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Glycerine as a Honing Solution - Appreciation Thread

There are a lot of threads out there for Glycerine being used for blade protection or otherwise and the one-off people bringing it up for use as a honing solution. I stick pretty to water until I feel I have fully explored the hones capabilities with water only. I've also tried oil (both mineral and Tsubaki) and it is clear that they can kick a stone to the next level, but obviously the cleanup is more than I care to do (and all my stones smell like dawn afterwards).

So today I finally decided to get Glycerine and give it a whirl. For those of you who aren't familiar, it is derived from vegetable stock (and doesn't explode) as well as being water soluble. Out of the jar it is way thicker than I imagined it would be, but I combined it with water in a 50/50 mix in a container and put it on the stone. It has been a great experience so far with the first runs using it, I would say it feels 85% the benefit of oil - cleanup is a breeze with just a rinse of water and it has no smell - it certainly swings above the water only mark for a compatible stone. I'm curious if messing around with a different ratio could get it even close to a practical oil-like finish.

Anyway, for how well it performed and how easy it was to use I was surprised at the lack of threads online about this topic. So, I wanted to post my findings and encourage anyone who has not done so to give it a try. I think you will not be disappointed.
 
I’ve use it a lot here lately on natural and synthetic stones if I’m going to be totally honest. For synthetic stones I have not really noticed a benefit but on some natural stones the change in viscosity may be an asset. I don’t use it to try to bump edges but rather just to try to get a better friction coefficient while honing.

There are a couple of recent instances in which I moved to a natural stone directly after a 5000 grit synthetic and in less than 10 strokes there was a surprising amount of resistance on the natural stone (a Coticule to be specific). I find it extremely hard to believe that I had exhausted the potential of the Coticule in 10 strokes following a 5K. So I try to water glycerin mix and continue to home for some time with a more manageable resistance from the stone.
 
I’ve use it a lot here lately on natural and synthetic stones if I’m going to be totally honest. For synthetic stones I have not really noticed a benefit but on some natural stones the change in viscosity may be an asset. I don’t use it to try to bump edges but rather just to try to get a better friction coefficient while honing.

There are a couple of recent instances in which I moved to a natural stone directly after a 5000 grit synthetic and in less than 10 strokes there was a surprising amount of resistance on the natural stone (a Coticule to be specific). I find it extremely hard to believe that I had exhausted the potential of the Coticule in 10 strokes following a 5K. So I try to water glycerin mix and continue to home for some time with a more manageable resistance from the stone.

I find that happens sometimes with stones that may have patches of inconsistent grit levels (not necessarily saying that is what you encountered). It is like the patch of concentrated grit grabs the blade more than the rest, and feels similar to "suction/sticking" that some people look but a little different. I agree that is a case it helps a lot!
 
What kind of stones are you using?

When I started my journey, I had an aversion to using oil for honing but after a few tries I came to love it, especially on my Arks. I use food-grade mineral oil, figuring that I put the blade on my face around my lips. After honing, I wash the blade with soap and water, and the stone with Dawn. No longer a bother to me.
 
What kind of stones are you using?

When I started my journey, I had an aversion to using oil for honing but after a few tries I came to love it, especially on my Arks. I use food-grade mineral oil, figuring that I put the blade on my face around my lips. After honing, I wash the blade with soap and water, and the stone with Dawn. No longer a bother to me.
Yeah the clean up is minimal but still more than others, and I hate my stones smelling like dawn (which I dislike the smell of in general). I've tried this so far with YL Oilstones, Charnley Forests and Coticules. Seems to work pretty well across the board, though I felt Coticules responded the least to it (my coticules need as much help as they can get though for razors).
 
I'm not sure if it is just my glycerin or not, but it is always clumpy or goopy on the stone which I dislike. I've tried mixing different ratios with water and it just always comes out inconsistent and not well mixed? I have small bottles of 75/25% 50/50 and 25/75 water/gyl. Maybe I have the wrong type?
 
