Llyn Idwal/Grecian/Charnley—A Outstanding Finisher-And Looks As Good As It Hones

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by Timwcic, Dec 6, 2018.

  1. Timwcic

    Timwcic Well-Known Member

    This stone moved quickly up my list if favorite hones. A wild find a few weeks ago. It was a ugly duckling when found but lapping revealed what I believe is a Llyn Idwal. A beautiful stone, light olive/turquoise green with dark green swirls, clouds, streaks and dots. It measures in at 2” wide and very long 13.5”. Every time I use it, the edges keep getting better. For the first time on a Puma, I got a frosted shiny bevel that look like pictures of bevels off Japanese Naturals by the best Honemisters. The Puma, which was shaving comfortably, that was last finished on a Escher had its edge improved upon. I started using only half the stone doing circles and x-strokes. I thought let’s try using the whole hone. What I think gave me this edge was long slow heel leading strokes, 45 degrees with the blade in complete contact. About 40 strokes and was treetopping every arm hair on contact. Hit it on Kanayama #3 leather and one of the best SR shaved I had, sublimely smooth. I think back, I almost did not buy. I picked it up and put down several times. Said to myself, I don’t need another POS slate then HAD kicked in and it went into my bag. I hit the lotto of hones. I have a few stones from around the world and the only one a can compare this to that I have is Novaculite. Has the same silky glass like feedback with ever so slight sensation of grit. One thing the stone does not like is water. Does its best work on oil.

    First picture when found, next two after lapping and last doing its magic on the Puma

    49E17454-98E2-4F04-ABB5-620C7D782E7F.jpeg C1BF09FC-4E8A-496A-AB26-0A2C85BF019B.jpeg DA5EF896-5EFD-4640-A0AA-11513F9C37C4.jpeg D0C0C76A-F166-4B84-A20B-1177EF5CB318.jpeg
     
  2. TestDepth

    TestDepth Well-Known Member

    That is beautiful! Great to hear the performance matches the looks. Congratulations on that find!
     
  3. Heljestrand23

    Heljestrand23 Well-Known Member

    That’s wonderful news, and as I said before, it is gorgeous!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  4. oscar11

    oscar11 Well-Known Member

    Nice find.
     
  5. Chuck Naill

    Chuck Naill Well-Known Member

    Beautiful stone. Congratulations.
     
  6. SevenEighth

    SevenEighth Well-Known Member

    That's a beautiful looking stone.

    My HAD got out of hand last year. I haven't had time to do justice to some of the stones including two Llyn Idwals that I picked up cheap. I've used both of them but never really got into them. I am still trying to place how I would use them.

    How would you characterise yours in comparison with a Charnley Forest or a Yellow Lake?

    My gut is saying to use a progression of:

    Gwespyr
    Dragons Tongue
    Llyn Melynllyn
    Yellow Lake
    Llyn Idwal

    Or should they replace the Yellow Lake in the progression? I guess I would characterise a yellow lake as a poor man's Escher. That might be be true with water but then I have also heard of very fine edges from them if using oil.

    And maybe the reason I have not been blown away by the Llyn Idwal so far is I've only been trying it with water.
     

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