Originally Posted by
Stubear
I usually finish on my Maruichi, but I'm not sure thats such a cost effective stone...! The Charnley Forest stones also put a great edge on a razor.
I do agree with Randy, Jimmy and others though, the 12k edge is really good and is definately shaving sharp. I recently got a set of Naniwas and I love the 12k edge. The Maruichi doesnt make the edge sharper, but it does add smoothness and makes the edge feel a lot softer. Its literally just the final finish on an already great edge.
Also, sharpness is not done with high grit stones. A finisher is just that, the final finish on a sharp edge. So if your razor isnt sharp at the 12k level, adding a higher grit stone wont make it any sharper, it'll just polish a dull edge. The sharpening is done on the 1k and 4k stones, the 8k and higher are just refining that sharp edge.
Good luck and keep us posted!