Touching Up / Restoring a Couple of Stones

[cotedupy]

Had a little go at these two today...

On the left is a Shobudani Karasu Suita Koppa that had a fair bit of toxicity in the diagonal suji at the bottom left. I sanded quite a bit of this stone away to see how it felt a bit further down. Feeling more promising, tho might need a couple of bits digging out. Vamos a ver!

Then a Franz Swaty Two Line that turned up in a job lot. It had been broken and glued back together somewhat iffily. So I re-broke it and did a mica-coloured epoxy repair job, an idea stolen from @LJS , if I remember correctly. After a bit of flattening and sorting out it feels like I should be able to put a razor on it now. The back side at least - the front still has a couple of chips on the edge.

Coupla q.s - I'm going to run it over a bit more wet n dry, what grit would one finish at for a barber's hone? And should I be doing anything to recondition it? The stone wasn't massively dried out or anything, but should I give it some mineral oil or anything, to get it back in tip top shape...?

 

[Legion]

I'd probably take it to at least 600. Maybe 1k with the breaks.

To be honest, I probably would have left the BH in the grave and concentrated on the Jnat, but since you have come this far, lap to 1k, then try it with lather.

 

[cotedupy]

I'd probably take it to at least 600. Maybe 1k with the breaks.

To be honest, I probably would have left the BH in the grave and concentrated on the Jnat, but since you have come this far, lap to 1k, then try it with lather.

Ta! I can do up to 1k very happily, I have all sort of sanding sheets here. I kinda wanted to see how 'kintsugi' stone repair went, and if and how an epoxied break affected a stone. (And I have lots of epoxy and mica already too). When you say try it 'with lather' do you mean shaving soap lather? Is that how they're meant to be used?

Jnat could be quite a nice stone, but I imagine I'll have to dremel out that suji again tbh. It's not a razor stone anyway, so that doesn't necessarily matter, it just has a lot of suji and potential for toxicity so might still end up being more trouble than it's worth...

 

[Legion]

Ta! I can do up to 1k very happily, I have all sort of sanding sheets here. I kinda wanted to see how 'kintsugi' stone repair went, and if and how an epoxied break affected a stone. (And I have lots of epoxy and mica already too). When you say try it 'with lather' do you mean shaving soap lather? Is that how they're meant to be used?

Jnat could be quite a nice stone, but I imagine I'll have to dremel out that suji again tbh. It's not a razor stone anyway, so that doesn't necessarily matter, it just has a lot of suji and potential for toxicity so might still end up being more trouble than it's worth...

Yeah, hone with wet-ish shaving lather. They are a bit porous, so oil will get in. The old school barbers would just scoop some lather out of the mug or lather machine and hone with that. Gives a finer finish than water, without the residual oil impregnation. And it was quick and easy to do on the fly.

Should hopefully help the blade skate over the cracks more smoothly.

 

[Empire straights]

Had a little go at these two today...

On the left is a Shobudani Karasu Suita Koppa that had a fair bit of toxicity in the diagonal suji at the bottom left. I sanded quite a bit of this stone away to see how it felt a bit further down. Feeling more promising, tho might need a couple of bits digging out. Vamos a ver!

Then a Franz Swaty Two Line that turned up in a job lot. It had been broken and glued back together somewhat iffily. So I re-broke it and did a mica-coloured epoxy repair job, an idea stolen from @LJS , if I remember correctly. After a bit of flattening and sorting out it feels like I should be able to put a razor on it now. The back side at least - the front still has a couple of chips on the edge.

Coupla q.s - I'm going to run it over a bit more wet n dry, what grit would one finish at for a barber's hone? And should I be doing anything to recondition it? The stone wasn't massively dried out or anything, but should I give it some mineral oil or anything, to get it back in tip top shape...?


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I recommend mailing that koppa to me, looks ruined..... fantastic job man. I broke my favorite multicolored soft ark at work a couple days ago and part of what that broke just dissentigrated. Sad day. I glued part back together but I don't think I'll be angle to smooth the side. It'll still get a pocket knife beard hair whittling sharp though.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Run the razor over the cracks very slowly with a bit of pressure. If you feel the slightest catch, I would not use it on a razor, perhaps a knife or they make good Axe stones.

Really there are much better alternatives than barber hones for razors. Do like the look of that repair though.

 

[stone and strop]

Take it to at least 1k w/d or even 2.
If it seems dry I usually will rub Vaseline into it with warm hands for a good bit then buff with a cotton cloth to condition.
I ALWAYS use water on Bhones, never lather.