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
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.