I'm not sure if it is just my glycerin or not, but it is always clumpy or goopy on the stone which I dislike. I've tried mixing different ratios with water and it just always comes out inconsistent and not well mixed? I have small bottles of 75/25% 50/50 and 25/75 water/gyl. Maybe I have the wrong type?
Hmm that is really interesting. To me it sounds like Glycerine mixed with something else. 100% or usually like 99.5% Glyceryine (with .5% water) should be water soluble and bind with hydrogen in the water. Mine turns from like maple syrup consistency to water depending on my ratios. I know that Glycerine is sold for a variety of beauty purposes and some of those can have other additives to increase its ability to smooth hair/skin, so maybe something else is in there causing you an issue?
 

timwcic

"Look what I found"
If keeping away from oil is your focus, Glycerine is one of the top choices. Another water soluble option is Propylene glycol. It’s food grade, added to a lot of processed foods. Works well with water and has no odor. I’ve used it on most all my stones, mixed at different ratios with water, never had any issues
 
If keeping away from oil is your focus, Glycerine is one of the top choices. Another water soluble option is Propylene glycol. It’s food grade, added to a lot of processed foods. Works well with water and has no odor. I’ve used it on most all my stones, mixed at different ratios with water, never had any issues

Any input on how Propylene Glycol and Glycerine compare?
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
It's all about the relationship between the buffering layer viscosity, the honing pressure, and the number of laps. To take a stone to the next level you need to be raising the blade slightly in the fluid column and in relation to the cutting particles so the scratches are more shallow, and increasing the lappage quite a lot. With dish soap solution, for instance, beginning where normal finishing ends, and you go literally at least a couple hundred laps at continuously diminishing pressure. Halfway through, or so, it should seem like the razor isn't even in contact with the stone. It is a balancing act that is difficult to really quantify or qualify, but when you nail it, the angels sing. Works great on hard arkies, but go a LOT more laps, and depending on the stone's surface finish, a bit thinner solution, maybe. For most synthetics, you want fairly thick but not syrupy or ropy. It is important to wash off all slurry before beginning this.

I did try glycerine a time or two and I really didn't pursue it with much vigor, but no reason it should work any less than dish soap. It may even be kinder to some synthetics than soapy or detergent type substances. I suspect it could work well with a barber hone, though I don't believe I have ever tried it.

As for simply moderating stiction for a smoother stroke at the end of a stage, when sometimes the stone will grab a razor, it will work fine. You may find that you need more laps, to achieve your desired feedback profile and edge done-ness.
 

timwcic

"Look what I found"
Any input on how Propylene Glycol and Glycerine compare?

Even though they are two different mediums, both are very similar viscosity and usability. I use straight on Washita stones and heavily thinned on H. Arks, La Lune, S.S., and Coti’s. Like anything new, mix at different ratios to find what you look for as the buffer between steel and stone
 
I'm not sure if it is just my glycerin or not, but it is always clumpy or goopy on the stone which I dislike. I've tried mixing different ratios with water and it just always comes out inconsistent and not well mixed? I have small bottles of 75/25% 50/50 and 25/75 water/gyl. Maybe I have the wrong type?
Get the glycerine from a pharmacy. It should be all liquid. Think of it like liquid paraffin or mineral oil consistency.
 
Glycerine for me was a game changer with an old coticule I have. With water and dishwashing liquid the shaves were not great. Too much tugging for my liking. The size of the coticule is 175x40. 60 laps is just right for me on this stone. It is an unknown vein. I just wet the stone and wipe excess water off. Then cover the stone lightly with glycerine. The shave is simply put sublime, and I was thinking of selling this stone before trying this. I tried it with different Coticules and although it has improved the edge compared to just water, it is nowhere as good. The other Coticules are smaller but supposedly were a razor grade when I bought them. And really on water they do me ch better than my no name coticule.
I also use glycerine with a CF stone, but wet the stone again without wiping excess water and then put 6-7 drops of glycerine and spread it around. 200-250 laps later and the edge is much better. The CF was taken to 1k finish and burnished with a cheap razor. It was hand selected by a seller who uses straights and supposedly it is very fine and hard stone.
 
