Thread: Strange Norton stone :hmmm:

Originally Posted by Philadelph

Nenad, will you post your results of using the Norton 1.25 x 5"? I'm curious if it will solve your problem.

Usually, when I use the Norton hone, I use a smaller portion of the stone, and not the whole width. That has to do with experience and habit from using other hones, both natural and synthetic, that are shorter in size. But, I have a theory how a wider stone might prevent overhoning the middle of the blade.

When the Norton hone is it's normal width, 3 inch, what happens is that the tip of the razor spends more time on the hone, and it is on it from the very beggining of the stroke, thus not allowing the pressure to be concentrated on the middle section of the blade. This poses other problems, like preventing the blade to be sharpened evenly, because no razor blade is completely straight, and when the blade is laying on a 3 inch hone, with it's whole lenght, there will be only a small portion of it in contact with the stone. Refer to this thread for more info. There used to be pictures in it, explaining my point graphically, but there gone...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/basic...-pyramids.html

When using a 1.25-1.5 inch hone, the heel and middle of the razor contact the hone first, allowing every part of the hone to touch the blade, and the pressure is more concentrated in the middle, overhoning it. I think what should be done is to force more aggresive X pattern, with a stroke ranging in lenght ot more than 4-4.5 inches, to prevent overhoning the middle portion...


Nenad

with a stroke ranging in lenght ot more than 4-4.5 inches, to prevent overhoning the middle portion...


?????

not more than

or

more than?

Originally Posted by randydance062449

with a stroke ranging in lenght ot more than 4-4.5 inches, to prevent overhoning the middle portion...


?????

not more than

or

more than?

typo, "ot" might be both "lot" and "not"

I ment NOT more than that

So... a "stroke" length of ....

May I translate that as meaning a stroke that covers a length of the hone not more than 4 1/2 "? If so, then we can add 1" to 1 1/2" to the length of the hone itself for a total of 5 1/2" to 6". Then add another 1/2" for the various sized razors over 5/8" and we have a hone length of 6 1/2" or 7" max. The whole point is to use a stroke that has the middle of the blade edge on the hone less than the heel or the toe of the razors edge. This will avoid the dreaded "frown" edge profile and consequently result in a "smile" edge profile.

Just my two cents,

The first thing I thought when I saw this was, "Why didn't you split it the other way as well"? thinking that hone was too long. What a great way to get your money's worth out of a fairly pricey stone. That'd be about 4 swaty like stones at $20 each, just what you'd expect. My main concern, and one you seem to be running into, is that new waterstones are not the same as the old barber hones and may require a different attack. Certainly the shorter size demands a more precise stroke. Something I've recognized in the 2 1/2 years that it took me to get any positive results from a barber hone at all.

X

I've always preferred hones from 1" to 2" wide by 4" to 6" long (knife or razor). Although larger is great for lapping hones.

If Norton would make one of those a factory option, I'd order my first Norton 4k/8k.

So Nenad are you thoroughly happy with the choice to cut your Norton? I'm thinking of doing it as well. Ever think of cutting 1-2" off of the length? This would make the stone 1.25/1.5" x 6/7" and would give you a smaller stone (the cut off piece) to raise a slurry if you want.

A slurry/rubbing/refreshing/cleaning stone is always useful IMHO.

This explains why I have always been confused by all the "uneven honing" talk while i was using my 2"x4" slip stones.

When honing on them the stroke is more of a 45 degree slash than a long slide.

Originally Posted by xman

The first thing I thought when I saw this was, "Why didn't you split it the other way as well"? thinking that hone was too long.

X

Yep, I thought of that, but I was afraid that the hone would be too short. That's why I opted for cutting it lenghtwise first, limit the use of one half, and see how it goes. So far, so good, so maybe I'll make 4 hones out of my Norton stone

Originally Posted by Philadelph

So Nenad are you thoroughly happy with the choice to cut your Norton? I'm thinking of doing it as well. Ever think of cutting 1-2" off of the length? This would make the stone 1.25/1.5" x 6/7" and would give you a smaller stone (the cut off piece) to raise a slurry if you want.

Yes, happy, no regrets at all, more so that it is difficult to get one of the Norton hones here, in Macedonia. I thought of cutting a small slurry stone, but I use pumice stone for lapping my Norton, and Nortons need no slurry to be effective, so I left it like that.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

This explains why I have always been confused by all the "uneven honing" talk while i was using my 2"x4" slip stones.

When honing on them the stroke is more of a 45 degree slash than a long slide.

True, just like on a barber hone... A quick run diagonally, and the stroke's done...

Once again, In my personal experience, I think the best way to use the Norton is to make 2 (or 4) stones out of it...


cheers,
Nenad