Thread: Synthetic progression end result?

I use both the Shapton Glass HR and the Pro series, but differently. I have also been experimenting with the HC 8k.

I have the Shapton 500 HR double thick, a 1k HR on the way, and the 4k HR. The 'backbone' of my synth progression is a Shapton Pro 2k, 5k, and 8k.

The 500 is used to prep Gold Dollars, correct geometry, chips, brute forcing frowns, etc. I like it better than the Chosera 600 (it's faster), and it is as fast as the Pro 320 but finer. The 1k HR that's on the way goes between the 500 and the 2k Pro. Previously I went straight to the 2k Pro or used a Naniwa 1k SS or a 1k King.

My main bevel setter is the 2k Pro, followed by the 5k Pro and the 8k Pro. I follow this set with koma and tomo on a jnat finisher. This 'core' of Pros has produced excellent and repeatable results.

The 4k HR is used to refurb razors with developed bevels but have minor issues, and it's noticeably faster with my wear-resistant Yoshikane SLD slicer than the 5k Pro.

The following comments are something said to me by a knowledgeable honer or the result of limited experience on my part. The Shapton HR 10k was reported to be a 'chippy' hone at least on razors. Some do this and some don't for some reason. The HC 8k that I have produced edge artifacts that appeared as bright white dots at 10x magnification, but only on a very hard Swedish steel Kikiboshi - so far. The more I honed the more 'dots' I produced. I went back to the 8k Pro and they disappeared, and the edge appeared 'straighter'. This is the only razor (so far) that the 8k HC has produced such artifacts. I haven't the slightest idea why, but the HC polishes considerably more than the Pro or HR. It yields mirror-polished bevels if you like that sort of thing. The 8k Pro doesn't polish as well and there are a few residual scratches, but the bevel is easier to 'read' than the mirror polished HC bevel.

Cheers, Steve