Thread: Whipped Dog "Quarter Nortons"

Originally Posted by WetShaveObsession

My finishing stone is a 12000 natural stone out of california. Its actually somewhere from 12000-13000. I bought it for $35

I always like natural finishing hones, what kind of stone is this? I didn't know california had natural hones to offer, so I'm curious.

I personally think most people here are a bid causious with there advice, we all know there are manny ways leading to Rome, but when a beginner asks for directions we all point towards the highway, which has it's logic but there is some over reaction when someone points out other ways to get there, if we wanted the easiest way we would have continued shaving with an electrical razor.

I don't think the quarter hones are the way to go but I think it will get you there, I started with a 4 X 1,5 inch coticule hone which would be the same size as these quarter hones, no one here would have recommended this path but I'm glad I took it

Originally Posted by Bram

Snip....
I don't think the quarter hones are the way to go but I think it will get you there, I started with a 4 X 1,5 inch coticule hone which would be the same size as these quarter hones, no one here would have recommended this path but I'm glad I took it

Or will it make the threshold just that much harder, possibly making a new honer give up on honing and/or straight razors?
Who knows?
And why risk that?

I'm happy that you managed to learn on a Coticule that size.
Good for you, and proof that one can in fact skin a cat in a whole lot of different ways

As to why you are glad you started on one is more unclear to me.
And more to the point, is that the one you still hone on, and if not, why did you change up for a more properly sized one?

We all know that we don't use much more than the first inch or so on any sized hone, but the loss in stability is simply not something to disregard lightly.
It can be the breaking point, and I for one would hate to have someone leave our sport/hobby based on faulty advise.
In my opinion, that is simply what I see it as, faulty advise.

So, I am sorry, but I fail to see the whole philantropic motives or whatever you wanna call it for offering such a deal.
It's business, simple as that.
As a retailer I'd venture to say one would get that hone in the $50s range, perhaps even lower depending on actual volume.
(None of us really believes a retailer buys and sells them with zero profit now do we?)
Two cuts later it will yield a profit of say $60-70 at the least.
Not a bad idea, profit-wise.
Then again, not such a great idea for a new honer.

That is my personal take on this, and I suppose my final words on the topic.
This horse has been whipped enough, no pun intended

I see your point and it has been discussed at enough length indeed. but to answer your question:

yes, I stil use it for most of my honing progression although I did get a Les Latneuses bout for the final touch (this one is about the same size actually), I do use both hands to stabalize my SR and use a friction pat underneath my hone to keep it in place.

The thing I did realy need to change was the addition of a bevel setter, I realized this after a few restore projects.

As to why I'm glad I took that path, I'm thinking about it... lets see:
1. the costs involved (I'm still a student and can't afford that much yet), this litle coti was ~€40
2. I like the splash and go nature of the coticule and other natural hones
3. again monetary, second hand coticules on Ebay go for about the same price as the ones bought new from ardennes, it comes close to a money back garanty

and I guess I've kind of fallen in love with my coti.

the choice for a small coti instead of a 8" X 3" coti is a change in price of paying €40,- instead of €353,-
where the OP's choice between the different sizes is a change in price of paying $60 instead of $140,-

so I guess the choice to go with a small hone made more sense in the case of the coticule