Griffith Shaving Goods and 1Stone Black Shadow Slate

[Steve56]

Gentlemen,

I have taken an edge from the Black Shadow slate for it’s first shave and can report excellent results, the shave was smooth and comfortable. It compares very favorably to the 9-Ball slate from Glen Mercurio’s friend.

This is a French slate, reportedly quarried on private property, and seems to be described as more of a knife/tool hone than a razor stone, but Matt describes it as in the 12k - 15k range and it certainly seems to be equivalent to the Naniwa 12k. That said, I think that I can get a better edge from it, the first time out was just kind of feeling it out.

Matt recommends finishing on somewhat dry slurry and said that if the slurry gets wet, you can get stiction. He also states that finishing on clear water will polish more which sounds more like a razor finish. I bought the large one because the other two didn’t qualify for free shipping, so might as well turn shipping into stone. It needed lapping, it wasn’t flat but no big deal.

I prepped a Le Grelot Campiono to 8k with a Shapton Glass HC and then did my initial finishing using thin slurry. After I’d gotten a slate finish on the bevel, I rinsed everything off and did 40 light strokes on clear water. No special finesse, just a mostly normal finishing routine. The bevel appearance was a hazy polish, kind of like kasumi but not. After stropping, the edge tested silent HHT root out or in, but root in needed a little closer ‘hold point’ on the hair. That’s a good result for a slate, and for a first time out on a hone that you don’t know how to get the best from, just on it’s shake down trial.

I did get a flake of the corner of the hone, and hope this doesn’t mean that a wide edge bevel will be needed like the vintage La Lunes, but again no big deal. A bad image of the flake is attached below.

If you’re in the market for a nice razor slate, this seems to be one.

 

[Snurgblat]

Nice. Where did you acquire the stone? Web search is giving me nothing. Thanks

 

[haggis]

Not Steve but happen to have Griffiths on my shortcut bar

Sharpening Stones

Explore the art of sharpening with our rare & historic natural sharpening stones and synthetic sharpening stones. We offer the finest stones for honing your edge to perfection!

www.griffithshavinggoods.com

 

[Steve56]

Nice. Where did you acquire the stone? Web search is giving me nothing. Thanks

Yep, Griffith Shaving Goods or if you’re in Europe, 1Stone. They’re in the title.

 

[Matt O]

Steve…I know Rick also has been testing the black shadow with good results.

Which stone do you think is a better finisher based off of your initial impression…La Lune or Black Shadow. I almost bought a La Lune last night.

Thanks!

Vr

Matt

 

[Wid]

The Black Shadow is indeed a nice stone. My experience pretty much mirrors Steves. I came off a Dota Creek to the BS, using water only did 50 laps and got a very near mirror edge. The resulting shave was very nice.

For a hundred bucks and free shipping it’s hard to beat. Not to many natural stones in that price range that give as nice an edge. Very thuri like in feel and results imo.

 

[Steve56]

Steve…I know Rick also has been testing the black shadow with good results.

Which stone do you think is a better finisher based off of your initial impression…La Lune or Black Shadow. I almost bought a La Lune last night.

Thanks!

Vr

Matt

Hey Matt,

The modern purple La Lune edge is certainly sharper, but the edge is also more ‘bitey’ than from many other stones, it’s very smooth, but it cuts the tops off of bumps if you aren't careful and you have red dots. I have a vintage ‘blue moon’ that’s a little more civilized, lol.

The Black Shadow edge seems smoother and more forgiving while still giving up a great shave. Keep in mind that this was my first try and I did not use any special finishing routine like higher or lower pressure, a bazillion light polishing strokes, etc.

Probably what you will like will depend on your skin and beard, but right now given my face I’d probably go with the Black Shadow just for comfort and non-finicky honing and shaving.

 

[Matt O]

Hey Matt,

The modern purple La Lune edge is certainly sharper, but the edge is also more ‘bitey’ than from many other stones, it’s very smooth, but it cuts the tops off of bumps if you aren't careful and you have red dots. I have a vintage ‘blue moon’ that’s a little more civilized, lol.

The Black Shadow edge seems smoother and more forgiving while still giving up a great shave. Keep in mind that this was my first try and I did not use any special finishing routine like higher or lower pressure, a bazillion light polishing strokes, etc.

