Naniwa Starting Set

I've decided that I'm getting into honing my own. I have too many interesting razors languishing in a rice-filled box not to get the itch...

What's overwhelming to me is not the technique--I've seen enough videos and I have enough "practice" razors to afford a few boo-boos before I get good. It's the choice of stones and their preparation/maintenance.

So I've tentatively narrowed it down to three stones to start with: Naniwa Sharpening Stone (New Super Stone) 3,000, 8,000 and 12,000.

Some extra info: all my razors are vintage carbon steel (W&B, Filarmonicas). The razors I'd be using already have bevels and decent (although not all great) cutting edges.

1 - Would that be sufficient to get me started?
2 - Do I need pasted strops or barber's hones to refresh the razors, or is the 12,000 enough for the job?
3 - Most importantly, do these Naniwa stones require any preparation (lapping, etc.) or are they pretty much ready to go out of the box?

Thanks for the advice.

I do a bit of restorations and I would be lost honing without my 1K Naniwa.

If the edges you will be working on are decent, not rust or chips, that progression would work well. If you will be doing razor restores with bad edges, chipped/rusted, a 1K is well worth it for saving time setting a bevel. A 3K would do it but take longer. That progression will work on all razors, at least it has on mine.

It depends how bad the edge is when you decide to hone it as to your starting grit point. Normally for touch ups/refreshing of a razor that is starting to pull a bit a few light strokes on a 12K should do. If that does not do it you go down the progression till you get the edge set then up again to finish it.

Yes, you will need a lapping plate like the DMT 325 to ensure the hones are flat.

Bob

1-If your bevels are already set on all the razors, that combination would be fine.

2- No. A 12k is fine to shave off of without any pastes or barber hones.

3- You will have to lap the stones. They are shipped as cast by the manufacturer and that leaves a layer of binder that you have to get past to reach the abrasives.

I would add a diamond plate for lapping the stones to your set up. DMT 325 or maybe atoma 400 or maybe 1200 would do some research on that

An inexpensive 30-60X LED loupe also comes in very handy for inspecting edges as you move through the progression.

The comments given so far has been great. There's not much for me to add but (and there's always a but) I would say get a good black sharpie to run down the edge when your setting the bevel. that and your fairly strong magnifying glass will tell you when the bevel is either close or not. When I started honing I was too lazy to do any recherche on my own so I called one of the best (I don't call names but if I did everyone would agree this guy is one if not the best) and ask. His advise to me was the 1-3/8K and of course the 12K naniwa with the DMT325 for lapping the hones. Good luck with the honing I think your going to have loads of fun.

+1 to all of the above. I got started with Naniwa SS 5K, 8K, 12K. I then picked up a Chosera 1K for bevel setting just because I "had" to have one. The DMT 325 lapping plate is a good idea BUT when you get it, take something like an old screw driver and sand along the shaft of the screw driver to knock down any high spots on the DMT 325. I put some scratches into my new stones--didn't hurt the performance, but worried me until I realized others had made the same mistake.

DMT makes bench hones and lapping plates. The biggest difference is size. I have the lapping plates, and they are 5x10, and unless you are regularly doing serious lapping it is a little too much. For most people the 3x8 bench hones are better, they also fit nicely into the hone holders making them quick and easy for cleaning and maintaining your hones.