Thread: Replacing Norton with Naniwa

Originally Posted by Utopian

To remove aberrant imbedded grit. There is no need to lap it past just flat unless you are hitting grit that is causing damage.

My experience EXACTLY! I must say that I was given that tip by a well respected member. :

I did make a pencil grid line. When the grid was gone, I redid the grid line and it cleaned up fairly fast and soon I could 'feel' the change as it was much smoother. The 4K side took longer but the 8K was a cinch! It didn't take anytime at all

Certainly have the Norton lapped a bit since it was my only stone for a long while. I'm sure its a ymmv thing but I just really enjoy the nani feedback. What I question is why visually there seems to be a grit discrepancy as well. It is so true once you conquer bevel sets everything else is a piece of cake. It's when I have trouble setting a bevel I wanna pull my hair out. I currently have a frameback giving me such issues the bevel looks good but other tests say no go.

Originally Posted by Bram

I completely agree with this, I use a €5 hone from the local hardwarestore for heavy corrections and setting an initial bevel, from that point on I switch to a coticule with slurry.

you only feel the finishing hone while shaving, not your progression

It's a matter about the destination or the journey to get there.

You are probably right that if you do the job properly the final edge is a reflection of the last hone, or may be it is of the strop.
But if you don't have the foundation before that last hone, or if you don't lay it properly you will not be able to get 100% of what that final hone can offer and the roughness from the previous levels of the progression would still be there.

So, to a certain degree it does matter what your bevel setter is and what your polishing progression is.

When I say, It does not matter, I mean between manufactures, Norton and Naniwa.

One could use a progression of interchangeable brands and as long as the progression is polishing the bevel and edge in finer increments, final results would not matter.

One could bevel set with a 1200 DMT, polish on 3um film and finish on a 12k super stone with fine results.

True, bevel setting is key and knowing when a bevel is set, but really there is not much difference in performance on the blade between a King, Chosera, Super Stone, and Norton 1K… and even a DMT 1200 or any quality stone, except for possibly speed and ease of use. The DMT may require more polishing with the subsequent stone, but all will set a bevel just fine.

Short of bevel setting on the curb, which “brand” of stone you use should not matter. Any quality 1K stone will work, as will any brand of middle grit polishing stone.

No-one could shave with a razor and state, That was bevel set with a Chosera 1K!” Except for possibly, David Blaine that hound dog eyed dude is just freaky.

Now having those that swear by their finisher of choice, blind test shave with different razors finished on different finishers, to see if they could tell the difference would be interesting… perhaps a good and fun test for a meet up.

Wow! I stumbled on this thread and a lot of my initial questions on honing are already answered. Such a wealth of information here, it's great. I am looking into getting some initial starter stones and this gives me a lot to consider...

Originally Posted by Euclid440

When I say, It does not matter, I mean between manufactures, Norton and Naniwa.

One could use a progression of interchangeable brands and as long as the progression is polishing the bevel and edge in finer increments, final results would not matter.

One could bevel set with a 1200 DMT, polish on 3um film and finish on a 12k super stone with fine results.

True, bevel setting is key and knowing when a bevel is set, but really there is not much difference in performance on the blade between a King, Chosera, Super Stone, and Norton 1K… and even a DMT 1200 or any quality stone, except for possibly speed and ease of use. The DMT may require more polishing with the subsequent stone, but all will set a bevel just fine.

Short of bevel setting on the curb, which “brand” of stone you use should not matter. Any quality 1K stone will work, as will any brand of middle grit polishing stone.

No-one could shave with a razor and state, That was bevel set with a Chosera 1K!” Except for possibly, David Blaine that hound dog eyed dude is just freaky.

Now having those that swear by their finisher of choice, blind test shave with different razors finished on different finishers, to see if they could tell the difference would be interesting… perhaps a good and fun test for a meet up.

I think we have a very cool challenge for the heavy hitters of SRP. Anyone interested? Even people blindly guessing finisher would be very intriguing I think.

The Norton 8k/4k combo may no longer be the hone of the month but it's still a very capable stone. I just did a Kropp 5/8 on mine and after the 8k the edge felt and looked just right so I stropped and test shaved. I thought I'd probably have go to the Shapton 12k or the black Arkansas next but the test shave was amazing - it was as sharp and smooth as any razor I've ever used and I could not see any justification for laboring over the stones any further. You know when you're there!

Originally Posted by aa1192

I think we have a very cool challenge for the heavy hitters of SRP. Anyone interested? Even people blindly guessing finisher would be very intriguing I think.

I think many of us have done it. I have with a bunch of heljestrands mk31 few years back. I knew which one is honed how, so the challenge was to not pay attention when I pick the razor - they're similar enough that if I consciously tried to not notice the slight differences in the looks it worked.

It was the same result as when I'd test all of them during the same shave - there were differences, small ones, but noticeable enough. However I would want to have somebody hone them with the same hones and see if that changes anything - that would sway the results more towards the hones or more towards the person. Haven't done that second test though.

I could see that. My collection has gotten to a point where I have to write down what was used hones, tape, etc.

You'll get over it With a little bit more experience you'll be proficient enough that when you pick a razor you don't like how it shaves you'll go to the hones and make it shave exactly how you want it, regardless of the way it was honed before.
It's just a matter of experience.