initially skeptical, then Impressed then Baffled. In initially thumb testing the blade, it didn't actually feel that sharp to my novice touch. I was expecting a mediocre shave from the initial foray. What was more, when I began to shave, it didn't feel like much at all. Was it even cutting whiskers? But then the surprise. What Jedi mind tricks are these? It was shaving sure enough and well. A much smoother shave than I had ever experienced with the Dovo. Don't know if I am remembering the first out of box experience correctly (especially since it was my first time straight razor shaving, period) but I think the blade initially FELT sharper. Whether or not that is actually true is the question. So in sum, I liked the Apache finish. Very high on comfort. Best, Exxxx