Natural bevel setter

[Gamma]

I don't want to go too far off topic here. The bottom line isl the finest edges start with the finest bevel.
Simply - I get way better bevels off a 1k-ish synth. I can shave way better off my 1.5k Shapton than I can off any Washita.

 

[Seveneighth]

Dalmore yellow
Gwespyr
Cretan

Those are my three best natural bevel setters.

I have a grainy Dalmore Blue, a fast coticule, and soft ark that will all set a good bevel, but it is more work.

 

[147_Grain]

I've had good luck setting bevels with a fast hard LV with slurry, even though it lacked real estate. It cuts pretty quickly and the top-end keenness I can achieve is good enough that there's no question as to whether I'm 'there'. Also, the feel is really great, which is a nice bonus.

 

[stringer bean]

I have a mystery hone that works ok if there are no major issues that you need to work out. It would be pretty slow for dealing with chips or moving serious metal to get past pitting or cracks. I use it with a slurry generated either from a cheap diamond plate or a coticule. It gets lapped periodically with SiC powder progression on granite. It's very hard but has about 500 grit particles that release slow and aren't particularly aggressive but get the job done. It does clog up a little and get slow and glassy after every couple razors. It was advertised as possibly a Turkish oil stone or a pierre de Levant. It works fine with either oil or water. It gets the job done. I use it every once in awhile for the novelty but I prefer my Shapton Glass most of the time. It absorbs a little water so most of the time I give it a two minute soak and then work a slurry.

 

[kcb5150]

Pierre de saurat genre levant

 

[stringer bean]

Pierre de saurat genre levant

I think I bought it from you. It's a fun stone if you want to go to the all natural route. Faster than starting with a coticule or BBW. I also use it for reducing burrs between coarse synthetic stones in a chef knife progression.

 

[kcb5150]

It does remind me, la pyrenees is another stone you can add here if it hasn't been mentioned.

 

[NicolaItaly]

Amakusa Binsui stone is a Japanese natural stone that I use to set the bevel. It's very cheap stone. You must use it with slurry, it's very fast and give a very good edge, similar 1500 grit synthetic. It's hard stone so it's useful for razors.

 

[Bayamontate]

I use Suita and Amakusa to set bevels if I or the customer want to go full natural, both work well in varied situations.

 

[NicolaItaly]

Is Hindostan stone suitable to set the bevel?

 

[Alum of Potash]

Is Hindostan stone suitable to set the bevel?

I would say, no, as it is more of a mid-range hone. A no. 1 Washita is far better IMO at the grunt level. If your Amakusa Binsui stone already does the trick, why not stay with it?

 

[NicolaItaly]

only for curiosity and collecting. I have never seen the Hindostan stone.

 

[Alum of Potash]

I visited a Hindostan quarry last summer. Pike/Behr-Manning/Norton used to sell them in different grades, one of them being called "Washita." Perhaps that may imply that it was more aggressive or acting closer to a Washita. If you are based in Italy, you might check out the UK eBay site. Hindostans were sold in the British market and sometimes they come up for sale there.

 

[cotedupy]

Is Hindostan stone suitable to set the bevel?

I would say, no, as it is more of a mid-range hone. A no. 1 Washita is far better IMO at the grunt level. If your Amakusa Binsui stone already does the trick, why not stay with it?

I would say certain types of Hindostan probably could quite well...

The Pike and Norton Fastcut versions I have, as well as the 'Canada Oilstone' seem to be a slightly faster and less dense type of stone than most other Hindos I've had. Perhaps they're what 'Washita Grade' was...(?) They're faster than Binsui whilst also finishing a little finer.

NB - I only have one Binsui, but it's from Morihei so I assume is probably quite a decent example.

 

[Alum of Potash]

I would say certain types of Hindostan probably could quite well...

The Pike and Norton Fastcut versions I have, as well as the 'Canada Oilstone' seem to be a slightly faster and less dense type of stone than most other Hindos I've had. Perhaps they're what 'Washita Grade' was...(?) They're faster than Binsui whilst also finishing a little finer.

NB - I only have one Binsui, but it's from Morihei so I assume is probably quite a decent example.

As graded, perhaps this could be the case, particularly when compared to Lily White Washitas, which are finer than No. 1s. My Hindostan examples seem to be custom-cut stones and are milder than Washitas.

 

[cotedupy]

As graded, perhaps this could be the case, particularly when compared to Lily White Washitas, which are finer than No. 1s. My Hindostan examples seem to be custom-cut stones and are milder than Washitas.

Certainly, and even those three slightly unusual stones I mentioned wouldn’t be as fast as a Washita. They’re just a bit different and noticeably faster than the typical Hindos I’ve had. (As well as being softer and lighter).

 

[Steve56]

As far as JNats go, you don’t need a coatse(r) stone, just a fast one. Many of my razors finishers would set a bevel easily. Yje reason that you don’t use one for that purpose has nothing to do with function, just e onomics. You don’t use an expensive, difficult to find stone when a cheap one will do.

 

[Kyle89]

Is Hindostan stone suitable to set the bevel?

Haven't tried with mine but depending on the condition of the razor I don't think it would be impossible, if it's the right hindo. Mine isn't on the "fine" end of the spectrum in regards to straight razors, and can swarf up with a fresh surface and pressure.

With enough time and the mentality of a stubburn bulldog anything is possible, especially if it happens.

 

[NicolaItaly]

many times the difficulty with naturals is not in the bevel stone, but in finding a good stone that fills the gap to go to the finishing stone. The right stone that erases the marks of the bevel set stone, and at the same time is thin enough to be covered by the finishing stone. But I think I'm going off topic...

 

[duke762]

I can shave way better off my 1.5k Shapton than I can off any Washita.

Sorry folks, I'm slow on the uptake. I never really understood, "refining the bevel" until I read this reply in 2019. I'd been struggling with a full Ark/Natural progression for 3 years at this point. I have managed to do about everything wrong possible at this point to impede my progress. My mindset was bust a bevel on it and clean it up on the next stone, No, absolutely not,..no..no...

After reading this quote I soon had a Shapton Pro 1.5k and a big, blast of enlightenment... Within 4 months, I bought a full progression of Shapton Pro's. 1.5, 5,8,and 12k and then on to the beloved Ark finishers.

I now roll with consistent velvet squeegee's. Thank you Gamma once again!