T.Hessen Bruch & Co. made for Hollinger & Allison 1/4 Hollow Big cast steel that was playing difficult, from the start. About 1/2 inch of the toe was refusing to take a bevel, but I kept at it, with the 3k stone, concentrating on that area, a little more. That did the trick. It fell into step, the rest of the way, especially when it first touched the JNAT. The Arkie Surgical Black made it shine.
M. Jung. No80 New York Made in Germany Extra Full Hollow Bone Scales Easy from the beginning, to the end. A joy to hone. Finished the same as the others above. It took a very sharp edge.
Yeppers. JNAT- Water Hones 8-12k for a really good finisher. Arkansas Surgical Black- Oil Stone around 20k+
Is there a certain surgical black I should look into. I was searching and all the ones I saw say the surgical black is a 2k stone. Also are the translucent ones more fine than surgical black. That's what I saw as well.
Surgical Blacks are Often Used for Tools..Trust Me..Mine Like @DaltonGang Suggested is around 20 K or 20 K + Finishing Capacity when Lapped Smooth for Razors & Used with Oil..The Official Grit Rating of the Stone is Neither here Nor there... This Subject has been Covered in Many Forums & Arkansas Stones are Quite Controversial for SR Finishers..Thay Dont Fit Everybody as a Finisher & they are NOT Forgiving to Honing Errors...I Put Down a 16 K or 16 K + Lapping Film Edge Onto My Surgical Black & it Will Pick it Up to 20 K or 20 K + Easy Peasy...They are Especially Good for Vintage Stainless Blades in My Humble Opinion.. Billy..
Thank you for the info. I'm going to have to get one and try it myself. Part of the fun of wet shaving is trying new things. Once I can afford to buy one can I message you for help in which one i should purchase?
Dans Surgical Black Stones are Excellent...Mine was Lapped Flat & I Just Done a Wet n Dry 350, 1000 Progression with a Tile as a Lapping Plate..I Only Use Very Light Strokes & the Oil Sucks the Blade Down for Cutting...I Only Use Mine Purely as a Finisher...I Lap it with 1000 Grit for a Few Figure of Eights after Every Use to Keep it Uber Smooth...With Water...Then Dry it Off for Honing with Oil.. Billy..
It's official. I suck at honing. I spent some time this morning with a Boker and, at first, an Arkansas Hard Oil Stone. Careful to apply even pressure; rotated on the spine. When I checked the edge under 30x magnification, it seemed that there were more and deeper hone marks. So, I am frustrated. Went back to the Norton 4/8K; followed by the Naniwa 12K, then stropping. I am applying even, but light pressure, slurry seems to move evenly across and under the edge, the edge looks bright and shiny under the loupe. I am thinking...finally! Results...Meh. I suck at this.
Try letting off of the pressure, the further you get with each stone. Finally, on the finishing stones, use little, to no pressure at all. ..
You Will Get Striation Marks on the Bevel with an Arkie...Experience Tells Ya What is NORMAL.. Billy..
Most days my edges come off amazingly sharp. Then there are those occasional days where the honing gods are frowning on me. Nothing like a bad honing day to fill you with doubt! Is my technique? isn’t it my stones?....... I’ve come to the conclusion when those bad day come around put the razor down come back to it another day.
There are less expensive trans arks out there. But may need more prep work. I understand dan’s arrive the flattest I hear others come pretty flat but not always Most will dress, lapp, finish stone anyway like mentioned above on flat surface and w/d sandpaper. I use a flat granite tile confirmed flatness with straight edge, counter top piece (free) and loose grits Recently confirmed flatness with straight edge, then lapped bottom of convex trans ark to 1200. And am debating if I’m going to burnish.
Get a Dan’s. Life is too short to lap a wonky Ark. That said, I live about a day’s drive from Arkansas and could go over on a nice long weekend and pick some up off the ground and saw ‘em up. Nah, get a Dan’s!
