Thread: Buying first hone - Naniwa

Could somebody please advise me on what grit Naniwa super stones I should get to touch up a Prima Klang?

I've bought one and want to know what hones to get it ready for a first shave and future touching up.

I was thinking an 8,000-12,000 given it's an extra hollow ground and a flattening stone to start off with but could do with some advice please.

Many thanks

First of all, welcome to the site..!

For touch ups, the 10k or 12k would work great. You dont need a flattening stone as you can lap with sandpaper if you want to. Much cheaper and just as effective! I'd say a flattening stone is useful if you have a lot of hones, but if you're just working on one stone you'll probably be fine with the paper.

You could also get a barber hone off eBay for around $25 or use another high grit stone such as the Shapton 16k or a high grit natural like a coticule.

If you just want one stone a coti has the advantage of being able to use slurry to lower the grit. I picked up my coti/BBW combo for around £50 and, barring major bevel work, you can pretty much get away with that one stone. JMHO of course, but if I was to pick a one-stone-wonder, that would be it.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Thanks for the welcome and fast reply Stubear.

I read sandpaper works with a pane of glass but will get the flattening stone to be 100% sure it will be flat. I'll probably get the entire range later on.

So I should be covered with an 8,000 & 12,000 naniwa to start off with a factory ordered prima klang or should I consider adding a 3,000?

There is a place just across the border in Germany and whilst postage isn't crippling I'd like to get the order right first time.
Japanese Waterstones: Naniwa Chosera

Thanks a lot for the input

If you are just looking at maintaining an already shave ready blade, not hone ebay blades. You will probably be good for a long time with a naniwa 12k and strop.

Then if you decide you want to branch out a bit later, you could add more stones.

Originally Posted by Sachiya

Thanks for the welcome and fast reply Stubear.

I read sandpaper works with a pane of glass but will get the flattening stone to be 100% sure it will be flat. I'll probably get the entire range later on.

So I should be covered with an 8,000 & 12,000 naniwa to start off with a factory ordered prima klang or should I consider adding a 3,000?

There is a place just across the border in Germany and whilst postage isn't crippling I'd like to get the order right first time.
Japanese Waterstones: Naniwa Chosera

Thanks a lot for the input

I think there is some confusion here. You used the phrase "touch up" and "get it ready for a first shave." These are different things. If the razor is already fully sharpened, then the Naniwa 10k or 12k is fine for subsequent touch ups, but either one is not sufficient on its own to sharpen a razor that is not shave ready. Lower grit hones would be needed for that.

Originally Posted by Sachiya

Could somebody please advise me on what grit Naniwa super stones I should get to touch up a Prima Klang?

I've bought one and want to know what hones to get it ready for a first shave and future touching up.

I was thinking an 8,000-12,000 given it's an extra hollow ground and a flattening stone to start off with but could do with some advice please.

Many thanks

You are getting many different answers because you did not supply the necessary information that we need to answer correctly ...

First understand that a Dovo from the Factory or from a vendor is not "Shave Ready" the words Pre-sharpened and Factory sharpened do not mean shave ready... Unless the razor has been opened and honed by somebody that knows what the heck they are doing it is not ready to shave... You are going to need at least a 5k hone (or equivalent) to do that in a reasonable amount of time... After that,,, Yes the 8k and higher polishing and finishing grits will maintain that razor....

Ask the people you are buying the razor from "Has the razor been honed to "shave ready" by a qualified Honemiester, after it left the factory" ????? use those exact words...

Apologies for not being more precise.

I've ordered my first straight edge and wish to both hone it myself from the factory state to get it shave ready and also want to obviously maintain it.

I was under the impression from what I had read that given the prima klang was extra hollow ground/extra thin I wouldn't need to go down all that far in grit size, the bevel will be set and I won't have much metal to remove but more polishing on 8,000/12,000....obviously this appears wrong and an 8,000/12,000 isn't sufficient...

so then I should add a 5,000 hone to my shopping list?

I don't mind spending the money as I will no doubt end up with the entire range of stones down the line.

Thanks for your patience

Yes at the very least a 5k if we are talking the Naniwa line of stones...

The thing is honing is not quite so straight forward, I am not saying you can't do it, but the (huge) majority of people new to this have a tuff time of it for quite awhile.... This is why we always suggest getting your first razor honed professionally then later after you learn to shave then try honing...

To hone a Dovo from a Naniwa 5k to Shave ready is an experience best left for much later down the line, heck honing it with the full line is a bit tuff when you first start this hobby....

Lathering, stropping & shaving are enough of an uphill battle to start with

Originally Posted by Sachiya

so then I should add a 5,000 hone to my shopping list?

I don't mind spending the money as I will no doubt end up with the entire range of stones down the line.

Yes you need the lower grit hone. I've never tried it but you might be able to set the bevel on that razor with the 5k. Ideally you would also get the 8k and the 12k. Well ideally, since you are planning on the entire range, do what I did and get the
220
400
1k
2k
3k
5k
8k
10k
12k!!!


(In case the smiley face is too subtle, all you really need is the 1k, 5k, 8k, and 12k. Though personally I would recommend adding in the 2k or 3k as well.)

I realise my means of going about this is highly unorthodox but I throw myself into the deep end of things and am wired that way. I started reloading on a dillon 650 and 10,000s of round later not one incident.

I am 100% aware it takes time to learn how the art of how to hone a razor and I will not know what a shave ready blade professionally honed feels like so I can compare to what I will do.

I won't be sending off my new dovo and would like to order the stones and get on with it myself. Worse case scenario I buy another and send it off and you can all tell me....I told you so.

I don't mind getting as many stones as it takes if you gentlemen would kindly help me out.