Thread: Synthetic progression end result?

Originally Posted by RezDog

Unless you are shaving at each hone as part of a learning process they only prepare the edge for the finish, so it is only their performance that matter, not how smooth of an edge you can get with them. 1-4 shave tests are excellent learning tools however.

I just finished doing that 1k-4k shave challenge, it was enlightening! That test gave me more direction on how to improve my edges and the outcome has been great!

I know how important the lower end of honing is. So I am lead to think the SG 4k is part of the mid/upper range of the progression since it polishes so much leaving only the 1k by itself having done all heavy lifting? True or false?

Originally Posted by dshaves

I just finished doing that 1k-4k shave challenge, it was enlightening! That test gave me more direction on how to improve my edges and the outcome has been great!

I know how important the lower end of honing is. So I am lead to think the SG 4k is part of the mid/upper range of the progression since it polishes so much leaving only the 1k by itself having done all heavy lifting? True or false?

True. The bevel is set at the 1k and should not be left till it is set. Everything else is polishing and striation removal.

True story dshaves. The bevel set is the foundation in which the rest of you progression builds on to create a polished edge. There are a ton of ways to get there and most of them are correct and as long as the end is what you are happy with the rest is just semantics. As we go through our progression and go higher into the grits we remove less metal and leave a more polished edge. The sweet spot for setting it all up is believed to be the 1K, and the refinement can be many many things.

I like to think I'm setting the bevel on each stone in the progression. The edge is just wider on the 1k at the apex.

When I am talking about setting the bevel what I am trying to say in much fewer words is creating an apex as perfectly as I can from the point to the heel, and establishing it for the firs time, usually the first time in this particular honing session.
From there I am refining and reducing the width of the apex as I progress through my hones. I think we are saying the same thing, just different words.

Originally Posted by dshaves

If I am reading these responses right then there is no performance advantage in the final edge whether I use a SG or any brand in regards to 1k to 4k vs. 1k, 2k, 4k? Right?

Such is my understanding. At each stone you erase the stria left by the previous hone. This is done by removing enough metal to get below the scratches left by the last stone. When you leave the 2k, everything done on the 1K is erased and fresh metal exposed. When you leave the 4k, everything you did on the 2k is erased, and so on. That middle hone just makes it easier to get rid of the 1K stria.

I tend to think of anything past 1K as mid range, and anything 8k and up as finishing range. Theoretically you should be able to shave at 8k, so in my book that's finishing level though most of us go a step beyond. But there's no etched in stone rules there just loose ideas.

I really appreciate all the responses!

Eric

Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

I believe the 1k to 4k gap is doable. That's what alot of guys seem to use, Norton 1k, 4k, 8k. That's what I started with and it works.

Many well known SRP members with expert ability have posted in the past saying progressing from 1k to 5k is no problem.

A lot of honers out there have used the Chosera line (now called professional) and gone 1k, 5k, 10k and have gotten by ok. We've had the issues of cracking and or crazing on the Choseras which has probably put people off using that progression. IMHO I use the 1k chosera followed by a 2k superstone as I reckon the bevel set scratch pattern is reduced by the 2k stone very well.

Originally Posted by bobski

A lot of honers out there have used the Chosera line (now called professional) and gone 1k, 5k, 10k and have gotten by ok. We've had the issues of cracking and or crazing on the Choseras which has probably put people off using that progression. IMHO I use the 1k chosera followed by a 2k superstone as I reckon the bevel set scratch pattern is reduced by the 2k stone very well.

And conveniently, Naniwa makes both a 2k and 3k hone in the Professional line. Of the two, I consider the 2k to be the better option between the 1k and 5k.