Thread: Hello all, honing question....

For the best shave...is it neccesary to finish with the 12.000 thousand grit stone? is it going to add a sharper edge? , is it the 12.000 thousand grit purelly for cosmetic purpouses? please help, i have the norton 4/8 and not getting quite there, need to know if to buy the 12 or not.
Thanks for your time and help.

Sergio.
classicaly shaving.....

Welcome aboard, Sergio.. Norton should get you all the way there. Try lapping it and going with less pressure for the finishing strokes. 12k will improve the edge and make the shaves more comfortable, but you have cheaper alternatives like a paddle strop/bench hone pasted with 0.5 micron chromium oxide.

Lol what do you mean cosmetic purposes. People don't spend the money for eschers and coticules just to have a microscopic edge that looks a little better cosmetically under the microscope. Just kidding with you. Yes it does make a difference in the shave. Many people are fine with the edge right off the Norton, but there are also many people including myself that prefer the edge a little more polished and sharp. This can be achieved with finer grit stones or pasted strops. I noticed that you live in LA. I am in San Diego right now for a few weeks until I graduate college but I'll probably be back in LA after that. If you are still having trouble getting a good edge by then I would be willing to give you a lesson and let you use some of my finer grit stones.

David

Ilija has steered you true and I think another truth is that if you're getting any shaves at all off the Norton this early you're doing well. Try varying the amount of pressure you use throughout the pyramid from moderate to start, gradually easing off to ultra light for the finishing strokes, keeping the pressure even all along the edge throughtout.

Are you using the X motion or a Rolling Hone Motion or both or what?

X

Originally Posted by heavydutysg135

Lol what do you mean cosmetic purposes. People don't spend the money for eschers and coticules just to have a microscopic edge that looks a little better cosmetically under the microscope.
David

You must be new here.


And whadda ya mean eschers cost money? Randy just bought one for 2$. Kees got his one way overpriced at 27 euros or something.


But on a more serious note: It is possible to get shaveready off a Norton. I use only 5 - 10 laps on a coticule to smoothen the edge after the 8K and it's good to go.

Thanks for the offer, i would love a lesson, i really would, and yes i am using the x way of honing ( i believe i might have overhoned cause it pulls a lot, very uncomfortable.).
I am going to try with less pressure...
Should i expect the razor to get as sharp as a disposable shavette by dovo?
Should i strop after joning?
thanks again.

Originally Posted by sergiobruna

Thanks for the offer, i would love a lesson, i really would, and yes i am using the x way of honing ( i believe i might have overhoned cause it pulls a lot, very uncomfortable.).
I am going to try with less pressure...
Should i expect the razor to get as sharp as a disposable shavette by dovo?
Should i strop after joning?
thanks again.

You can definitely get a shave-ready edge off the Norton - it's all I've ever used (although I'm thinking of getting a coticule...) along with a pasted strop.

I've got no idea how sharp a Dovo shavette is so someone else will have to chime in there, but the norton will give you good shaves with some practice. Pressure is key.

You could have overhoned, but you might also have not honed enough - was it sharpish off the Norton and then degraded pretty quickly in the shave?

Most definitely strop after honing - I don't know how much experience you have, but just in case be careful when stropping that you don't undo your good honing work by rounding the edge - keep the blade flat on the strop, never lift the spine (only lift the edge), and go slowly.

James.

Just for the record I never said that you could not get a shave ready edge off the Norton. You definately can and many people do; however, there are many degrees of "shave ready" and the edge produced from a coticule or other high grit stone will be different than that from the Norton. I can get a razor sharper and smoother shaving by using pastes or coticules after using the Norton.