Thread: Decisions... Decisions... In need of a finisher hone...

Soooo... I'm decently new (bout 9 months into "real" straights) and I'm slowly learning to hone and maintain my own razors. I currently have a Norton 1k, 4k/8k. My razors are starting to tug a little and I'm finding myself in need of a finisher (darn the luck! ). So my question is, What's your go to finisher? What do you guys with more experience suggest I look into/purchase?

TIA
-Matt

One of the things that comes to mind is how deep are your pockets. I have some nice Eschers and a few slates. A nice inexpensive one is a purple Lyn Melynlyn. There is also some really attractive vintage hone out there.

Honestly the Naniwa Super Stone 12k is a hard finisher to beat at any price...

Great feedback, excellent polish, and straight forward to use...

I recommend just about every finisher out there but for a first one the NSS 12k is a solid choice

I am making the assumption the you have mastered the Norton 8k so that you really don't "NEED" a finisher and that you are now bored and just "WANT" one ...

I hold the term Mastered pretty high, so no not even close. I got the 4/8 as a gift when I first started and the 1k for Christmas. My eventual goal is to be able to hone start to finish, right now I just want to be able to maintain what I've got. If I can at least bring a tugging edge back to life, it'll satisfy me enough for now :-) I have a cheap no name that I'm using to learn how to set a bevel on. I took my Dubl Duck that's tugging the most and did 10 no pressure passes on the 8k then stropped it 50/100 and it didn't seem to improve the tugging.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Honestly the Naniwa Super Stone 12k is a hard finisher to beat at any price...

Great feedback, excellent polish, and straight forward to use...

I recommend just about every finisher out there but for a first one the NSS 12k is a solid choice

I am making the assumption the you have mastered the Norton 8k so that you really don't "NEED" a finisher and that you are now bored and just "WANT" one ...

That is something i have been wondering about. I am still very new to honing and have not looked into a finisher at all yet. I have the norton 220/1k and 4k/8k stones. So with these i should be able to get a good comfortable shaving edge without a finishing stone?

Originally Posted by UAcowboy

That is something i have been wondering about. I am still very new to honing and have not looked into a finisher at all yet. I have the norton 220/1k and 4k/8k stones. So with these i should be able to get a good comfortable shaving edge without a finishing stone?

Yes you should. Check out this thread here...if you can't get a comfortable shaving edge of the 8K Norton then there's not a lot of sense spending more money for another hone. Most of us have been there, once you can get a good shave off the 8K then the rest are just toys and pleasures

Many advise to start honing with just re-freshing the razors, now to be honest I believe that can be done easily on the Norton 8k, if fact if I was handed a Norton 4/8 and left with a few razors to get me through life I would feel well armed

Can I honestly tell you I wouldn't want more hones Nope I can't, but I can honestly tell you I don't NEED anything else...

Both you guys have the Norton hones already, so my suggestion is learn how to use them very very well first,,, then branch out in different directions, it ain't a rule it is just a way to save money on chasing finishers.. Until the edge on the razor and on your skills are up to the task, buying finishers is a waste of money JMHO

Search out JaNorton thread do some reading and watching that entire thread is about using only the Norton 4/8 it was a very interesting month of fun, and an eye opener for many people ..


hehehe Robert was quicker

You will hear many differing opinions on this subject, but for a budget finisher, a Chinese natural stone (the so-called "Chinese 12k") presents great value. One can be found for $30 to $40. Several forum members have noted consistency problems with these stones. Maybe I got lucky, but my one and only Chinese stone is a nice finisher that consistency improves the edge off my Norton 8k.

I also would take a synthethic 12k NSS or the Chinese natural

The naniwa 12k or for a natural a good thuri or coti