Thread: Starting out . . .

Okay, so meeting with some fellow shave nuts this weekend has me wanting to start down the honing path. Looking at the Lee Valley sight there are a number of options to choose from, all but one of which top out with an 8k stone. This makes me think they are marketing to knife sharpeners rather than razor enthusiasts.

I have also been thinking about lapping films as a way to "touch up" my blades, either to prolong the edges, or as a means of keeping the professionally honed edges up to snuff.

There is one set of stones (Sigmas) at Lee Valley that goes all the way to 13k, and that is how I am leaning at the moment.

I am wondering if I should start with purchasing the coarser grits and work up to the higher ones as needed, or start at the higher grits and work down as I start to get more into resto work.

Thoughts?

I think that the best way to start out is to just buy a Barber's hone or 12k to maintain the blades. If you feel that honing is something that you might be interested in, you can add the 1k, 4k and 8k at a later date.

I was wondering about that notion . . . get the 13k to maintain edges I already have, while learning some technique. Then, if the honing bug DOES take a bite, work my way down the ladder to build a set.

I have the Sigma 13K. I do not like the edge it puts on razors. I know others that have used it with great success. It is very fast and should be used damp not soaking. I prefer my Barbers hones for a quick touch up.

Wait for the meet and get some hands on experience with different hones. There should be some pretty good advice there too on hones.

Bob

Okay . . . I think I have settled on the idea of a finishing stone to start with, so that I can maintain the edges I have on the blades I own.
Lee Valley has Arkansas stones, so it would either be the Translucent or the X-Fine. Their blurb says they noticed little difference between the two stones, but I am wondering if that is a comment based on knife sharpening, rather than razors.

Given the choice, which would you folks go for?

Arkansas hones are very very slow hones. A surgical black does the trick in my experience, I don't know the other ones you mention.

If your razor has been pro-honed, unless you damage it, you should be able to keep your razors shave ready with a Naniwa 12k, beautiful stone, consistent and reliable. Lynne has great video on refreshing razors using the Nani 12k.

Great place to start the honing voyage, refreshing your existing blades on a known stone with lots of info..IMO.

Originally Posted by Phrank

If you're razor has been pro-honed, unless you damage it, you should be able to keep your razors shave ready with a Naniwa 12k, beautiful stone, consistent and reliable. Lynne has great video on refreshing razors using the Nani 12k.

Great place to start the honing voyage, refreshing your existing blades on a known stone with lots of info..IMO.

+ 1 to that. Lynn's video on that shows the many, many options available to touch razors up. It's a great video I watch over again.