Thread: Norton 4000/8000 water stone

I am going to be buying my razor/strop/hone etc. soon to give straight shaving a try; however in advance consideration I was wondering when you have a hone such as the Norton 4000/8000 or a pasted paddel with 0.5/1/3 micron pastes or another honing device with multiple grit sides, how do you know which to use - ie. is the 4000 side nessessary prior to the 8000, do i need to use the 3 micron paste first etc.

Thanks for any help!

Eventually you'll just kinda know. In general you try to use the finest grit that will do the job the quickest. So for a quick refresh all you really need is the 1 or .5 micron, if the blade is pretty dull then you'll need to go to the 4k, etc. Once the blade is sharp you can go a long time with just the 1 and .5 micron sides on the pasted paddle.

Norton will get your blade to shave. Pastes 1.0 and finer will make it shave comfortably. Help files contain the most eloquent answers to your questions. Read up the ones on the pyramid method. We'll be here to answer your questions after you do your homework

I always like to use some combination of all of them, it's just a matter of how much of what the individual razor needs. I have the Norton, a Japanese 12k waterstone, 0.5µ Cr2O3 and 0.25µ Diamond paste. To my mind (no scope) The best edge is a complex one that has as many layers of striations as possible, some alittle deeper with smaller and smaller ones on those.

X

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Norton will get your blade to shave. Pastes 1.0 and finer will make it shave comfortably.

Lynn and a norton 4/8k combo will get your blade to shave comfortably. Pastes will just be frosting .

I'd suggest to get one razor honed by lynn and then use that as a bench mark to reach in your own honing.

X, I think you just like turning honing into a beautiful work of art,

Glen, it depends on your definition of "comfortably...." Also on the hair growth and skin sensitivity. Chromium Oxide definitely made a difference.