Thread: Beginner Hone Set?

Originally Posted by Fbones24

I understand that the Chinese 12k or a similar stone is all that is needed for maintenance, I understand that a 1k is for bevel setting and I believe a 4k is for sharpening and repairing minor defects. So where does the 8k fit in exactly?

Between the 4k and the Chinese hone.

Put it this way. If you have a razor that isn't shaving the way it should, there are two ways you could approach it. You could start over with bevel setting and work your way up a standard progression. You'd end up with a sharp razor but you would have removed more steel than you needed to.
Alternatively, you could do 50-100 strokes on the Chinese hone.
If that doesn't give you a sharp shave you could make slurry on the Chinese hone and do 50 strokes with slurry and another 50 without.
If that doesn't give you a sharp shave you could repeat it, or you could drop down and do about 10 strokes on the 8k followed by 50 to 100 strokes on the Chinese hone.
If that doesn't give you a sharp edge you could repeat the 8k/Chinese hone progression again, or you could drop down to a few strokes on the 4k.

Get it?

One progression is working your way up. The other is trying to minimize steel removal by minimizing time on the lower grits and sneaking down from the upper end of the progression.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Between the 4k and the Chinese hone.

Put it this way. If you have a razor that isn't shaving the way it should, there are two ways you could approach it. You could start over with bevel setting and work your way up a standard progression. You'd end up with a sharp razor but you would have removed more steel than you needed to.
Alternatively, you could do 50-100 strokes on the Chinese hone.
If that doesn't give you a sharp shave you could make slurry on the Chinese hone and do 50 strokes with slurry and another 50 without.
If that doesn't give you a sharp shave you could repeat it, or you could drop down and do about 10 strokes on the 8k followed by 50 to 100 strokes on the Chinese hone.
If that doesn't give you a sharp edge you could repeat the 8k/Chinese hone progression again, or you could drop down to a few strokes on the 4k.

Get it?

One progression is working your way up. The other is trying to minimize steel removal by minimizing time on the lower grits and doing the upper end of the progression.

Perfect! That makes things much clearer to me. Thank you for that explanation.