Thread: Do I need a specific type of whetstone to hone my razor?

Originally Posted by gssixgun

At a $40 max

Get the King 1/6 .........

ps: The very thought of using Sandpaper to set the bevel on a SR sets my teeth on edge like fingernails on a chalkboard

If you get get P2500 grit SiC wet/dry sandpaper, it is similar to a 2000 grit Japanese stone, but because the SiC is a different than the AlOx in most Japanese stones, the scratch pattern may be different. For someone who can afford a Japanese stone, I certainly recommend that; but for someone on a tight budget, high grit SiC could work for bevel setting.

I'd like to add IMO that comparing a straight to a De blade is not apples to apples. You are comparing apples and oranges really. To say a straight is not shave ready you need to know one that is and one that is not. Just my 2 cents I wish you all the luck on your journey

Originally Posted by gssixgun

ps: The very thought of using Sandpaper to set the bevel on a SR sets my teeth on edge like fingernails on a chalkboard

I'm prone to agree, but I have no idea what he has access to in Honduras. I was in 'do what you can with what you have to do it with' mode.

That said, no idea why the rather cost effective King 1/6 didn't cross my mind...

Originally Posted by Marshal

I'm prone to agree, but I have no idea what he has access to in Honduras. I was in 'do what you can with what you have to do it with' mode.

That said, no idea why the rather cost effective King 1/6 didn't cross my mind...

I found the King for as low as $28 with free shipping, but I doubt that free shipping will apply to Honduras so he has to search it out..

They are a pretty common Knife stone and even Tool stone, I actually found a 1k in our Co-Op in the Boonies for $15

Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

I'd like to add IMO that comparing a straight to a De blade is not apples to apples. You are comparing apples and oranges really. To say a straight is not shave ready you need to know one that is and one that is not. Just my 2 cents I wish you all the luck on your journey

Yeah, I've heard there is a difference. I was just comparing the experience because I assume a shave ready razor is really smooth. I can't deny tho that my technique with SR is VERY sloppy so that definitely has an effect on how I might think a "shave ready" razor is. Specially if I haven't seen a shave ready SR

Originally Posted by Marshal

I'm prone to agree, but I have no idea what he has access to in Honduras. I was in 'do what you can with what you have to do it with' mode.
That said, no idea why the rather cost effective King 1/6 didn't cross my mind...

Yep, Honduras is a country that sells whatever is en vogue, we have the latest turbo ultra jetson supersonic mach 3, but you can't find a DE blade, DE razor, shavette, SR, strops or stones. The smallest grit I've found is a 1000k at DoIt Center and the package had an axe on it haha

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I found the King for as low as $28 with free shipping, but I doubt that free shipping will apply to Honduras so he has to search it out..
They are a pretty common Knife stone and even Tool stone, I actually found a 1k in our Co-Op in the Boonies for $15

I think I will get one of those. There is no free shipping to Honduras but a company can bring me packages from the united states for 6$ per lb.

All this said, I think it's fair to update you all
Before the forum went down, I honed the SR on my "12K" stone (We're assuming it's a 12k stone) I had no electric tape at hand so I used a couple of transparent tapes segments stacked one on top of another in order to simulate the thickness of the electric tape.
I think I did around 120 laps on every side. I shaved the next day and the experience was interesting, smoother than ever before but not smoother than with my derby blades (I know, SR != DE) Still, it was the best attempt I have ever had with this razor.

I decided to see what had changed at bevel level (Using an improvised magnifier... I KNOW! I should get proper tools) and found that the 12K stone had, in fact, improved the bevel... but the tape had been too much and it was a micro-bevel within the bevel. And the one made by the 12K stone was REALLY thin. I'm not sure if I'm making myself clear I hope I am.

Anyways, Since the forums were down and I was deep in the learning process, I went to... you know... get myself a micro mesh 3M sandpaper... *FlameShield on* and followed the instructions found on a thread in this forums. I agree it's a technique that should be done only by advanced users BUT it was a really enlightening experience.
This are the things I learned
1. The electric tape is not only used to protect the spine, it serves as a medium to set the bevel. The more tape, the broader the angle (and probably the less useful it will be). I also could notice that, before moving to the 12k stone, the tape was worn a little.
2. This kind of sandpaper is quite good to polish the metal (obviously)
3. This is (on a different scale) the same process as using a 2K stone, is not meant to sharp the blade but to work on a new bevel. I now understand the use of lower grit stones.

After a some laps (done with as little pressure as possible and with a stropping motion) I noticed a stain that was in the bevel was gone, so I moved to the 12K stone not before replaing the tape.
At this point, I had not noticed the effect of the tape on the bevel so I just replaced the tape and then started to sharpen just like the day before.
This time, a micro bevel was still there but it was much better because the difference between the worn tape and the new tape was minimal (but still there) so I suppose it's better to keep using the same tape as you move between grits in order to keep the bevel level (even if the tape worns).

Today I will test the results (yesterday I had no beard at all since I shaved that day) and I will decide if I should do some more laps or not... you know, just to keep practicing. The king stone is now a must and I will probably not touch the blade again until the stone arrives.
All in all, this has been a very interesting experience. I am the only person I know in my country who wetshaves (Besides the owner of the company I work for and he won't hone my blades... heck I think he prolly buys a new blade just as I buy new DEs), that does not mean I am the only one but one thing is certain: I can't rely on having someone else honing my blade (or blades if I ever get more) so the best I can do for now is to work on my skills, equip myself better and share my experiences in order to improve my techniques (not only the honing ones but also the shaving ones) and be ready for when I finally get another blade or when I finally meet another wetshaver from Honduras in need of help.

Well, if you got the bevel fully set most it should need is laps on the 12k until it stops improving. It's a pretty slow stone. When using it to finish off an 8K stone I'll do 100 laps on pure water, and another 100 on a thin shave lather.

If I were coming off the sand paper equivalent of a 2k home, I'd probably make as thick a slurry as I could with the rubbing stone and work the edge while diluting to polish away the 2k stria.

You mentioned that you noticed that the tape had worn a little. As that happens, the spine gets closer to the hone and the edge lifts away from the hone. To prevent this, you need to occasionally replace the tape to make sure that the edge is contacting the hone.

Thank you all for the advises and sorry for the lte update.
As you might expect, sandstone + stone had unsatisfactory results. I had a little hope that this would be not the case, but I knew it was a fool's hope.

Now, today I was on a local store and found a japanese 6k stone. Pricewise is the same as the King but I do not have to pay for the importing and I don't have to wait for a month... But I don't want to jump into the water just because it says "6000 japan"

Have any of you have any info about the Suehiro sharpening stones? Specifically, this one:
Suehiro 6000 Grit Sharpener Knife Hone Sharpening Japanese Waterstone Whetstone | eBay

why not just send it to a pro and learn to shave right,,, then you,ll know Tc

I've got a good 1k/6k lapped King that I am willing to donate if that is an option.