advise requested waterproof lacquers for hones

[ehv]

I read somewhere that it is advisable to protect your hones with waterproof lacquers.

I have some questions about it. Do you do this? Is it only advisable for natural hones like coticule or also for synthetic hones like shapton glass stones? Can simple transparent nail polish be used as a lacquer?

A lot of questions, but I hope you can give me some good advise.

I was lucky enough to acquire a pierre de la lune (only for good razors) and I want to preserve the stone and keep it in good condition.

 

[Tony]

I Don’t think that you need lacquer to protect a pierre the la lune. You could use nail polish to protect a label if that’s the case with your hone, I have done that in the past with the labels of Escher hones.

Usually you only use lacquer with the Japanese natural hones. Synthetic hones usually don’t need any protection like lacquer.

I would love to see a picture of your newly acquired hone

 

[Hellas]

I only use it to seal the sides on natural slate stones. Water can cause bursting there. Transparent Nail polish is sufficient.

 

[ehv]

Yes it has the label.

 

[Robgtt99]

I’ve heard a lot of people using cashew lacquer.

Don’t know how good it is.

 

[SammieM]

The cashew is very good, but near impossible to get in Europe. The shipping restrictions prevent it being shipped airmail because it is flammable. I used clear nail polish on my stones and does a nice job, although not as nice looking, it is functional.

 

[iamryan]

Earth Paint "Cashew" Laquer in the USA is so much more affordable than the stuff in the small can in the USA.

Marine Spar Varnish is excellent.

 

[Steve56]

Cashew is getting hard to find in the US also. Marine spar varnish is excellent, I have had good results with the Minwax ‘helmsman’ product. I tried the Earth Paint cashew, it’s very thin compared to traditional cashew and it is a little thinner than spar varnish, but does a good job too.

I doubt that you need it on coticules, but I have waxed the sides of coticules as have other that are more experienced coti people than I am. A layered water stone like many Japanese stones should have the sides sealed especially if there are any layer cracks. A lot of jnat folks do not like to lacquer the skin, as the colors and other properties of skin can tell you something about the mine, layer, etc.

Sealing the sides of layered water stones probably originated in the days when these stones were kept in unheated shops and any water, especially in cracks, could damage a stone if it froze.