Thread: 8K Norton is not enough.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Scratch pattern is one of the most misleading indicators of a comfortable shave.

Yep. Unfortunately, its one of the pitfalls of greater magnification. The closer I see, the worse I think I've done, the more the temptation to chase the edge and then I'm back to square one, pretty much.

30x is plenty good enough for me.

Also, for the record, it is my opinion that relying solely on an HHT is for the birds as well. I set a bevel on a 1K and could do an HHT(the 1K Shave challenge). OTOH, I remember honing a particular Sheffield that I couldn't pass an HHT. All other indicators said Go, so I went to the ultimate test, the shave test, and it passed.

I agree,,, I have never used the HHT , thumb pad or thumb nail tests. The only hair that judges my edge, other than facial(shave test) is my arm hair, after setting the bevel at 1K.

I love to chase the edge with different finishers, so stopping at an 8K is not an option for me. The 10x, 30-40x help me to spot problems with the bevel & determine if the stone at that point in the progression is cutting uniformly.

I do like to look at the edges that members post that were taken with digital microscopes. I would like to get a good one someday & dive deeper into the mystic hole.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

I do like to look at the edges that members post that were taken with digital microscopes. I would like to get a good one someday & dive deeper into the mystic hole.

And that's what scopes are good for. Showing bevels to other people. When it comes to honing I mostly use 8-10x loupes.

Yes,,, but I've developed this curiosity for viewing the smaller things in life,, that new 40x lighted viewer I posted a week ago,,,,I carry it around in the car & I have been using it on every bug or ant I find, flowers, looking at old book page textures,,,

Oh,, I like looking at the photos of shiny bevels too,, that's why I want a scope.

Shaving off 8k.... wow why would anyone bother these days? I honestly thought that was a thing of the past.

why bother? because it's a hundred dollar stone, and it gives a DFS......

Originally Posted by dickerydee

Shaving off 8k.... wow why would anyone bother these days? I honestly thought that was a thing of the past.

Two reasons to shave off an 8k.

1) some people just like the shave.

2) if you can't shave from an 8k, going up the grit ladder on the finishing stones essentially won't accomplish anything if the edge isn't essentially, "shave ready" at the 8k stage.

That's what I read here so that was the "litmus" test for me before going any higher to the Nani 12k and then my Escher, and it turns out, they were right!

8k gives DFS? I guess that's a YMMV thing. Why torture my skin when there is no need?

I COULD shave from 8k but why? I mean, at least do some laps on something with crox on it or lapping film or something. 8k shaves are NOT good. Shave ready at 8k? no way. not in my world. especially off a norton 8k. sharp? sure. smooth? heck no!

Originally Posted by dickerydee

8k gives DFS? I guess that's a YMMV thing. Why torture my skin when there is no need?

I COULD shave from 8k but why? I mean, at least do some laps on something with crox on it or lapping film or something. 8k shaves are NOT good. Shave ready at 8k? no way. not in my world. especially off a norton 8k. sharp? sure. smooth? heck no!

...see reason #2 if reason #1 does not apply....

Originally Posted by dickerydee

8k gives DFS? I guess that's a YMMV thing. Why torture my skin when there is no need?

I COULD shave from 8k but why? I mean, at least do some laps on something with crox on it or lapping film or something. 8k shaves are NOT good. Shave ready at 8k? no way. not in my world. especially off a norton 8k. sharp? sure. smooth? heck no!

When you learn how to hone properly, 8k does give a DFS, there is no YMMV to it