Thread: Anyone PREFER a Norton 4/8 to a coticule?

Back when I first came around the Norton 4/8 was THE most used hone on SRP. Lynn used to wear them out regularly. Randydance told me that I should shave test on the 4/8 before finishing with a higher grit. If I wasn't 'there' at the 8k level I wasn't ready for the higher grit. I've shaved off the norton 8k many times and truth be told I could get along just fine if that was all I had.

If I could only have one hone (shudder) it would be a Norton 4/8.

Originally Posted by aalbina

Wow! That's almost exactly what I did nearly word for word! Started with a 4/8 Norton, CROX pasted leather to finish. Got the Naniwa 12K which I found a little harsh! CROX pasted felt strop to ease the Naniwa 12K, then on to the Thuringian... Last week I got a Coticule... it's like you're telling my story Haha!

Adam

Yeah I left out all the pastes. I think we have all traveled the same road.

I have afew Coti , some of them are faster but i get good edge at all of them of course i use a jns or a Escher after Coti, and then just 4 stroke on CROX but never more then 5 stroke on CROX , i think more then 5 get the edge dull.

For 2 months now I've been shaving with one razor honed on the Norton 4K and 8K, stropped with linen and leather. No pastes, no other finishers. I just now felt the need to give it a few licks on a barber hone to pull it back in line. I'm debating if I want to continue with that route, or take the razor back to the 4/8 for a proper touch up. It does make a really good tug free shaving edge. I gotta agree with JimmyHAD. I could live happily with just a Norton 4/8 combo stone. Don't want to, but I could.

Before I had a real finishing hone I did this all the time and got great edges

Originally Posted by vileru

Has anyone tried CrOx after a Norton 4/8k? In a vintage barber manual, Kosuke Iwasaki (yes, the maker of Iwasaki razors) claims that CrOx is needed to remove the false edge that's inevitably left behind from honing. I'd be curious if CrOx improves upon any just-honed edge.

Try the Norton 4K/8k and satisfy your curiosity.

Personally, I never really liked the stone and bought it back when it was all that was available and the esoteric pyramid method was what was being touted to newbs. I found the 4k side too rough no matter how much I lapped it and the soaking and clogging was annoying.

The naniwas were a considerable improvement, but still the clogging and lapping.

So my journey has been in the opposite direction as yours. The coticule is my preferred hone.

Originally Posted by vileru

Has anyone tried CrOx after a Norton 4/8k? In a vintage barber manual, Kosuke Iwasaki (yes, the maker of Iwasaki razors) claims that CrOx is needed to remove the false edge that's inevitably left behind from honing. I'd be curious if CrOx improves upon any just-honed edge.

thanks for this Manual. It verified a lot of what I learned here and some new stuff.

I get a good shave right off the Coticule or the 8K norton, No stropping is needed, but a few strokes on Linen/Leather don't hurt if done lightly.

The 4/8 Norton is the stone all others are compared to.
I shaved off 1 for a year before I moved on. Passed right by the crox and went to 12k Nani and smoothed that out with a Zulu.
I know a lot of you love to play with rocks but for me honing is something you do to get to the fun. Would you buy a drill that makes holes 1/3 as fast because it's pretty and fun ? They are tools :<0)

Combo synths, this one included aren't my favorite mainly due to the water absorption rates being different for each side. You always end up with one side acting strange. I really think if you go synth, go for the single grits if you can afford it.. That or shallow soak each side separately as you require them.