Beginner hone to maintain edge

Hi folks, I purchased a few straights and am enjoying the shaves so far. Not as comfortable as my DEs, but its getting better. I am about 40-50 straight shaves in. I am looking for a hone but need some advice. Let me state my goals for this hone to get better information. I sent my razors to be honed by a professional. I am just looking to maintain the edge and prolong sending them back in. I do not mind periodically sending them in to a professional to be checked out and have the bevel reset or the edge straightened. But I am hoping to only send them in once a year, or longer if possible. So I just need something to bring the edge to life more than stropping. I am not looking to offer honing services, restore blades, etc.. (baby steps)

I checked out the SRP Library and a Barber hone is recommended. I have seen a few but don't really know what to look for.

So here are my questions.

Is this goal possible to accomplish with one hone?

What kind of hone will work for this purpose?

What should I look for?

Would you recommend a barber stone or another finishing stone?

Thanks again for any help

Gabe

I have been on this journey for 7 years now. I am lucky enough to have several finishers; stones above an 8K.

I started 2 weeks ago with a test for myself. The test is to finish & maintain razors with a single stone.

I choose a Coticule 5 inch, a gift from my barber(he maintained his razors with this same stone, before laws required him to go disposable blades.).

The other stone was a Norton 4/8.

I took 2 PIF razors that I receieved about 3 weeks ago & they came (Shave ready) from guys here that can produce a smooth shaving razor.

I didn't even test the edges, but removed the edges with a Norton 1K on both razors, then I used a Norton 4k to lift the progression to a 4K level.

I then finished the one razor with the Coticule ; the shaves were smooth but required me to revisit the Coticule the next day.

Three days of growth between shaves. The second time on the Coticule, was a very good shave.

The modern Dovo finished on the Norton 4/8 was a great shave. I simply just stared at my collection of high grit finishers.

Bottom line;

It's in the hands of the honer. A Norton 4/8 will produce & maintain a fine shave.

*** Forgot to mention , stropped on a Neil Miller.*****

Hi, Gabe. I would recommend the SP-491 12k Naniwa Specialty stone (formerly called Super Stone). A great finishing stone recommended by many here. The old ones came mounted to a plastic base with rubber feet while now they require a stone holder (~$15 or so). Good luck!

While I have a few hones above the 8K that I like to use: I've said this for years and I'll say it again. "If I were to drop and break any of my higher grit hones, I could easily live off of an 8K edge. However if I were to drop and break my Norton 4/8K hone, I'd eat peanut butter sandwiches day in and day out until I could afford another 4/8K".

There is absolutely nothing wrong with an 8K edge and I mean an 8K edge/not an 8K edge that's been stropped on CrOx or such. Plain and Simple.

Just my two bits.

If I could go back, and I already had a honed razor that just needed touching up here and there I would go with either a coticule, decent Jnat, or a naniwa 12k stone with maybe a naniwa 8k stone.
If you go coticule or Jnat I think you might get edge you like better but I dont know how they would be for learning how to hone razor. If you do go Jnat or coticule make sure you buy from trust worthy vendor. I think only downside to coticule/jnat is you wouldn't get as much honing area unless you spend like 200-300. Although I just started using a coticule and jnat. I also haven't been honing forever so maybe listen to one of the more experienced guys. Another plus to natural hones is I don't think you need to lap them as often as synthetics.

Thank you for the recommendations. I was really hoping to stay around $50. I know JNATS are good, but they seem small unless you really spend some bucks. I am not sure if I am ready to make that leap. I also do not know how to tell the differnet grits on them

CrOx bench strop and Naniwa 12k are my go to light refreshes and back to a Norton 8k about once a year.

When I started shaving I went back to the 8k more often due to bad stropping.

For touch ups really all you need is a finish hone of your choice. If the person doing your honing has many options on how the edges are finished, you could use you favourite. The 8K can make nice edges. Also going to a meet will help a lot in learning some of the more subtle things and give you a chance to see and learn about many of the different options.

Well, if price is an issue, then trade for an 8K or 12k. Go to the B/S/T and let them know what you want. Deal with a member that has been here for a while. Trade them something you have for a stone.

If I had 50 bucks, I would either go for a really good barber hone, or hope someone has a 10k/12k naniwa they are willing to sell for that price, should be able to get one for 60-70 I would think. I don't have any experience with barber hones so I can't say much but I think it is easy to over hone using them? I could be wrong though.

However if you just want to make straight razor last longer before sending it in for a hone I would look into using chromium oxide. If your strop has linen put it on back of that and when the razor starts to tug I think just 5-15 passes on the Cro side of linen strop and it brings edge back to life.

If you are wanting to spend the least amount of money possible I would look into chromium oxide, if you are wanting to learn how to hone your own razor and do it all yourself then barber hone/naniwa 10k/12k depending on what deal you can get.

And finally you could just buy another razor, maybe from B/S/T. You will get to shave twice as long before needing to send the razors in! will just have to pay twice as much for the honing though :boohoo:

Thanks gentlemen. It seems the Naniwa 12K is the clear winner. I went ahead and placed a WTB post in the BST. Hopefully someone has one laying around that is't getting used.