Thread: Hones: where to begin?

I recommend getting your first razor sharpened by a razor sharpening professional

Honing is much more about learning a new skill than the hone itself. Trying to sharpen your own razor and shaving with it at the same time is difficult.

But disregarding that, and the money concern (it costs $20 or so to get your razor professionally sharpened), a 4000/8000 combination hone can work by itself (adding honing skill, stropping, shave technique, etc)