Thread: Thinking about a honing stone set for straights! Looking for suggestions!

Okay, I think I am gonna like straight shaving as I have been playing around with one lately. My question now is about a stone set for honing!
I am looking for a set recommendation that is not over done as I don't want and hopefully don't need every progression from 1000 on up to 12k or so but what some might consider "bare minimum" as I don't have much cash to work with at this time. I am also watching other groups to see if anyone posts stones for sale at a good price.


Anyway, my thought was to use Norton waterstones as the grits of this type of setup seemed like what can be used to get a nice edge on a straight. This set consists of two stones, a 220/1000 and a 4000/8000 plus a holder and a flattener stone. See the link below! If link is NOT allowed please delete or let me know and I will remove it.


Is there any other setup that is better and/or cheaper that I should consider if I decide to go down this road?? I used to enjoy sharpening my own knives and folders but that was many, many years ago and all my gear has been sold since then so might consider getting some stones back as I enjoyed doing my own sharpening work.


Thx. in advance for any and all comments and suggestions! I am just thinking about it so not quite sure I will dive in but just gathering some ideas and prices, unless the right deal came along!!

Water Stone Kit

You can maintain your razor indefinitely with the 4/8 k norton. I would opt for plain old wet/dry sandpaper on a kitchen tile rather than the flattening stone in that set. Learning to hone and shave off the 8k will serve you well if you decide to upgrade to a finer finisher in the future. The 1k stone will only be needed to set a bevel or repair a chipped edge. If you find you need a finer edge,try a cheap balsa strop pasted with chromium oxide.

If you want to keep it to a minimum, you can just get a barber hone and that will maintain your razors forever.

If you want to go with modern hones, the Norton 4/8k is great. The Norton 220/1000 is not. The 220 side is pretty much useless. The 1k is perfectly acceptable. You might as well get a single grit 1k.

Does anyone sell used/cheaper stones of these grits online or in forums that are in good shape? Pricing these out can get quite expensive!

Originally Posted by SirMike

Does anyone sell used/cheaper stones of these grits online or in forums that are in good shape? Pricing these out can get quite expensive!

You want cheap, you get Cheap,Buy some great stones,is a once in a lifetime investment

Buy a 12k Super Stone and learn to maintain your razor.

Then a 4/8 combo stone if you want to hone other razors. You will not need a 1k unless you start doing major restoration work and even then the 4K will do anything a 1k can.

3 stones are all you need about $150-160.

And No, no one ever sells them, why would you?

I agree about the Norton 4/8, that'll keep you going pretty much forever.

You can also use slurry on the 4k side if you need to do a bevel set, though it doesnt have the cutting power (IMHO) to do serious edge repair like taking out chips and stuff.

If you're looking for a set of hones that'll do everything it doesnt get better than the Shapton on glass series in 1/4/8/16k. Get a 325 DMT to lap and you can also use that for serious edge repair.

If you have shave ready razors then start with the naniwa 12k to maintain it and maybe the 3/8 for work on good condition razors. If you are going to start buy off ebay or doing razors that have problems (the gold dollars fit this category as you will need to fix it before you can hone it) then you will need the 1k also. Look at it ad an investment in your edges with better stones performing bbetter and requiring less work for the same or better results. Unless you are a honemiester a set will last a lifetime and you don't want to be using cheap your whole life.

I'm in a similar situation as regards to the purchasing of stones and am considering buying this set when I'm in Japan later this year.

Sigma Power ceramic 1000-6000-13000 special set. : Tools from Japan, Japanese woodworking tools direct from Japan.

Any thoughts on the Sigma Power Ceramic set?

I've faced the same question a few months ago and after reading a huge number of posts on a number of forums concluded as follows :

1) just maintenance of a bevel once in a while a vintage barber hone from ebay flattened with wet / dry sandpaper or a Chinese 12k water stone. I got a cheap and reliable barber hone for a good price. Needed flattening.
2) for ebay buys where a bevel needs to be set a king 1k/6k cheap stone from a Japanese seller on ebay
3) I am also "indulging" in the welsh tri hone set consisting of a dragons tongue/ llyn menyllyn and a yet finer stone from a seller called AJ on ebay UK. These stones have been discussed on this forum quite a bit with positive feedback on their efficiency.

However this set like I said is an indulgence and can substitute the barber hone or Chinese 12k

With this i've been able to set bevels and hone /finish many ebay finds in to shave ready and don't find the need to see spend more dollars on so many many elitist options available.

All this are my conclusions after spending hours reading up on the wealth of knowledge on this and sometimes some other sites. I am glad I did that.