LIGHTNING IN YOUR JNATS?

[H Brad Boonshaft]

The other day honing several razor on a Kita stone, I experience Triboluminescence or Piezoelectric effect. As droplets fell from the razor and hit the stone. The drop would light up and either dance across the stone to the edge on the sheet of slurry water, like a spark or break up into smaller droplets and then splayed out across the stone in random jagged orange/ blue pattern like fireworks or lighting.

I posted this observation on another Forum a couple years ago, and a few others experienced the same thing with Jnats

I have only experienced this on Jnats and mostly with a few of my favorite finishers, could be that I spend more time honing with these stones and just never noticed it on other stones.

It does not happen all the time with these stones, only occasionally, usually with a fine misty slurry and very wet stone. Google triboluminescence or Piezoelectric effect and you will see video of very similar patterns.

Any one else experienced this?

Edit, note. The other day when I last saw the effect, was a humid, windy day day just prior to a rain storm. I do not recall the weather on days prior or know if weather plays a part. The droplets are when I am flipping the razor, I flip edge down with the razor edge about 2-3 inches from the stone face. Don’t know if any of that matters, just FYI.

 

[Steve56]

Can’t say that I have, but I usually have a few drops of JetDry in the honing water to cut surface tension.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I wonder if it would be more noticeable if you honed in the dark. Maybe not with a nice razor, though.

 

[cotedupy]

I’ve seen PE when slurrying one novaculite with another, but never when honing. Sounds cool!

 

[musicman980]

I think I’ve experienced something like this, it’s a very cool effect. I see it sometimes when I lift the razor off the hone during the flip, and a droplet will fly out from the razor, gliding across the hone for an inch and dissolve back into the slurry. I figured it had something to do with the release of suction between the razor and hone when lifting it.

 

[Empire straights]

I’ve seen PE when slurrying one novaculite with another, but never when honing. Sounds cool!

You were pushing hard. Quartz does this and I think I've seen it when taking frustration out on arks but I usually just tell myself im drunk, because usually I'm a little drunk when I've seen it. Quartz+pressure =PE effect. I've seen it when hitting novaculite with a 4 pound hand sledge.

 

[Empire straights]

It'd be amazing to have a jnat that dropped rainbows while I'm honing. Very cool stuff.

 

[lloydw]

I think I’ve experienced something like this, it’s a very cool effect. I see it sometimes when I lift the razor off the hone during the flip, and a droplet will fly out from the razor, gliding across the hone for an inch and dissolve back into the slurry. I figured it had something to do with the release of suction between the razor and hone when lifting it.

This is what I have experienced - individual droplets skimming across the stone surface. I have not noticed the lighting up, sparks or electric effects. Maybe I need to try this in the dark