Thread: Norton 8k = ~5k JIS?

Well, my issue with The chart Jimmy's post references is the same I take with Norton's - it's got them organized according to the grit contained in the hone. But we're not honing with loose grit.

To actually compare one to the next, you'd have to have both, and probably compare shaves off the same baseline (I.E using the Naniwa 3K before each, or a Norton 4K prior to each) for our purposes. Good edge photos so the stria can be compared would also be nice. But rating them according to the grit size contained in the hone doesn't tell us much, other than the fact that Shapton and Naniwa use smaller grit in their hones.

I've been tempted to pick up another 8K hone, but at the same time throwing down a chunk of change for a Naniwa/King/Shapton hone I'm going to use maybe 3 or 4 times only sounds like fun until logic kicks in.

The King 6k was the first water hone I purchased. Followed by King 1k and then Norton 4/8k combo. The King 6k didn't get much use after the Norton combo arrived but purely by chance, quite some time back I "dropped" down to the 6k after feeling the 8k wasn't quite there. I did think at the time that the 6k edge looked and felt better than the 8k. Will re-visit when I have time.
Caveat, I am no honemeister and I haven't read any of the threads on the subject.
Regarding the Norton trans Ark, the well documented and time consuming burnishing process is what makes them a fine finisher, not how they come from factory.

While it IS true that the burnish is what makes them a fine finisher as you said that's well documented. And nothing new, even outside razor circles. Norton ought to be as aware of it as we are.

I'm curious to see what your results will be comparing your Norton to your King 6K.

Originally Posted by Utopian

The jump from 1k to 6k is greater than the jump from 4k to 8k. 4k grit is one fourth the size of 1k grit, while 8k is only half the size of 4k.

I do like this idea of proportions. If we were to take stones of the same series, say Naniwa, then the oft-advocated progression of 1k > 4k > 8k > 12k would run 1:4 > 1:2 > 1:1.5. Certainly more gradual than 1:6. But if it moves in the other direction, to find a coarser stone than 1k, the proportional relation breaks down. For example, if we moved from 1:4 to 1:8 we would arrive at 125 for a coarse stone, which is off the charts for a razor, as is 1:6 which would be ~167, except perhaps for a Naniwa Omura coupled with judicious bread-knifing (just parroting here). But if we reversed the order as a mirror, moving from 4:1 to 2:1, from 1k we would arrive at 500 which is in range for razors (something I've tried). And following this, from 2:1 to 1.5:1 to arrive at ~333 for an even coarser stone. Fun with numbers anyway. ;-)

YMMV on any hone, synthetic or natural. All synthetics "should be" the same from any manufacturer in any given grit size. So I would think you should stay with one manufacturer on hones up to the 8k level with the exception of the Naniwa 12K with would make a fine finishing hone regardless of what was used before it.

With the Norton 8k I've probably honed close to 500 razors and before I had finishing hones, that and a CrOx paddle would give very good edges and shaves. The final judge is always "how does it shave"

Originally Posted by Utopian

NO natural stone EVER should be assigned a grit rating....

Don't trust anyone who assigns a grit rating to a natural hone.

I'll drink to that.

Originally Posted by Marshal

While it IS true that the burnish is what makes them a fine finisher as you said that's well documented. And nothing new, even outside razor circles. Norton ought to be as aware of it as we are.

I'm curious to see what your results will be comparing your Norton to your King 6K.

A quick visual experiment this morning. All 3 hones freshly lapped, bevel set on King 1k, keeping stria as close to 90 degrees for observation. 80 laps King 6k one side of razor, 80 laps Norton 8k the other side at about 45 degrees to make viewing stria easier, medium pressure. Norton cut faster, no surprise. Visually very similar, King lighter scratch pattern. Another 40 laps no pressure, Norton ahead by a nose, less stria visible. Another 40 no pressure, Norton more polished. So the binder used definitely has something to do with results, not just the grit. Not conclusive, but I will try finishing on the 6k on another razor and compare shaves with Norton 8k.