Thread: Synthetic progression recommendation.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

So, if you are bored and want some good edges, you already have a 1k, CNTG has some nice Jnats in the $180-300 range or get on the wait list for a $75 Kopa. Make some diamond slurry and learn a Jnat, you will be glad you did and get some smoking edges.

I'll start a new thread later today because it's off topic... but I could use your shared experience on some of that. I'm getting skilled with a Asano-stamped Nagura progression, but am interested in your thoughts on self-slurry, etc....

Ended up just picking up a Suehiro Cerax 1k and the Suehiro Ouka 3k. Was going to get the Rika 5k but the jump from 3-8- is non issue.

Was thinking of going to Cerax for a bevel setter myself, please let us know how you like them

Will do, there's not much talk about them on this forum and they are priced right imo. I've used a few different 1k's so comparing won't be too hard!

I like film. I have 60u, 30u, 15u, some 12u that I usually skip, 9u, some 5u that I usually skip, 3u, 1u, and .3u which I usually skip. For stones, I have the Naniwa Superstones from 1k to 12k and they are pretty darn good. I don't like the new Nortons at all though the old ones weren't bad. Tried the King combo and I thought it kinda sucked. I never tried the Shaptons except for a Kuromoku I have, in 320 grit I think. I don't think I will ever need to buy any more rocks. Film is cheap and works great, never needs lapping, doesn't load or glaze, and when it wears out it is simple to just discard it and use a new piece. For coarse work I have several different diamond plates, that Shapton, a Chosera 600, and one or two more, but most of the time I use the red resin type wet/dry sandpaper glued to one of the acrylic plates I use for lapping film or balsa. like film honing, the surface is dead flat and stays that way.

On the fine end of things, I don't stop at 12k stone or 1u film. I run a progression of diamond paste in balsa. I say in and not on balsa because I first of all glue the balsa to 3/4" acrylic for stability, then lap it, then rub diamond paste into the balsa and finally wipe the excess from the surface. Most guys use way too much for optimum results, and do not rub it in good. A coating of paste gives a slurry effect and doesnt give me the edge that I want. The progression is .5u, .25u, and .1u. The edge off the first two does not feel particularly smooth on the skin, sort of like the .3u film that I seldom use for the same reason. But they set the edge up for the .1u diamond, which leaves a very smooth feel to the edge as well as extreme sharpness. I use the balsa progression after either film, or the Naniwas. Light pressure is extremely important with the balsa. You won't get fullest possible edge development if you use the same pressure that you use when honing on a 12k. I tip the balsa up on end to make it easier to use less than the weight of the razor. Lotsa laps, barely brushing the balsa, does the trick. Then for daily maintenance I use just the .1u, 50 laps after shaving, and I never have to hone that razor again. Of course I tried CrOx and also red iron oxide pastes but the results are not the same.

My recommendation would be a lapping film setup, of course. For a rock progression I think a Naniwa setup is pretty good, a bit pricey but not TOO bad, pretty easy to use. Either way, balsa and diamond, properly set up and properly used, will up your end game if you want to kick it up a notch.

Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER

Will do, there's not much talk about them on this forum and they are priced right imo. I've used a few different 1k's so comparing won't be too hard!

Interested in this as well... Cerax are well spoken of.

This entire thread has finally motivated me to get off my a** and order at Shapton 1.5K (not the pros, the Japanese market version which are a little cheaper) to replace my Norton combo stone...

Synthetics (owned and/or tested)
1k —> Chosera, Sigma Select ii, Nano Hone
2k —> Shapton Glass
3k —> Sigma Select ii, Nano Hone, Chosera
4k —> Naniwa “Hayabusa”
6k —> Nano Hone, Sigma Select ii
8k —> Kitayama, Naniwa “Snow White” & “Fuji”
16k -> Shapton Glass
30k -> Shapton “Murasaki”

Prior to 2019 my equipment was solely focused on knives. Since I’ve started focusing more on razors I’ve switched out a few things and tried a few others.

My favorites I’d recommend for razors are:
Shapton Glass Series
Snow White
Nano Hone Series

The Nano Hone are interesting and relatively new. Have not seen many razor folks talking about them, likely because the usual commonly recommended stones perform so well.

My overall and absolutely favorite stone for razors is the Snow White. Hate it for my knives- Kitayama gets the nod for knives. But for razors SW is really versatile and easy to use.

I most enjoy working with JNATs, so I spend the vast majority of my honing time away from synthetics. Therefore my recommendations are influenced by that preference. I rarely use any synths under 8k.

Final thought: once you settle on something, options and alternatives don’t matter. What you have is what’s important because that’s what you’ll learn and that’s what you’ll know. If you heed the advice offered on this forum, many recommended stones are comparable as well as effective.

I’ve been testing a new, simple progression, it seems to work very well. The Shapton Glass series is designed to go in 3x increments. The following is what I’ve been using for razors that only need normal bevel work.

Shapton Glass HR (High Rockwell) 2k - works as well as most 1k because it’s blazing fast - Shapton Glass HC (High Carbon) 6k - jnat + tomo to finish. 3 stone progression. If you don’t need to set the bevel, the 6k+ jnat works.