Thread: Straight Razor Re-Fresher Set

Thanks shooter - so to clarify, go with the Norton or Naniwa.

I'll store the refresher kit for later.

Now, stupid question, I'm still reading, is the refresher kit just a touch up type job whereas the Norton / Naniwa is true honing? Appreciate you explaining the difference for me.

Thanks for taking the time!

You can use the Norton/Naniwa to do either.

On the "true honing" side, you can set most bevels with the 4k side of the Norton/3k Naniwa and you can polish the bevel on the 8k side of either. You should have good shaves off an 8k if done right... maybe not "the best shave ever!!", but certainly passable or DFS material.

For touching up, you can do REALLY light strokes (Glen calls them "butterfly kisses") on the 8k and be just fine. Anything else you want to do at a higher grit will most likely just mellow the edge a bit for a smoother shave.

I personally have the Norton set (lapping stone, 220/1k stone, 4k/8k stone) and a Genco barber's hone that I use for honing and touching up. I also have some CrOx spray from SRP that I got to try out and just sprayed it onto an old cotton belt I found at Goodwill (thrift store). I'm getting consistently smooth edges from most of what I've honed up so far. However, before I had the barber's hone and CrOx, the 8k still gave me a good edge.

None have compared to my benchmark razors that Glen honed for me, but they're certainly good enough!

Whatever you end up with, if you're using a Norton or Naniwa, make sure that they are lapped really well. You can get by with 1k wet/dry sandpaper and a truly flat surface under running water or you can save yourself the cobbling and get a DMT 325. I was lucky and got one about a week ago from Larry at Whipped Dog used for $20!

Originally Posted by Phrank

Now, stupid question, I'm still reading, is the refresher kit just a touch up type job whereas the Norton / Naniwa is true honing? Appreciate you explaining the difference for me.

Thanks for taking the time!

Crouton hit it on the head, either of these two stones can do both touch-ups and hone extremely well. Personally I recommend a 1K stone for bevel setting...again, Norton, Naniwa, or Shapton GS.

Shooter's dead on target (see what I did there? ) about the 1k stone... it simply cuts the bevel faster and adds convenience in honing.

However, if money's tight, you can make do with the 4k until you can add the 1k to your arsenal if you plan on honing and not just touching up. Here's an interesting read on that: http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...on-2012-a.html

If you do plan on full on honing, I would certainly advise picking up the 1k as soon as you can.

Originally Posted by crouton976

Shooter's dead on target (see what I did there? ) about the 1k stone... it simply cuts the bevel faster and adds convenience in honing.

However, if money's tight, you can make do with the 4k until you can add the 1k to your arsenal if you plan on honing and not just touching up. Here's an interesting read on that: http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...on-2012-a.html

If you do plan on full on honing, I would certainly advise picking up the 1k as soon as you can.

OK got it! Thanks for helping me out.

All my razors have now gone through a professional honing and polishing. They shouldn't need to be honed again, using a rotation, for quite awhile.

For the sake of discussion, if I was coming to the end of a razors honing, could the refresher kit I purchased give me more time between full honings?

I'm think I'm getting the impression that the refresher kit coticule's (not a natural stone ??) may do more harm than good? It's ordered, so it's on it way..

Again, thanks Gents for all your help and patience...I've read other threads not to be "afraid" or "overly cautious" about getting into honing, but I admit I am. I know the only way to learn is to get myself a cheapy, and hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go...