Thread: Basic Touch-Up setup - Please validate my choices!

So I am at the point where I have been using pasted leather/balsa, etc. to touch up my razors, and a couple of them are at the point where they need just a little bit more. Rather than sending out a blade that really is 95% of the way there, I thought I would try my hand at doing a refresh at home on the 12k as Lynn shows often in his honing videos. Apart from the fact that I will probably ruin my first one (I have just the razor to try this out with), is the below the appropriate "starter kit" for both lapping and touching up? I gathered these part#s from numerous threads, I just want to make sure I am ordering the right stuff. Lastly, I am sure I will have to lap before my first touch up...but are there any other pitfalls I should be aware of? Thanks in advance...I am looking forward to doing a little maintenance myself!

I've had my Naniwa 12k since Dec. and love it. I would buy it again in a second.

That's the generally recommended stuff and what I have. The one piece of advice I'd give you is to bookmark Lynn's videos on this and other honing topics. I am new at honing and/or touching up and find it very helpful to re-watch them as well as Glen's (Gssixgun) just before going to the stones. Somehow it isn't quite as easy as it looks on video (at least for me). I think one thing to note is that you need to catch an edge and refresh it either on paste/sprays or the 12k before you lose the bevel or the edge gets too out of whack in some other way. A lighted loupe on other lens of moderate strength (30-40x) is something I'd add if you don't have one. They're on Amazon for less than $5.

As a last thought, be sure to break in the DMT when you get it before using it to lap you 12k. The way to do that is to run the shaft of a screwdriver or the back of a straight kitchen knife up and down the DMT to knock down any high diamond particles that may be sticking up and scratch your 12k.

Thanks for the quick reply! I am pretty good about not letting the edges lapse which is good, so I really am looking just to refresh at this point. I am sure not to far down the road I will expand a bit...but for now this should be sufficient. I am also sure that NOTHING is as easy as Lynn makes it look...lol.

Be aware that the Naniwa stones swell a little from absorbing water. So if you use the stone and then use the stone again later that same day, you will notice the center is higher when you lap it. If you lap it flat that way, then let it dry completely it will show a dish. It's not a big deal if you know to expect it.

??? You're not supposed to soak them, just spray them. I never heard of them swelling before.

Originally Posted by bluesman7

Be aware that the Naniwa stones swell a little from absorbing water. So if you use the stone and then use the stone again later that same day, you will notice the center is higher when you lap it. If you lap it flat that way, then let it dry completely it will show a dish. It's not a big deal if you know to expect it.

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

??? You're not supposed to soak them, just spray them. I never heard of them swelling before.

I don't soak them. Just spray and go. They still absorb water while you hone. Don't believe me? Lap your stone 5 or 6 hours after use and you will see that the center is swollen

The Specialty Stones are ment to be used for "Spray & Go" nothing more and it works well!! And no i do not lap them after every honing, why ?

Thats just total material loss in my thinking....never experienced any bad things happen when touching up on the 10k Stone....probably this depends on the grit of the stone, to lap earlier or later...

Gamma did a review here for further Information:
http://www.tomonagura.com/synthetic-...tones-3k-.html

Why don't you get an high performing barber hone instead??

Originally Posted by Frameback

Why don't you get an high performing barber hone instead??

I am looking to purely do touch-ups and remove the bare minimum amount of metal. My understanding of barber hones is that they can be hit or miss, and given their age (no longer in production) the quality of what I get would really depend on a trustworthy seller. Buying a new, reputable high-grit stone will alleviate a few of the "what-ifs" for me so I can focus on technique.