Thread: How would you rank your finishers?

So I think it would be fun to see everyone rank their finisher preference. Your list can include as many as you like as well as any type. I'll start us off and remember this is all about YOUR, "not the", best finisher.

1. Nakayama Asagi
2. Zulu grey
3. Special stone
4. Escher/Thuri
5. Coticule
6. Nani 12k
I have a few others, but nothing worth really mentioning. So what finisher works best for your face?

This is an interesting question, one that I have though a lot about recently, as I have toyed with buying a Suehiro Gokumyo 20K.

I suspect most of those stones, (the good ones) are around 12K and it is the ability of the driver to squeeze out a finer edge, equivalent of a higher grit stone.

The real question is, do you need more? I doubt it.

With the Nano paste available now, not much has really changed, even though we are now able to go to 160K grit equivalent. interesting how Chrome Oxide, the great equalizer has been around… forever.

The other stone left out, are High grit Arks, which are capable of producing finishes much higher that the stones grit rating.

The answer to the OP, will come down to favorites. I like Arks, 12K Super Stone and 1um film.

1. Naniwa 12k
2. Coticule
3. Zulu Gray
4. I have a PHIG

Re read the OP. re, my favorites, not the best.

Still, Arks, 12k SS and 1um film. Lately I have been playing with Barber Hones after a conversation with Wolfpack34 and Royalshave a few months ago. I have always minimized them and only collected them from bundle deals. Wolfpack has an amazing collection of Barber Hones, and hones in general.

But recently, I bought a couple of Pinder Ivory scaled Sheffield razors from a guy who honed them on a King 1K and finished on a Barber Hone. The edge was amazing, his skill and great steel, may have had something to do with it.

Bottom line, I have got some great edges lately from my new collection of Barber Hones. If you are new to Barber Hones, use tape, they can be deceptively aggressive.

As far as the OP, a 12k Super Stone is hard to beat, for ease of use, consistency and keen, yet comfortable edge.

I am lucky to have a choice. So any day and a different blade affects my choice. So does the need for time spent on a finisher.
(That said, If I did my work on the lower grits, not much time is needed at all.)
Above 8K:
Some select barber hones renewed and flattened do quickly deliver up to about 16K effective.
The Thuringians' through Y/G
HGH
Zulu
Welsh and unknown mud stones
The translucent and black Arkies
dappled phigs

~Richard

For me (at this point in time) there is only one finisher that concerns me, the Suehiro 20k. I have two Jnat that are also nice and used to have a Zulu. I've had other razors honed by others on Jnats or Escher. I'll take the Suehiro edge over them all. I don't even entertain the idea of buying any other finishers right now. I've had it for a year now and its quenched my thirst for finishing stones. My next set of stones will be a better bevel setter and something to replace the 4k side of my Norton. Is the Suehiro all that others have said? To me it is. The edges are incredibly smooth and laser sharp.

The Escher yellow/green is the best thing since bread ......

The Suehiro 20K is the best thing since sliced bread .......

A norton 8k or a coticule ain't half bad either .......

I dont really count my 12k Naniwa or 16k Shapton as finishers (even though they are), purely because I use other natural stones afterwards for that final finish and to add smoothness. So I'll count those out in this list hehe!

1. Nakayama Asagi
2. Thuringian (Another member did say to me that its actually an Escher but in the absence of a label lets call it a Thurry).
3. Charnley Forest
4. Coticule

I sold the CF and the Coti a while back purely because I wasnt using them, and TBH I wonder if the Thurry will go the same way at some point. The Asagi is so good that its the finisher I use every time!

And then I'm basically using either Naniwa SS (1/3/8/12k) or Shapton Glass (1/4/8/16k) beforehand depending the grind of the razor and how hard the steel is. Heavier grinds and harder steel means Shapton, otherwise SS. Works for me!

This is a loaded Question, because it depends on what kind of edge the blade can take. But in general i would list mine in this order:
Y/G escher
Charnley Forest
Franz Swaty (3line)
Nani12k

Now what's an HGH? It's fun seeing what everyone is saying and I think the Suehiro looks to have a pretty loyal following.

Edit: So I looked up the HGH and it's a gorgeous looking stone from Rezdog. Funny I have found out about two new hones today; the HGH and the Apache strata stone....My wallet may be taking a beating soon and that's sad because I haven't bought a new hone in months.