Thread: Getting started with honing

In taking up the art of straight razor shaving, I realize that besides a strop, a finishing stone and pasted strop some stones will most likely be needed to keep things in tip top shape. Otherwise I will need to rely on other sources to re-hone and sharpen my razor from time to time. I like to learn and to be self sufficient for the most part, so I would like to give it a try.

I do know how to sharpen knives, as I make them in my spare time. So I do have a few stones (common double sided), and some Diamond Sharpeners.

I do realize that there is a lot more finishing required with a straight razor. So I am looking to pick up some new stones for that as well.

I am looking at the Naniwa Super Stones and am trying to decide the Grits (thinking about 1k, 3k, 5k, 8k, 12k) along with a lapping stone and holder. Are these all necessary as I would like to avoid buying roughly $400 in sharpening stones if they are not really necessary. The site I am looking at has a set of 4,5,6 stones but they all include a 220 which I do not feel I need as it is probably similar to my current stones and definitely not needed for the Razor. Those sets all leave out the 8k as well, jumping from 3k to 10k or 5k to 12k.

I do definitely want the 12k stone

I also was looking at a site online, where they used a piece of Granite and some 3M abrasive sheets to sharpen.

Looking for some good advice on the subject.

I think you should read quite a few threads. There are new ones all the time on the subject as well as a giant archive of past ones. There are videos in the library that should be watched. There are a lot of opinions and varying techniques that all lead to the same place. What helped me was to take one thought train from one source and follow it until I understood what was happening and then practiced it until, well actually I am still practicing and learning, but I have a firm foundation. If you are somewhere where you can find a mentor to teach you how to hone, that would jump your learning up a whole lot faster. Your location is rather vague, the more specific you are about where you are the more you will be able to meet with other like minded people, and hopefully learn from their experience. I wouldn't be in any hurry to learn to hone, at least not until after your shave is well versed. Learning two things at once can be a little taxing. There is a lot of good advice here on the many aspects of straight razors and the related sundry items. In fact it may require a little filtering. Don't be afraid to PM people and ask questions, especially the staff. Sometime you may find yourself wanting only one opinion, to keep it simple. I should also point out that just because you shave with a straight does not mean that you are executed to be able to hone it. It is an expensive aspect of this hobby. For the price of hone you could get a pro honing for a long long time.

Honing should be low on the leaning list for a beginner, stropping and shaving should be higher on the list. When you get ready for honing you can't go wrong with a Norton 4k/8k and a Chinese 12k or a Naniwa 12k. This will probably maintain a already shave ready razor for life. If you get into antique store/ebay razors you will need a 1k and probably a lower grit. A CrOx pasted paddle is also a very useful tool to have along with a barber hone.

For what it is worth, I currently have 3 "different" honing setups:

-DMT 1200 followed by coticule(s)
-DMT 1200 followed by an oil stone, followed by a CrOx strop
-local slate with varying levels of slurry

The first two setups give me consistent results on most razor blades and the local slate is hit or miss... it works better with old silver steel, India steel or old tools. The local slate slurry excels at removing rust, so I am using it a lot on my hand tools or as a first stone on rusty razors. It also successfully put a bevel on a razor that had been baffling me for years.

Tech you just started ,, please learn to shave first and strop well, it takes many shaves to become good at it , this way you will know if your edge is right , then take up maintaining a blade ,, pastes or the 12 k will do it and also a barbers hone is even less money, As rezdog said you can get quite a few pro honing so done for what a set of stones cost and if your not restoring razors ,well after you learn to shave and strop , honings are few and far between ,, I,m doing this for over a year now , and I still don't hone , and I shave with the finest edges around, have sent my razors off twice , the first time out it was my stropping ,, So just a few words of wisdom , here , Tc

Wow, lots of "don't do it yet" posts. Personally I have no issue learning more that one thing at a time, actually I believe that I thrive when doing so. And yes, I understand that I should concentrate on the shaving rather than the honing.

Wasn't planning on honing my Razor, at all. Actually I bought the one I shave with on the Classifieds here and I believe the seller stated one free honing came with it. I also already dealt with another member here who I trust, and will gladly have him hone for me again.

I have been watching the video's and reading the posts on maintaining your razor, and one such that I found stated to strop till it doesn't shave well anymore, then touch up with the 12k, and move to a pasted strop and back to normal strop. I've been shaving now for close a month and haven't done anything other than strop and shave. Still doing well.

I do have the interest in learning to hone, so when I order the 12k stone, and crox paste. I might as well go ahead and buy a hone set or the stones to make one up. I also love to go to flea markets, antique stores, "picking" so I sure will be keeping an eye out for Razors to practice with, also read that one way to learn is to buy 3 Gold Dollar razors or similar and practice on the first two, then when ready attempt the third and give it a try.

There are two types of people in my opinion, those who pay $20 for someone to do it for them when necessary, and those who spend $400 on the tools necessary and put forth hours and hours of time learning to do it for themselves. I am the second one.

Unless buying a reasonable number of razors that need to be honed from bevel up I can't see the need for a whole lot of stones. You probably already have a 1k equivalent and possibly a 3/4/5k equivalent stone. If so get the 8k and learn that first. That said if you buy shave ready razors a 12k and pasted strop are going to be all that you need unless you damage one. I would suggest that you start with the refresh first and that will give you time to learn to shave and do more research

Technoid,


Here's the setup I would start out with: Norton 1k, and 4/8k combo, This setup is good enough to start out with all on it's own. If I had to purchase again I would change getting the combo to just a 4k and an 8k
Want to take it a step further get a Naniwa 12k and some cRox

This will allow you to set bevels and polish to a finished edge

I understand being self sufficient , I really do , but no one is , you go to the grocery store , you buy your computer parts and you go to the gas station and fill up your car , and buy your clothes and shoes, so let's really say what it is ,, you just want the hones ,, not need them. ,, I say buy all you want ,, now enjoy your shaves , don't make it difficult and you will find that after 100 or more shaves it's all about getting a good shave , not about anything else unless your just a collector wanting to sell them. Tc

Originally Posted by Trimmy72

Technoid,


Here's the setup I would start out with: Norton 1k, and 4/8k combo, This setup is good enough to start out with all on it's own. If I had to purchase again I would change getting the combo to just a 4k and an 8k
Want to take it a step further get a Naniwa 12k and some cRox

This will allow you to set bevels and polish to a finished edge

Excellent path.