Another Chosera 1k Thread....

[tcrideshd]

Glens signature says it best, look it up. Tc

[Kristian]

Well a lot of people talks about hones, but almost every time only on the finisher. The real key to honing is the bevel setting. I to moved from King to Naniwa SS 1 K. The chosera should be a little better, but the SS 1k is really, really great.

A great bevel setter will improve every hone result. The progression from there is open to experimentation, different hones, methods of honing, pressure, strokes, naturals with/without slurry, water, oil.... You get the picture.

However nothing will work if you haven't set the bevel correct.

I find that going all the way with the SS hones 3k, 8 and 12k is great when honing af new razor. The same progression gives me complete control over the process and I'm free to concentrate on the razor.

When I have learned what I need about the razor, hardness of steel, defects, ect.
If the razor is my own, and I want it in my rotation, I go back to 8k, and finish on the preferred finisher for that razor. A coticule, mostly, but sometimes I use a Escher instead.

That gives me a smooth and comfortable shave. I shave everyday, 3 passes. So my razors needs to be in top condition or I'll have razor burn. It's a great feeling, to shave with a perfectly honed razor.

But back to the point. It's all comes down to the bevel.

I'm sure a Chosera will do you great, but just as sure a Naniwa SS will serves you too. Did you try Glens Chosera? Or did you just think it looked great? Every hone will look great when used by Glen. He's in a category for himself. One of the best honers in the world.

You need to try the hone first yourself, before buying. You will feel it instantly, if the hone suits your style of honing. It's just like buying a chef knife. You will need to try it, feel the weight in your hands, the balance. Everything needs to be perfect because, your bevel depends on it.

I hope this clarify things a bit. I'm sure there is someone close to you with the Chosera or Naniwa you could try. You could try mine for sure, but I live in Denmark, with is a bit to far away for a casual honing trip. :-)

[cubancigar2000]

I went from the Naniwa 1K to the pro 1K about a year ago and never looked back. I now just use the old Naniwa for knives. You will most certainly be happy

[Denvernoob]

I ordered the stone so we will see what happens when it arrives. At the end of the day, it is a stone, and if I don't like it, I am sure I can sell it at a fairly marginal loss and call it a day. I got another vintage last night (Boker King Cutter from approx. '20s-'30s) that had some small chips in the blade. I am glad I was at the GTG to learn better chip removal techniques as they came into play for sure. Given the chips, I had to reset the bevel naturally...and to me the Norton 1k just feels numb. On the Norton 4k and 8k, and certainly the Naniwa 12k, I can feel and hear a sense of approaching a finish that then prompts me to stop and check the edge. On the 1k, I just don't feel or hear anything different when the bevel comes together....so I am hoping the Chosera gives me a little bit more of that feel. The Boker came out great, despite its extra toe wear (already present when I bought it) and I got a wonderful even bevel, as I do on most blades I attempt (a couple have given me a run fro my money). At the end of the day I can get where I need to be, I am just hoping for a bit more feedback from the stone. Will the Chosera do that for me? We will see!

[bluesman7]

Well your thoughts about being able to sell it easily if you don't like it are correct. There is a high demand for used Choseras because no one ever sells theirs I can't say that I've ever felt feedback from my 1k when the bevel comes together though.

[Denvernoob]

Well your thoughts about being able to sell it easily if you don't like it are correct. There is a high demand for used Choseras because no one ever sells theirs I can't say that I've ever felt feedback from my 1k when the bevel comes together though.

At least I know where to go locally if I ever decide to jump off of the Natural cliff....a few new sources now! I will need a basement hobby shop if I decide to get over my RAD and go down that path!

[ChopperDave]

I'm trying to avoid the HAD. I think I did good job with that goal this weekend. To the OP, I do like my Chosera 1k. It has wonderful feedback. The two (I know that ain't much) razors that I have set bevels on it, I felt it on almost the exact stroke where the bevel was set. I think you will be pleased with it. But it does cut fast, so if you are honing incorrectly, you will make a mess before you know it (done that too)... lol

[eddy79]

I love my choosera 1k. I had the naniwa ss 1k before and the choosera has a better feel and leavs a better finish IMO

[Denvernoob]

This arrived on Thursday evening and I got to play with it a bit on Friday. I know the Norton and this Chosera are both 1k, but the grit on this one just feels a bit "finer" to me. I gave it a good lapping to get the course top layer off and get it flat. I have only honed a couple of razors on it thus far so I am still evaluating but it does seem to cut a bit faster for sure (especially c135 steel on a TI I put on it). Otherwise it is a great quality stone. Only time will tell if I have made a good decision here but either way I am confident that this one feels a bit better to me from a feedback perspective.

[Denvernoob]

Well here we are a couple of months and about a dozen razors later (of my own stock) that needed work.
Among these razors was my first, which was a Whipped Dog Sight Unseen with a reworked heel and a bit of abuse I had subjected it to while I was learning, in addition to the pretty descent amount of hone wear it had due to use and age (3 layers of tape to get good stone contact).

Now that I have been on this stone for a while I can say with the utmost certainty that my honing has improved markedly. I know many have been skeptical about transitioning to this from my Norton 1k. Perhaps with the Norton I was not patient enough (because it was devastatingly slow), or it didn't have enough abrasive material in the stone....either way, this Naniwa performs above and beyond what the Norton did, and the remarkable edges I have been producing since its purchase is proof positive enough for me. For the record, I still use my Norton 4k/8k combo religiously in my progression and find that combo stone to be first rate...so whatever happened with my 1k is a mystery to me.

My bevel sets come fairly quickly and evenly. The rest of my progression flies by quickly after I get off of the 1k, as there really is very little work left to do at that point. The stone certainly has a "feel" when one is getting close to a proper bevel set...the feedback is excellent, even on heavier grinds. Moreover, the scratch patterns are very consistent and don't go too deep...getting back to my quick progression thereafter. Very consistent every time.

So in conclusion...whether it was the stone, my technique improving/evolving, or both....this purchase was very worthwhile and I would recommend this stone to anyone with the budget to add it to their progression.