Thread: Hone recommendations.

Hi fellas.

I'm looking to buy some hones. Currently I have a Naniwa 12k finishing stone which I purchased thinking this would be enough to re touch my straight however, I now know that it is too far gone for the naniwa to restore it so I was looking to buy either 4000 & 8000 grit stones or a 4K/8K combination stone. I have seen the norton combo stone which would be great however at the moment I can't justify the price. Could you guys possibly advise an alternative brand that makes a combo stone or recommend individual stones which are good and reliable but without the cost of the norton? Thanks in advance guys.

The Norton combo stone is less than $95 US here in the US, so that's going to be hard to beat for value.

Film will be the cheapest option and should work for you though you might want to use sandpaper on glass for bevel work on rough razors. $20 US should get you going.

You could also maybe acquire a small coticule, especially if you could find one at an antique store, boot sale, brocante, etc. That would take you from bevel set to ready to finish, and maybe do it all if you luck into the right one.

There's also coarser slates like the Dragon's Tongue that are UK produced and may work for you though I have never used one.

You should also check out the Shapton kuromaku which is the non-US version of the Shapton Pros. They're proven performers on razors and cheaper than our version.

I would caution you not to buy cheap off-brand Chinese stones from eBay or Amazon, those stones have a rather checkered performance record with razors. They tend to be too soft and the grit not uniform enough and possibly exaggerated in their grit ratings. Many times we have seen people who think they cannot afford a decent stone spend twice that on cheap hones that don't work, only to end up with a Norton, Shapton, or Naniwa in the end

Cheers, Steve

If you must and really cannot get the Norton stone, King makes a 1k/6k stone that will work. I think they are less than 50. The auction site has them at $40 or less. Some people are using it with slurry to enhance performance. Do not just buy a coticule off the shelf unless it is known to put a shaving edge on a razor. There are a lot of junker coticules out right now. New and used.

Dragon's Tongue is a good stone in my experience.
Do a search here for "Dragon's Tongue"

Water of Aire and Tam o Shanter and similar stones are good also
http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...Scottish_Hones
Just my experiences over a few years. I am a bit of a hone junky!
~Richard
Where they fit in progression:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...o-shanter.html

Originally Posted by TurbineBlade

Hi fellas.

I'm looking to buy some hones. Currently I have a Naniwa 12k finishing stone which I purchased thinking this would be enough to re touch my straight however, I now know that it is too far gone for the naniwa to restore it so I was looking to buy either 4000 & 8000 grit stones or a 4K/8K combination stone. I have seen the norton combo stone which would be great however at the moment I can't justify the price. Could you guys possibly advise an alternative brand that makes a combo stone or recommend individual stones which are good and reliable but without the cost of the norton? Thanks in advance guys.

I've checked at Amazon UK and while they do carry the mentioned KING 1/6K they also carry an 8K. I've used KING stones and still do. They do work and while they are thirsty and need lots of water they should be of some help to you. With that said, I've never used a KING that was mounted and I've allowed them to soak either overnight or just left them in a water bath in between uses.

To jump from 1K to 6K 'can' be done, however it's not ideal.

If you could afford either just a 6K or the 8K and use slurry you can make them do a lot of work so you wouldn't need the 3-4K and unless you are going to be needing to cut new bevels you shouldn't need a 1K.

I hope this has been of some help.

Hi guys.

Thanks for the quick responses thus far. I do agree with the consensus on the Chinese amazon / eBay stones and think they are too risky and the chances are, a waste of money. I'll take a look at the King stones but I'm thinking pretty much the safest bet would be just to bite the bullet and get the norton combo stone, that way I know what I am getting and that when it doesn't work, it's completely my fault, lol.

What makes you think that your edge is too far gone to be fixed with the 12k? Were you ever able to shave with that edge? Unless you damaged your razor, I cannot imagine why you cannot bring it back with the 12k.

I had guessed it was too far gone as when I put the razor on the hone for 8 - 12 passes it doesn't seem to get shave ready sharp, this of course may be down to my technique, however I assumed from this that the stone I have is too fine a grit and not suitable for restoring the edge of my straight. The razor is a thiers issard and the stone is a naniwa 12k.

Yeah, when starting out a good set of synthetics is the absolute best bet.

Can you get where you want to go with a C12k, Dragon's Tongue, or other cheap natural? Sure. I've done it. But your results are going to be spotty until you've figured out not only how to hone a razor, but how to do so on your natural stone. Better to learn the former first, then figure out the latter IMHO.

And cheap synthetics tend to be more miss than hit. Don't be swayed by the Weiwei's of the world, unless there really is no other option.

Your best options for a simple system with repeatable results will be a Norton 4/8, Naniwa 3/8, or a King 1/6. You could also throw Shaptons in the mix I guess, but I'm not aware of them making a combination stone, so that kind of drives the entry cost higher still.

A hone is more than a number. It is a tool and what it can do is dependant upon the skill of its user. A Naniwa SuperStone/Specialty 12k can do anything from bevel setting to finishing in the right hands.

IF your razor's edge is more degraded, you might need to use either more strokes or more pressure, though the latter would be followed by lighter strokes.

My point is that if you only are looking to maintain previously sharpened razors, then the 12k should remain all that you should need.