Thread: Whetstone Size. What's your preference?

I have a 9" X 7/4" coticule. I am very pleased with the width (7/4") of the stone. As to the 9" lenght, I find myself not entirely using it while honing razors. My X-stroke seems to end before it reaches the end of the stone. Of course I can make a shallower X-stroke, but when I focus on how the edge contacts the hone, I always end up doing a bit of a steeper X. Can't explain why. It's no bid deal of course, 'cause I have other uses for the stone where the extra length comes in quite handy (such as honing my long filet knife)
Nevertheless, for razors, 6" had been sufficient.

By the way, The Belgian Blue and Coticule are great finishing stones. They excel at reviving a perfect edge that dulled somewhat from everyday shaving. But if you your razor's cutting bevel is not perfect, because you went out to slaughter some cheap with it, or the ebay seller you bought it from used it as a box opener, or -more likely- you rounded the bevel during your first few learning hours of stropping, or -also likely- the razor still has its factory edge -which often has a steeper angle than the one you will be using by laying the razor flat on the hone-, then those stones will do nothing but leave you frustrated, before you establish a proper bevel first. To do so, you need a coarser stone, like the Norton 4000, or the DMT-E.
Oh, wait, I see that your razor was honed before by heavydutysg135. Then you can forget what I said about the steeper factory bevel. David will have dealt with that while he honed it.

Have fun with those stones, when they arrive,

Bart.

Long and thin is the way I like, I hone lots of wedges so I think they work better.