Probably what you will like will depend on your skin and beard, but right now given my face I’d probably go with the Black Shadow just for comfort and non-finicky honing and shaving.

Thanks Steve!

 

[Kyle89]

Thanks for posting your experience on the stone. Been intrigued with them and is on the list when I allow myself to purchase shaving things again. Looking forward to trying one out.

 

[SilverGeezer]

Griffith always has fun rocks.

 

[lightfoot]

I’m sorry I never picked up one of their Vermio hones…

 

[Tomo]

Worth buying if you already have some nice Jnats, Arks, Thuris and Cotis? Is this edge special or unique in some way or simply a good budget option?

 

[Wid]

Worth buying if you already have some nice Jnats, Arks, Thuris and Cotis? Is this edge special or unique in some way or simply a good budget option?

If you're interested in trying a slate then yes, buy one. You're not going to get a better edge, it's just different. I have a few slates so to add another was just adding to the collection.

 

[cotedupy]

I’m sorry I never picked up one of their Vermio hones…

These can still be bought, if you are after one. Ping me a DM if you fancy...

 

[R7photo]

He guys how are you using the blk stone
Slurry or water oil only
I own la lune stone and my copy is an amazing finisher , purchased from GSG
Using slurry or just using water glycerin yields excellent results, especially water oil or glycerin only to refresh
Just reporting as i had the la lune for awhile now,lune certainly cost more
My lune edges are smooth and sharp but more smooth and comfortable depending on how u use it,,,
Just reporting

 

[Steve56]

Worth buying if you already have some nice Jnats, Arks, Thuris and Cotis? Is this edge special or unique in some way or simply a good budget option?

@Wid pretty much nailed it, if you have the right JNat, thuri, or coti the answer is that you won’t gain anything except a different, and more experience. A true razor finishing slate is I think, not common unless you consider a vintage thuri a slate.

I’m just beginning my slate journey, and for overall range of use (as in bevel set to finish) and end results, nothing beats the right JNat or coti. The problem of course is that ‘the right JNat or coti’ can be a long and expensive journey, whereas slates and thuris are very consistent but much less versatile.

 

[cotedupy]

A true razor finishing slate is I think, not common unless you consider a vintage thuri a slate.

I have a few, though in general they do sit more commonly as pre-finishers. The big problem with slates is they tend to be very slow because the metamorphic change involved in their creation rounds and flattens the silica / quartz in them. As well as (sometimes) making the particles bigger/combined and creating larger micas - the reason that schists are generally coarser than slates.

The reason Thuris are so fine is, as you say, that they're barely really a slate - they seem to occupy a kind of liminal position between silt/mudstone and slate. I am not a geologist by any means, but I think that petrologically speaking they might be called an 'Argillite'. Just one with an unusually high amount of fine silica in it.

All of it exists on spectrums anyway, and the formation of slate involves two distinct aspects; further lithification, and thermal metamorphism. The varying extent of how those two combine, as well as the composition of initial deposits, will determine how suitable a resulting rock will be for honing.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I just learned that Matt honed the Wapienica that I recently bought on a Black Shadow. Nice, smooth edge!

 

[SilverGeezer]

I broke down and bought one of these Black Shadow stones. It needed a little flattening, but it lapped easily.
I took a Gold Dollar 300 to it with an 8k Norton edge. About a 100 laps on water, and 50 more with 50/50 water/glycerine mix.
( I use a very light hand )
The feedback was velvety with water, not too sticky, and with glycerine it was just slippery and getting more slippery.
I just shaved with that razor, It was a very smooth shave, a very gentle edge. I think I can eek some more out of this stone with the glycerine, but I am impressed for my first run on this rock.

 

[Steve56]

I broke down and bought one of these Black Shadow stones. It needed a little flattening, but it lapped easily.
I took a Gold Dollar 300 to it with an 8k Norton edge. About a 100 laps on water, and 50 more with 50/50 water/glycerine mix.
( I use a very light hand )
The feedback was velvety with water, not too sticky, and with glycerine it was just slippery and getting more slippery.
I just shaved with that razor, It was a very smooth shave, a very gentle edge. I think I can eek some more out of this stone with the glycerine, but I am impressed for my first run on this rock.

That’s almost my exact impressions of the first time out with mine. I did nothing special and used only water, but can see a burnish pattern developing so that might be a good sign.

It makes a very civil, smooth edge.