Thread: Beginner Hone Setup

If I were seeking to hone razors, kitchen knives, and pocket knives, all from the same set-up, and for a relatively small cost, I would be inclined to pick up an 8" x 2" soft/hard black Arkansas combo from Sharpening supplies for ~$75USD. You could either use their dedicated, food-safe honing oil or cold-pressed olive oil as a honing medium. Use the combo stone straight out of the box, don't bother lapping it. The black side will smooth over with continued use, but the soft Ark side should be continually refreshed with emery cloth to maintain some cutting power.

A synthetic water-stone alternative would be a King or Suehiro 1k/6k combo, followed by a pasted strop, either the T-I alox/diamond crayon or the red Solingen paste (tube or crayon). Cost there can range, but with the pasted stop added, it still should be ~$75USD. For starters, use w/d 320x sandpaper on glass to lap the stone as needed.

Note: I have downgraded the high-end in my recommendations as kitchen and pocket knives would also be sharpened, and in wanting to maintain a limited budget as mentioned. All the same, these should get you to decent shaving. The black hard Arkansas, once smoothed, is an excellent finisher, as is the T-I crayon or Solingen red stuff.

I have Naniwa 12k for occasional touch up, which is not needed often if I strop before/after each shave.

I did actually buy the Norton set with 220, 1000, 4000, 8000 and if I restore a razor or find a nick that needs smoothing out, I do a hone before using the 12k.

I did meet with a mentor who showed me all I need to know to hone, and it really is easier than you think.

But if the blade is already honed, a 12k of any sort should maintain that edge for a long time.

This I exactly what I want to learn to do. You took the words right out of my mouth, I'll be following this post, most definitely. Thanks.

I've actually been using the straight a bit less time than yourself, but your line of thinking is pretty much what I did. I have one coticule, and about every 7-8 shaves, do a half dozen very light laps on water, and sometimes will add a drop of soap to the equation, and do another dozen laps. Takes all of about a minute and a half. This, and good stropping is all you should need, unless you somehow damage your edge.

Oh the dilemma of "need" and "want"!

Want: I decided to go ahead and purchase 1k/5k/8k/12k at the beginning. I bought a few razors to learn how to hone from the bevel set to finish. I felt this would help my understanding of what it takes to hone a razor properly. ( I assume I am doing it properly as my shaves are great!) I then purchased a Suihero 20k to get the edge smoother and more comfortable, which works well for me)

Need: I guess I could have gotten by with only the 12k and or pasted strops (chromium oxide and iron oxide)

I find that I continue to buy razors just to put them on the stones as I really enjoy the honing process and shaving with an edge you put on yourself seems very satisfying!

Originally Posted by Robini

Oh the dilemma of "need" and "want"!

Want: I decided to go ahead and purchase 1k/5k/8k/12k at the beginning. I bought a few razors to learn how to hone from the bevel set to finish. I felt this would help my understanding of what it takes to hone a razor properly. ( I assume I am doing it properly as my shaves are great!) I then purchased a Suihero 20k to get the edge smoother and more comfortable, which works well for me)

Need: I guess I could have gotten by with only the 12k and or pasted strops (chromium oxide and iron oxide)

I find that I continue to buy razors just to put them on the stones as I really enjoy the honing process and shaving with an edge you put on yourself seems very satisfying!

Yep, need is one thing. Want is another. I kinda went the other way with it and amassed a collection of stones rather than razors. Truthfully unless I have a new to me razor, all I do is select a finishing hone and give any razor that isn't shaving right a few light laps to tweak the edge. Then I strop and enjoy the shave. The majority of my blades will never see a stone finer than 8K unless I'm honing the ol' Gold Dollar just to hone it.

I haven't had to put a razor to a stone in months now. Kinda hurts looking at that collection of fine razor stones currently going unused lol. Maybe I'll scour the usual gettin' place and treat myself to a 'gently used' vintage blade for Christmas so I have an excuse to break them out.

Quick question for someone experienced, is the Naniwa (Specialty Stone) #12000 the same thing as the Naniwa (Super Stone) #12000? I am seeing 2 different ones on Amazon, one box is white and grey, the other box is yellow, just want to make sure I bought the right one!!

Super stones is the old version, and it's a thicker chunk, specialty is the new version and thinner to make it cheaper. Tc

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

Super stones is the old version, and it's a thicker chunk, specialty is the new version and thinner to make it cheaper. Tc

Also new in othwer ways if I understand corectly. It should be a better stone. Thats what I heared. I have not tried honing at all xD.

Atm I send out my razors to professionals to get em honed. Will probably continue that for a while. But I imagine it sometimes would be nice to have a finer stone to touch up those blades alittle bit.
Would love to go for a whole set from bevelsetting to a nice finnisher. But thats what I want. And not nesecerely what I would use. Soo before emptying my pockets on a set of stones I might try to go for a 12k stone. Like Naniwa. Will defenetly follow this thread to see what others say. But its a good start I guess to start with one "high" grit stone to learn the touchup before getting em all!

General word is that they reformulated them. Folks that have hands on both report that they function the same, so better is perhaps subjective. Personally I'd rather have the old thicker stones, but I suppose most folks - myself included - would be hard pressed to wear through a thin 12k in their lifetime. So it's still well worth the money.

Generally speaking the best advice I've seen is start with a finishing stone and quality strop. Send your razor out to be pro honed, then just maintain it from there. Add in lower grit hones as needed if/when your finisher stops getting the job done.

The number of times I've seen the good advice heeded...? Maybe twice lol. But it's all in good fun, since this is a hobby and the only shaves anyone is ruining are their own.