Thread: Newbie: Chosera 1k then what? German 3k/8k, Belgian 5k, or Chosera 5k?

Dear forum members,

I am new to straight razor shaving and honing. But I have read the posts here for a while.

Currently, I have acquired a Chosera 1k stone, and to complete the job, I still need the sharpening, polishing, and finishing stones, and equipments, such as lapping plate.

In order to start with not too much money but with less incremental investment (as I may eventually get the Chosera 10k), what I should get next?

My thinking is, I may get Chosera 5k and a diamond lapping plate, and then Chosera 10k, and then Chosera 2k in such an order. Or that I may get a Belgian 5k stone and a lapping plate - which may be interesting, and then invest on Chosera 10k later. The most economical option would be a combination waterstone from Germany Solingen with 3k/8k and then I can invest on just the Chosera 10k and even skip thinking about the Chosera 2k for a while.
By the way, I live in Germany, and stone brands such as Norton will require expensive shipping from the US.

Please let me know your suggestions.
Thanks!

- J

How long have you been shaving with a straight? It would be easier to suggest what to get if we know your experience level, hard to hone a razor if your not quite sure how to shave with one. But there are lots of good choices in all price ranges, and. It's even cheaper just to let someone else hone it for you ,, they don't need to go to the hones very often , if your shave technique and stropping are good. ,, as far as that goes if you have the 3/8 combo you have all,you will need , if you can't get a good shave on an 8k then you need to work on it some more. Tc

Welcome to the forum. I am just going to go with the understanding that you can shave well with a straight now and want to begin learning to hone. I don't have the Naniwa Chosera 1K stone but understand it is a highly recommended fast cutting stone so you have a good bevel setter. I use a Naniwa Super Stone 1K instead of the Chosera 1K. To save some money and still get very good results I would say go to the Naniwa Super Stones after that.

If you are not going to do many razors a Naniwa Super Stone 3K/8k combo could be next in your progression followed by Nanaiwa Super Stone 12K as a finisher. After that a balsa strop pasted with Crox before stropping on a regular strop. This is the set up I use and seems to work well for me.

For lapping your stones for use a DMT plate works well as does using wet/dry sand paper on a flat surface

Bob

I am with Bob - the next step (for me) would be the 3/8 as well. The Naniwa 3/8k.

"The most economical option would be a combination waterstone from Germany Solingen with 3k/8k and..."

Is this a synthetic stone? Or a natural stone?

I ask only because I would highly recommend you stick with synthetic stones at first, and then work your way into natural stones. Natural stones are great - but they have too many variables that have to be accounted for when learning I feel. That includes the Belgium 5K.

Welcome to the forum and wet shaving!

Your in Germany so this applies very much to you.

Naniwa Super Wasser-Kombistein Körnung 3000/10000 | günstig online kaufen | Knivesandtools.de

I've provided the German link.

It's the 3K/10K naniwa combination super stone. For the price you can't go wrong.

The only thing you may wish to add would be a 5K superstone as well to complete your rotation.

The 10K is regarded as a finisher, and you should be able to shave from it without a problem.

Originally Posted by menuhin

Or that I may get a Belgian 5k stone and a lapping plate

Are you reffering to the Belgian Blue stone? A coticule would be a better option imo. A coticule, slurry stone & bevel setter can take you from bevel set to finish but may require some patience.

Originally Posted by Proinsias

Are you reffering to the Belgian Blue stone? A coticule would be a better option imo. A coticule, slurry stone & bevel setter can take you from bevel set to finish but may require some patience.

True but I think the coti have a bigger learning curve. Which can be discouraging to a beginer at honing

With the Chosera 1k you have what many believe to be the best bevel setting stone available. With that, I'd pick up a Norton Combination 4k/8k synthetic stone. Now you have everything you need to create and maintain a superb edge on your blade. Once you believe you have (for lack of a better term) mastered the Norton and gotten all there is to get from it, think about maybe a Naniwa SS 12k. I started with a coticule; I would NOT recommend anyone else do the same. Not unlike learning to ride a bicycle on a Cannondale Super Six rather than a Huffy.

Norton stones tend to be more expensive in Europe than they are in the USA. Like DMT diamond plates we run at about 1:1 conversion rates with the dollar. So what is a good deal to you guys isn't always a good deal to us.

The cheapest Norton 4/8 I could find at a glance was at £90. So to factor that back into $ it's about $150. The cheapest on Amazon UK was £122 and that's a staggering $200.

The conversion rates get even more skewed when you buy in €. Amazon DE has the 4/8 at €128 so $166

In comparison SRD offer the 4/8 at $80. And that should translate as £50 or €61.

So I can't recommend a Norton 4/8 unless you can get it at a similar price.



The 3/10 naniwa on the other hand at €67 is $87.
The 3/8 naniwa on SRD is $90.

So we actually get a slightly better deal on them at this time. Plus the 10K stone rather than the 8K.

Don't even get me started on DTM's the price conversions just make me want to cry somedays!

I agree with Iceni on this one, the Naniwa's are a way better option for us price wise

@ the OP, the Chosera 1K is loved a lot and you made a good choice buying it the Chosera 10K on the other hand not so much, I haven't used it myself but have heard it produces a harsh edge

to bad that the SuperStone and Chosera series are discontinued and replaced by the Specialty and Professional Stone series respectively, this in and of itself doesn't matter but the 3/10 K combi hone is no longer available so you're looking at 2 hones again ...

I think buying the loose 3 and 8 or 10 K Naniwa hones is still a good idea, after this just look at flea markets and stuf untill you find a nice thuringien waterhone you live in Germany after all