Thread: Proper tool box

I am just a beginner and until now I got my razor honed, so far it has been a real pleasure to shave with a straight. I got to the point that I need to go deeper therefore please tell me if I have the picture. A good tool box to maintain a couple of razors are a good hanging strop, a Norton 4K/8K waterstone and a paddle strop with different paste. Is this sufficient to achieve good result or I need something else, Am I missing anything, I don’t wont to start a honing business but I wont to make sure I have everything to succeed beside that before I take the plunge I just wont to know what kind of investment is required.

Gentlemen have a great day and by the way this board is great

Originally Posted by Norm58

I am just a beginner and until now I got my razor honed, so far it has been a real pleasure to shave with a straight. I got to the point that I need to go deeper therefore please tell me if I have the picture. A good tool box to maintain a couple of razors are a good hanging strop, a Norton 4K/8K waterstone and a paddle strop with different paste. Is this sufficient to achieve good result or I need something else, Am I missing anything, I don’t wont to start a honing business but I wont to make sure I have everything to succeed beside that before I take the plunge I just wont to know what kind of investment is required.

Gentlemen have a great day and by the way this board is great

Norm You have it. See Tony Miller about the strop and paddle strop. His stuff rocks.

I believe you will also need some sort of laping setup for the norton.

My impression is simply highish grit sandpaper on some very flat surface (glass, machined granite, etc.) can work but you will need something.

You mean something to get the Norton perfectly flat before using it with a straight?

Looks like you have it covered, thats all I have and it works great.
Lapping the hone will make a substantial difference. All I did was to soak the hone for a half hour, lay a wet piece of 600 grit wet and dry sandpaper (silicon carbide type) on a clean wet glass plate. Lay the hone on the surface and move it around making sure its wet. The patterns dont have to be huge sweepers, I used a small figure 8 and could see immediately the clouds of coloration moving in the water from the high spots coming off. Only takes a few minutes per side on a new stone. After that I would recommend rinsing the hone under lukewarm water with a clean tooth brush and a light scrubbing to remove any 600 grit that may have left the sandpaper.

Edit: use nice (flat!) glass for lapping, nothing from the old days with any waves, bubbles, etc.


Dave

I'd go with 1000 grit sandpaper. It's also much faster for putting the initial bevel on a really dull blade.

I got the picture thanks. Is this a one shot deal or it i has to done once in while

Norm.

Every once in a while. Read up on the "lapping" threads in the Hones forum. They contain lots of useful info on the procedure.

Mind if you get a razor from a member or have one sharpened by one of the great honers you can get by after that with a pasted paddle for a very long time. The paddle is easier to use than the hones

I have two razors on their way to be tuned up by an expert.... and there will be a third one in the box on the way back, someting cheap to practice sharpening. in any case will get in contact with tony to see what he has to propose to equip the tool box

Regards

Norm.