Anchor hone???

[Bevel Boy]

Anybody used an "Anchor" finisher from Griffith Shaving?

 

[eKretz]

I have one but haven't tried it out yet.

 

[Sando]

I was looking them over recently. I didn't find alot of reviews on them, which may or may not say something about the hone itself. There's little info on this thread. They're relatively inexpensive so I may take a shot on one someday.

 

[Doc226]

I have one and tried it a few time, it si a very hard stone, slow cutting.

I have not had time to really play with it too much. I lent it to @Steve56 to try out, hopefully he can weigh in as well

 

[Steve56]

It seemed like a competent finisher to me, I did not use it a huge amount. Maybe 8k-ish in a similar synth size. It's heavy, slightly attracted to magnets and an interesting hone to have in the collection. I do not know if there's sample-to-sample variation.

Cheers, Steve

 

[Bevel Boy]

Thanks guys. I'm looking for my first finisher. I'm going with a Naniwa 12K SS. The overwhelming majority have recommended it as a good "1st" finishing stone.
Be safe and Cheers,
Jer

 

[David]

Thanks guys. I'm looking for my first finisher. I'm going with a Naniwa 12K SS. The overwhelming majority have recommended it as a good "1st" finishing stone.
Be safe and Cheers,
Jer

Good choice.

 

[Steve56]

Yep

Cheers, Steve

 

[RayClem]

I agree with the above posts that indicate a Naniwa 12K is a suitable first finisher. The learning curve is certainly less than on most natural stone finishers. The only problem I have experienced with the Naniwa 12K is that it can cause chipping in hard, brittle steels. With hard steels I progress on Naniwas up to the 10K level and then move to one of my natural finishers.

I just recently started testing one of the Anchor hones. It is unlike other natural hones that are derived from sediments that compact into sedimentary or metamorphic rocks (shales, mudstones, sandstones, slates, etc.) The Anchor stone is comprised of cumberlandite that is an igneous (volcanic) rock. They are found in a small site in Rhode Island. They are found near the surface, so the molten lava cooled quickly producing a fine grain structure. Like all natural stones, no two are going to be exactly alike.

Because it is a different type of stone, I do not know if the techniques I use on synthetic and natural slate hones will work on the Anchor hone. My initial impression is that it might act more like an Arkansas stone than a slate, but this assumption needs to be verified through use.

I have just started playing with the stone, so I do not know whether it is going to be better than my other finishers. I did get a successful shave using a Gold Dollar razor finished on this stone. Now I have to try it on a variety of other razors with different steels, including some harder ones. I will add comments later as I experiment with the hone. For now, I can just say that it is an interesting stone worth exploring.

 

[Bevel Boy]

Thanks and pls give an update with further testing. I see myself eventually getting into naturals. I've used Arki since I was a kid with knives. Coti's and JNats have peaked my curiosity. I see myself trying several stones once I get some more experience honing. HAD has already taken hold...I'm just being patient and letting my skill catch up with my desire!

Thanks to all for their input.
Jer

 

[RayClem]

Thanks and pls give an update with further testing. I see myself eventually getting into naturals. I've used Arki since I was a kid with knives. Coti's and JNats have peaked my curiosity. I see myself trying several stones once I get some more experience honing. HAD has already taken hold...I'm just being patient and letting my skill catch up with my desire!

Thanks to all for their input.
Jer

Just remember that natural stones do not have the consistency of synthetics. Synthetics are uniform in composition and generally respond in a similar manner throughout the life of the stone. This is not necessarily true with a natural stone. You might have a stone that you love, but then lap the stone and find that it has a coarser layer underneath or you might hit inclusions. They might even vary from one portion of the surface to another. You never quite know what you will encounter with a natural, but a good one can produce a superb edge.

 

[Bevel Boy]

Thanks for the advice. Putting that away in my "mind palace" for future recall

 

[Stoneseeker]

HI

I just got one of these---very cool stone. It looks great wet! I do notice it does catch on the large crystals..