Thread: what hone??

Hi,
Two of my straights were suplied shave ready and I use a Belgian coticule with slurry stone and a cowhide strop with red Dovo paste to keep them keen and shaving well.
However I do have a couple of quite blunt ebay bargains that I am cleaning up and I am pretty sure my Belgian yellow wont be upto the job. Can anyone recomend the best stone(s) to get them sharp befor finishing on my coticule? I was thinking maybe a combination stone as i dont have the cash to buy a set.
Also I am a tad unsure as to how the grit system works, what grits do what? Thanks in advance for any pointers gents!

The Norton 4K/8K combo seems to be the concensus hone for your needs. However, the Shapton series is also highly touted. You can get them from Howard at the Perfect Edge, or Don and Lynn at Straight Razor Designs. Both companies are a pleasure to do business with.

Thanks thats whatI will go for then, as soon as my bank account recovers from this christmas' rad overload

The Norton 4K/8K combo would be a nice combo for your needs. If the razors are in really bad shape, then you may need something more in the 1K range to set the bevel. It could take a very long time to set the bevel on some ebay razors on the 4K side of the Norton.

The 4/8k should do me. If I get a blade that is in that bad a shape Ill be more likely to ship it of to one of the many honemeisters on here as I have neither the skill, time or patience to reset a truly blunt edge. I just want a stone that is gonna cut better than my finishing coticule

Originally Posted by nobby

The 4/8k should do me. If I get a blade that is in that bad a shape Ill be more likely to ship it of to one of the many honemeisters on here as I have neither the skill, time or patience to reset a truly blunt edge. I just want a stone that is gonna cut better than my finishing coticule

It will do you but you will need something to flatten it and your coticule. Park the RAD and get the 4/8 and a DMT D8E 12K continuous diamond plate. You can use it to lap your stones and to set bevels and clean up ragged edges on those ebay specials.

Cool, just found the 4/8k here in the UK, its out of stock at the mo but no bother as I cant get it yet anyway. Looked at the norton flatening stone too but I supose the DMT would be better cos it would have other uses to just flattening my other hones, better get hunting for one of those next. I just know what Im gonna hear from the wife "but you already have a sharpening stone"

I wonder if ordering from the US would be a bit cheaper for you guys in the UK. The reverse worked very well for me ;-).

Al raz.

The Norton flattening stone will wear too and then be useless until you flatten it. The D8E won't wear out and you can tell the Mrs. that it is good to get the kitchen knives sharp.

Hmm cant find a D8E over here, found a eze lap superfine diamond 12k, would that do the trick? Maybe I am best off ordering from the US, thanks a bunch Gordon Brown!