BTW, I tried glycerine on the new La Lune and the results were meh. The best way I could use that stone is with Misty slurry raised with the rubbing stone provided… the edge rivals any jnat or keen coticule that I have. Very keen and smooth..
 
I don't use Glycerine on porous stones, it's a humectant and the last thing I want soaking into my synths is something that retains moisture. Plus, it doesn't float swarf out nearly as well as I would need it to with Washita or Soft Arks.

I'll use it on very hard/dense examples of Jaspers, Arks, Charns, etc. Been using it for a really long while.
It'll get the job done, for sure.

For the most part, honing mediums only alter the friction coefficient to the users liking. It doesn't change the stone's capability, it only allows the user to exploit their own abilities. If it is very thick though, a honing medium might interfere with progress to some degree. Usually this is a final-finishing thing....results will vary from one user to another. Very much personal preference stuff.

The feel of glycerine and water mixed to a certain ratio is good for me sometimes. It's a Goldilocks situation, the mix gotta be juuuuust right. I don't like most oils, and synthetic compounds feel worse to me.

In the case of softer stones, the honing medium may also facilitate clean up by allowing swarf to be cleared out. So choosing a medium may be a double edged sword for me since I don't want oil soaked stones in the house. I find machine oils, or mixes that include them, to do a better job in that regard.

Glycerine's clean up is good, there is no smell and it's cheap as chips. Win, win, win.
I can/will get finer results using a light soap/water mix on a Translucent Ark though. But it's a splitting-hairs consideration most days. The edge will shave well either way.
 
I don't use Glycerine on porous stones, it's a humectant and the last thing I want soaking into my synths is something that retains moisture. Plus, it doesn't float swarf out nearly as well as I would need it to with Washita or Soft Arks.

I'll use it on very hard/dense examples of Jaspers, Arks, Charns, etc. Been using it for a really long while.
It'll get the job done, for sure.

For the most part, honing mediums only alter the friction coefficient to the users liking. It doesn't change the stone's capability, it only allows the user to exploit their own abilities. If it is very thick though, a honing medium might interfere with progress to some degree. Usually this is a final-finishing thing....results will vary from one user to another. Very much personal preference stuff.

The feel of glycerine and water mixed to a certain ratio is good for me sometimes. It's a Goldilocks situation, the mix gotta be juuuuust right. I don't like most oils, and synthetic compounds feel worse to me.

In the case of softer stones, the honing medium may also facilitate clean up by allowing swarf to be cleared out. So choosing a medium may be a double edged sword for me since I don't want oil soaked stones in the house. I find machine oils, or mixes that include them, to do a better job in that regard.

Glycerine's clean up is good, there is no smell and it's cheap as chips. Win, win, win.
I can/will get finer results using a light soap/water mix on a Translucent Ark though. But it's a splitting-hairs consideration most days. The edge will shave well either way.
Very good point on the porous stones and agreed. :thumbsup:
 
I’ve use it a lot here lately on natural and synthetic stones if I’m going to be totally honest. For synthetic stones I have not really noticed a benefit



but on some natural stones the change in viscosity may be an asset. I don’t use it to try to bump edges but rather just to try to get a better friction coefficient while honin0

There are a couple of recent instances in which I moved to a natural stone directly after a 5000 grit synthetic and in less than 10 strokesthere was a surprising amount of resistance on the natural stone (a Coticule to be specific). I find it extremely hard to believe that I had

Yesexhausted the potential of the Coticule in 10 strokes following a 5K. So I try to water glycerin mix and continue to home for some time with a more manageable resistance from the stone
 
I have used glycerine many times but only on 3 of my stones - the only stones that need some solution and I regularly use. These are an ultra fine dans black, a norton hb6 translucent and a Zulu grey.
my other option on these is to use wd40, which I often choose to use.
I have had great results with glycerine but do find I need a larger volume than wd40. This just means replenishing with a few drops during honing.
 
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