Just starting to hone and I see a lot of info about the norton 4k/8k and then finishing stones like the 12k or the 16k and also the pastes. I have the norton and I have read about people using just that.

My basic questions is

Are the 12k and higher stones necessary for finishing the blade and getting a good smooth shave?


I have read a lot about the stones and searched the forums, but I cannot seem to find a clear cut answer to that question. perhaps I am missing the correct thread.