Finishing with a Black Shadow

[silverlifter]

So my first natural stone finally arrived from Europe, and I am keen to use it to touch up a couple of razors. Not having done this before I am keen to hear any tips from BS owners, or just from other more experienced honers.

My plan is to raise a very slight slurry, just so the water is a little cloudy and then do 10 laps, add some water, 10 more laps, add water, ten more, and maybe even finish with a slight lather/water mix for a final 10.

Using slight X strokes and zero pressure.

Is this a reasonable approach to get to know the stone and how it interacts with steel?

I get that ultimately, it will be a gradual process of experimentation and shaving with the edges, but I'd like to set off on the right foot.

Thanks!

 

[Wid]

I've used mine a handful of times but never with a slurry. I used plain water and I'd say about 50 laps or so. It's a pretty fine stone and not the quickest of stones. Puts a nice finish on a razor though.

 

[silverlifter]

Thanks @Wid I'll go with that approach for my maiden voyage over the weekend!

 

[Legion]

You may want to check it for flatness, and lap it if it is not 100%. Even if it is, it probably wouldn't hurt to lap it on 600 grit paper before use.

 

[silverlifter]

You may want to check it for flatness, and lap it if it is not 100%. Even if it is, it probably wouldn't hurt to lap it on 600 grit paper before use.

I will definitely check. Nicolas, from 1Stone, assured me that it would not be necessary, but I added an 800 grit diamond plate to my order anyway...

# Edit: just checked, it does need flattening...

 

[Tomo]

Interested to hear how it goes.

 

[Steve56]

I didn’t use slurry with mine, just jumped off a Shapton HC 8k to the Black Shadow.

 

[dabrock]

I just got one of these delivered a couple of days ago and the maiden voyage was smooth sailing. It reminds me a lot of Pierre La Lune but not quite as keen, although that could be due to not being as familiar with it. I enjoyed honing on it and the shave it produced was smooth without any tugging. I also found that it was easy enough to flatten using 400WD paper, which was nice since I recently flattened a black ark and that was tedious and needed SiC powders.

I hope your first experience with it goes as well as mine did.

 

[silverlifter]

Well, it wasn't much of an improvement: the edge is still quite toothy and uncomfortable. I'll send it out to be honed by someone that knows what they are doing, and try on a more forgiving blade. The bottom of the learning curve is always something of a struggle.

 

[Steve56]

You’ll get there, it’s all practice and muscle memory.

 

[dabrock]

Well, it wasn't much of an improvement: the edge is still quite toothy and uncomfortable. I'll send it out to be honed by someone that knows what they are doing, and try on a more forgiving blade. The bottom of the learning curve is always something of a struggle.

Do you use a loupe or microscope at each stage to inspect your edge? If not it would be helpful to grab at least a good loupe so you can find out when the blade is chipping.

I hear you there! It took me a month or two of regular honing of cheap GD razors to get a decent feel for how to hone. I'm still learning a few new things here and there from both practice and various resources, but once you finally achieve that first shavable edge it will be much easier after that.

 

[silverlifter]

Do you use a loupe or microscope at each stage to inspect your edge? If not it would be helpful to grab at least a good loupe so you can find out when the blade is chipping.

I didn't this time as I wasn't honing by progression, only touching up an edge set by a pro some months ago that I have maintained on pasted balsa strops.

I will take a look at it under magnification, though - that's something I should have thought of myself. Thanks!

 

[Southbound1]

So my first natural stone finally arrived from Europe, and I am keen to use it to touch up a couple of razors. Not having done this before I am keen to hear any tips from BS owners, or just from other more experienced honers.

My plan is to raise a very slight slurry, just so the water is a little cloudy and then do 10 laps, add some water, 10 more laps, add water, ten more, and maybe even finish with a slight lather/water mix for a final 10.

Using slight X strokes and zero pressure.

Is this a reasonable approach to get to know the stone and how it interacts with steel?

I get that ultimately, it will be a gradual process of experimentation and shaving with the edges, but I'd like to set off on the right foot.

Thanks!

Hey man,
Just hang in there. I have been honing for going on 5 years and dont have it all figured out, IMO nobody ever figures it all out in the game of honing .There's some really knowledgeable people here and i value several of them. There's also a few jack•••••, who dont encourage, but the total opposite, just go the opposite direction and dont listen to them.. Honing can be easy, but also can be difficult, but its not some unattainable skill, its just that razor's with difficult issues, like warps, geometry issues etc, those can be a pickle sometimes to figure out.

You will get there if you dont give up. You will figure out some razors cannot be honed, period, even by the most experienced honer, that usually comes with issues with being overground at the factory, or poor heat treat. Yes an overground razor that's thinner or thicker behind the 'edge thickness ' can be honed, but it will never look pretty, i dont care who hones it. If you ever get or buy a new production razor and its overground in the center of the 'behind the edge thickness ' send it back to the vendor for a replacement or refund, because they sometimes ain't cheap. One could tape the heel and the toe portions of the edge that aren't overground, and add two layers to the spine and work the middle section, on the side of a bevel setting hone until you make contact with the overground part. Then you would have to remove tape from the spine and the edge and blend things together, and the end result wont be pretty, but it will.shave.

 

[Wid]

I didn't this time as I wasn't honing by progression, only touching up an edge set by a pro some months ago that I have maintained on pasted balsa strops.

I will take a look at it under magnification, though - that's something I should have thought of myself. Thanks!

It could also be the razor. If it's a vintage one with a a lot of wear then the odds are not in your favor unfortunately. I see you're not in the US, if you were I'd send ya a razor

 

[Darth Scandalous]

It could also be the razor. If it's a vintage one with a a lot of wear then the odds are not in your favor unfortunately. I see you're not in the US, if you were I'd send ya a razor

This, and it also could need a little more than a finisher to get it back in business. @silverlifter I don't remember what if any other stones you have but I am often happiest with my touchups if I do a few laps on my 8k before going to the finisher. Especially if the apex shows any toothiness at modest magnification.

 

[dabrock]

I didn't this time as I wasn't honing by progression, only touching up an edge set by a pro some months ago that I have maintained on pasted balsa strops.

I will take a look at it under magnification, though - that's something I should have thought of myself. Thanks!

That's why these forums are invaluable!

 

[silverlifter]

This, and it also could need a little more than a finisher to get it back in business. @silverlifter I don't remember what if any other stones you have but I am often happiest with my touchups if I do a few laps on my 8k before going to the finisher. Especially if the apex shows any toothiness at modest magnification.

Thanks again. Yes, I'm thinking along the same lines. I don't have any mid-grit stones, nor the skills or confidence at this point, hence my decision to send it off to someone who does.

I can keep learning on my other, much cheaper, razor.

 

[albsat]

@silverlifter

I am learning about stones and strops recently. As I am based in Europe myself, do you have a link about the finishing stone you are talking about? Thnx

 

[silverlifter]

As I am based in Europe myself, do you have a link about the finishing stone you are talking about? Thnx

Sure: Black Shadow 12000 - 15000 | 1STONE Black Shadow - https://www.1stone.fr/produit/black-shadow-12000-15000/

 

[RayClem]

How does the Black Shadow stone differ from the French La Lune?