Thread: Hone setup help!

Hello all,
I'm getting ready to start honing my own straight, and I just need some advice on which stones to buy. I know youre supposed to go from coarse to fine to finer. I bought the good ol' Norton 4k/8k and its on its way. What stone should I buy to go before the 4k? Should I get (or rather, do I NEED) a finisher higher than the 8k? Sorry I'm sure there are a lot of threads on this site about it but I'm just looking for a quick answer. Thanks!

If you are not going to restore, then you don't need a lower grit stone and should look at finishers. A 220/1K Norton combo is pretty nice when you see a razor that just needs a little bit of work.........

+1 to the 220/1k Norton in case you need "just a bit more" than the 4k. As far as finisher, I wouldn't worry too much about one until you can get a consistent comfortable shave off the 8k. After that, maybe a 12k or 16k.

I agree since you've started with the Norton the 220/1k is a good move. The 1K is a bevel setter and the 220 can be used for restoration. You'll need a lapping stone consider the DMT.

I prefer the Naniwa stones an would recommend their 12K great finisher and super easy to use. If you seat picking up Naniwa stones they are easy to use don't need presoaking and the 1k, 5k 8k plus 12k is all you need.

So would a Norton 1k be fine for setting the bevel?

Originally Posted by tdavison

So would a Norton 1k be fine for setting the bevel?

absolutely

Unless the razor needs a lot of reshaping due to chips or years of bad honing, the 4K or, if necessary, the 1K should be all that one needs before the 8K. The 1K is a normal starting point for resetting edges. The 8K may be used to refresh a shave ready edge. The 4K is slower than a 1k, but can also reset an edge.

Originally Posted by tdavison

So would a Norton 1k be fine for setting the bevel?

any 1k should be OK for bevel setting especially followed by the 4/8 Norton which can be used as a bevel setter in it's own right also,
it just takes a while longer as the 4/8k is all i used for a few months practicing etc
the 1k just makes it quicker & eats a bit more steel if you srew up thats all.

there are plenty of reviews for most 1k's including the Norton, Choosera, Kings, & Naniwa's etc.
The King 1k's are at the cheeper end & also get great reviews & recomendations from some of the honing gods.

I opted for the Nainwa as a personal choice, for the reviews were all great, the price & availabilty fitted with me and there is plenty of info & videos etc using them to make them easy to learn on for me as I have no mentors in my area yet, so makes it a bit easier & think.
but all the same techniques are used on all of them pretty well so really is a mater of price & personal choice I think

I currently finish on a Norton 8K and a pasted strop before unpasted linen/leather. Although I think about getting a finer finisher, I have gotten good shaves off the 8K for about 3 years.

The 8K is frequently IDed as the base shaveable edge against which the performance of other stones is compared. To get better edges from finer stones, one 1st must obtain a good edge from the 8K stone.

HTH

for purely touch ups & as a finisher I use a Naniwa 12k
for restoration work i go a Naninwa 1K bevel re-setting followed by my Norton 4/8K to the finisher
& for extreme repairs like frown & chip removals I also have an old 10" Norton 220/320 oil stone I have for chisels & lathe tools I personally do not use the 220 grit on any razor for bevel work etc as it chews & chips the blade edge the 320is even pushing it here I think.