Thread: Naniwa Economical Hones??

If you are learning, buy a wide stone, a full 3 inch if possible, it will make learning to hone easier, especially if you are doing repair work and honing.

A Norton 1/4k is $60, so you’re not saving all that much and giving up a lot. If you want to save a few bucks, buy a King 1k for $20 and a Norton 4/8k or Naniwa 3/8k and your set for life. There is nothing wrong with new Norton’s, I have lapped a few recently, they work just fine.

An 8k edge stropped on quality Chrome Oxide is a fine shaving edge. You can easily bevel set an edge on a Norton 4k, it will just take a few more laps, but for $20 you can’t beat the King 1K.

Buy the best quality you can afford and more importantly, set yourself up for success, why hobble yourself?

Originally Posted by Euclid440

If you are learning, buy a wide stone, a full 3 inch if possible, it will make learning to hone easier, especially if you are doing repair work and honing.

A Norton 1/4k is $60, so you’re not saving all that much and giving up a lot. If you want to save a few bucks, buy a King 1k for $20 and a Norton 4/8k or Naniwa 3/8k and your set for life. There is nothing wrong with new Norton’s, I have lapped a few recently, they work just fine.

An 8k edge stropped on quality Chrome Oxide is a fine shaving edge. You can easily bevel set an edge on a Norton 4k, it will just take a few more laps, but for $20 you can’t beat the King 1K.

Buy the best quality you can afford and more importantly, set yourself up for success, why hobble yourself?

I have been talked into buying a DMT D8C, and a 1k,3k,8k,and 12k naniwa specialty stones. It adds up to $288 so only about $40 more then my sad little list from before. If I upgrade anything later it will be to go up to the Chosera 1k and to add a 5k naniwa specialty stone to the mix. Spending the extra $40 isn't worth the hardship using the lesser stones would cause. Like you said why hobble myself? I'll just buy the set I've seen used the most and been told the most about. I haven't heard much negative about the Naniwa SS stones so I'll drop the extra cash on them. I also don't want to use the razor stones on anything else so I'll pick up one of those economical combo stones to play with in the kitchen and workshop for tools.

Originally Posted by DduckyMark

I have been talked into buying a DMT D8C, and a 1k,3k,8k,and 12k naniwa specialty stones. It adds up to $288 so only about $40 more then my sad little list from before. If I upgrade anything later it will be to go up to the Chosera 1k and to add a 5k naniwa specialty stone to the mix. Spending the extra $40 isn't worth the hardship using the lesser stones would cause. Like you said why hobble myself? I'll just buy the set I've seen used the most and been told the most about. I haven't heard much negative about the Naniwa SS stones so I'll drop the extra cash on them. I also don't want to use the razor stones on anything else so I'll pick up one of those economical combo stones to play with in the kitchen and workshop for tools.

$288 !! I knew there was a reason I abandoned water stones.. If that's in USD

I'm happy you're going big or going home !!! You my friend are going big. At least you'll have some of the best stones around to learn on

Originally Posted by DduckyMark

I have been talked into buying a DMT D8C, and a 1k,3k,8k,and 12k naniwa specialty stones.

The biggest cost is the 12k, so if you want to save money you can skip it. You could also skip the d8c and lap with sandpaper on a flat tile or glass, but the dmt is much nicer.
I have the 5k instead of the 3k, which is probably slightly more expensive. Theoretically it's a little bit more efficient but 3k should work too as these are pretty fast hones; you'll be working a little harder on the 8k while I do it on the 5k.

Originally Posted by gugi

The biggest cost is the 12k, so if you want to save money you can skip it. You could also skip the d8c and lap with sandpaper on a flat tile or glass, but the dmt is much nicer.
I have the 5k instead of the 3k, which is probably slightly more expensive. Theoretically it's a little bit more efficient but 3k should work too as these are pretty fast hones; you'll be working a little harder on the 8k while I do it on the 5k.

I have some blades that need reshaping. The DMT isn't just for lapping. I may end up getting a 5k as well since its bundled with the 8k and 12k for not much more than the 8k and 12k separately. I know I don't need the 12k but its a good finish for a great shave so why not. The reason I was told to go with the 3k and not the 5k out of the gate was that newbies stuggled with bevel setting and the 3k would help bring along a poorly set bevel. Like I said, if I'm breaking this into multiple orders anyway I may get the 5k as well. The worst I can do is decide that I'm not interested and give some new guy a chance to score nearly new stones for less than new prices.