Griffith Shaving Goods and 1Stone Black Shadow Slate

[Steve56]

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.

I always like to say that Thuris are a half-baked Ark. And that’s a good thing.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Matt says you can also use oil and that oil can be cleaned off should you want return to water. I have tried both water and oil on my Vermont slates and prefer the oil - and the oil cleans up great using Dawn. Hint.

 

[Wid]

I prefer oil when using slate stones

 

[cotedupy]

I always like to say that Thuris are a half-baked Ark. And that’s a good thing.

Very good... I'll be stealing that one!

 

[PittViper]

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.

I have the Black Shadow. I've found it not completely flat, and needs lapping. I have a double time dual grit flattening stone. Will this work for the BS?

Thanks.

 

[Empire straights]

I have the Black Shadow. I've found it not completely flat, and needs lapping. I have a double time dual grit flattening stone. Will this work for the BS?

Thanks.

I would think so, I don't know how hard the slat is though.

 

[Empire straights]

I can honestly say every time i get something from 1stone or Griffith Shaving Goods it's just an absolutly phenomenal stone. Great companies.

 

[Possum092]

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.

50 laps! Seems like a really high lap count…a SS SR blade?

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Kind of depends on the stone. 50 laps would be madness on a synth, maybe just right on a slate like this, and a just a good start on a finisher-grade ark.

 

[Wid]

50 laps! Seems like a really high lap count…a SS SR blade?

Not high at all, it’s not a very abrasive stone.

 

[Possum092]

Not high at all, it’s not a very abrasive stone.

I’ve got some very mild stones, but I‘ve never had to go 50 laps to refine a SR edge. I am glad it gives you a very good edge…it surely better if you have to put in that kind of work.

 

[Wid]

I’ve got some very mild stones, but I‘ve never had to go 50 laps to refine a SR edge. I am glad it gives you a very good edge…it surely better if you have to put in that kind of work.

If you read in the beginning Steve says he did 40 light laps to finish. So it’s not an unreasonable amount.

 

[Possum092]

Kind of depends on the stone. 50 laps would be madness on a synth, maybe just right on a slate like this, and a just a good start on a finisher-grade ark.

Guess I am blessed to have good stones, because I’ve never needed anywhere near that many laps with any stone for a SR blade; natural or synthetic. Most laps I used in recent memory was taking a hatchet to a razor sharp edge for shaving. Even that was less than 50 finishing laps.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Guess I am blessed to have good stones, because I’ve never needed anywhere near that many laps with any stone for a SR blade; natural or synthetic. Most laps I used in recent memory was taking a hatchet to a razor sharp edge for shaving. Even that was less than 50 finishing laps.

You work with what you've got. I don't hone for a living so speed isn't really my top concern, but even so, 50 laps is what, 2 or 3 minutes?

 

[JPO]

I did a short unscientific test/fooling around with my new Black Shadow stone.
I did one dilution on a Coticule, followed by a light slurry on the black shadow. The bevel was deliberately flexed a little during the slurry work to create some concavity in the edge (the coticule is flat by the way). I finished on clear water. As can be seen in the image, this creates what appears as a micro bevel.

This is the black shadow edge with undiluted slurry.

This is after 15 laps using WD40.

The black shadow seem to work quite well with slurry. I don't think the WD40 passes did anything to improve the edge.
In terms of comfort, I think the coticule did a better job. However, I need to shave test the razor to see if this is a comfortable and sharp edge. Based on the image I can clearly see that the black shadow edge is sharper then the coticule, but I am not sure this gives a better edge.
This is the first time I use both these stones, so I need more time to make any conclusions.
One observation is that the slurry did not seem to negatively impact the edge. It did however improve the honing feel.

 

[Calou]

Nice edge for a first shot @JPO.
With undiluted slurry, I get the same result as you.
With some perceverance, slurry dilution and running water you can get something like this (before stropping)

Under running water, take your time. It's a Zen stone

 

[JPO]

Nice edge for a first shot @JPO.
With undiluted slurry, I get the same result as you.
With some perceverance, slurry dilution and running water you can get something like this (before stropping)

View attachment 1697668

Under running water, take your time. It's a Zen stone

I think the result is also affected by the surface condition. I just lapped the stone with a atoma 600 plate. It probably helps to condition the surface better when the stone is used this way.
Do you find any difference in the results from different surface conditions?
That seems to be a nice edge.

 

[Calou]

I think the result is also affected by the surface condition. I just lapped the stone with a atoma 600 plate. It probably helps to condition the surface better when the stone is used this way.
Do you find any difference in the results from different surface conditions?
That seems to be a nice edge.

I am using a tired atoma 400 for the base and nagura surface condition. With Atoma 1200 the liser had more difficulty to come.
The work with the raw slurry then the dilution will pose the finest conditioning of the stone for the passage under a trickle of water. Under running water the stone is slow. I put a little weight on the blade.

Yes, the best edge I can get with this steel. On the image, it is at its maximum finesse.

 

[marv]

It feels like Thuringian, but more sticky. Using it with a little slurry removes that stickiness. An easy stone, but slow (as you would expect slower with oil). so start with water and slurry mixed and you can finish by mixing slurry and oil. I think using it with oil-slurry adds a bit of smoothness compared to water-slurry mixed.

I don't think it's a very special slate. I tried Llynn Melynlynn, Welsh Thuringian or PHIG Chinese 12k (if you bought a good one) etc. in similar price range. The results I got from that stones were better. I'm not comparing it to German Thuringians. I don't think they are in the same league.

In conclusion, I'm not saying it's a bad stone. Did i like it? yes but as someone who has used a lot of slates, it didn't impress me that much.

 

[JPO]

I am using a tired atoma 400 for the base and nagura surface condition. With Atoma 1200 the liser had more difficulty to come.
The work with the raw slurry then the dilution will pose the finest conditioning of the stone for the passage under a trickle of water. Under running water the stone is slow. I put a little weight on the blade.

Yes, the best edge I can get with this steel. On the image, it is at its maximum finesse.

I gave it one more attempt, starting with some some slurry, and diluting to clear water. This dovo razor, at this acute bevel angle is at it's limit in my opinion. The arm hair is now treetopping a little easier.
These results are quite similar to what I get on another unknown slate.

I will try to use it after a synthetic stone to see if the preceeding coticule had any affect on the results.

For the price think it's a budget friendly alternative for someone who wants to try a natural stone.