Thread: Buying my first honing setup need advice !!!!

Hi all I am new to straight shaving and have a few questions on selecting a stone to use for honing a few old straights. I have the Naniwa SS12k and was wondering what I could use with this wonderful finishing stone? I do not have tons of money to spend just looking for a good quality stone for setting bevels then going to final finishing on my 12k.


Thanks from Jim.

If you are sure that is the route you are going to take. You will need a 1k (Naniwa or Chosera are very good) and middle stones either naniwa 3k and 8k or a Norton 4/8 combo. You will also want a DMT for a lapping plate

If cost is the biggest consideration, I would go with a king 1k/6k combo again. It is soft, thirsty, and a bit slower than a Chosera. You will have to take more time on each step due to larger grit steps. 1k/6k/12k vs 1k/4k/8k/12k.
Jonathan

So the Naniwa 3k8k combo would be ok or the King 1/6K combo. If I bought a Nani 1k can I get a 8 K and skip the 3k?

Originally Posted by Brag251

So the Naniwa 3k8k combo would be ok or the King 1/6K combo. If I bought a Nani 1k can I get a 8 K and skip the 3k?

You will spend a lot of time refining the edge with that big a jump. The 3k is relatively cheap or go the Norton way. 4/8 is one stone that can work magic. You could skip the 1 k and bevel set with the 4k side but again that will take you quite a few extra strokes.

If I could only have 1 stone it would be the Norton. You can shave off the 8 side and get an edge very sharp on the 4k. The fact that you have the 12k already you would be set.

Originally Posted by Brag251

So the Naniwa 3k8k combo would be ok or the King 1/6K combo. If I bought a Nani 1k can I get a 8 K and skip the 3k?

You will spend a lot of time refining the edge with that big a jump. The 3k is relatively cheap or go the Norton way. 4/8 is one stone that can work magic. You could skip the 1 k and bevel set with the 4k side but again that will take you quite a few extra strokes.

If I could only have 1 stone it would be the Norton. You can shave off the 8 side and get an edge very sharp on the 4k. The fact that you have the 12k already you would be set.

Thats my route then my friend Norton it is. Then after the 8K I will go to my Nani12k

Originally Posted by Brag251

Hi all I am new to straight shaving and have a few questions on selecting a stone to use for honing a few old straights. I have the Naniwa SS12k and was wondering what I could use with this wonderful finishing stone? I do not have tons of money to spend just looking for a good quality stone for setting bevels then going to final finishing on my 12k.


Thanks from Jim.

Since you already have the 12K Naniwa SS stone I would go with the 1K and the 3/8K Naniwa SS stones. Not only do they give a great edge but there very easy to use. I used that combo for a couple of years now and just recently added the 5K and the Suehiro 20K but of course those 2 are not a have to addition but more of a collecting.

I see on SRD they have a Naniwa 3k8k combination stone is that the sane as a ss stone?

The 3/8 stone is the one mentioned and should be the same as the ss stones. I have the naniwa ss stones and cant fault them. If you get the extra cash later the chosera 1k is fantastic for bevel setting.