Thread: at what grit should hair pop at?

+1 with Stubear. That's a very detailed answer. My routine is pretty much the same, and I too use the Naniwa's. The only thing I do different is use back strokes at the 1k stage, or bevel setting. Back strokes are a more aggressive stroke and will quickly remove metal. They are especially useful if you have chips in your bevel. I recently began work on a DD Satinwedge, it wasn't too bad, but needed honing. When I looked through the loupe, I noticed a very small chip out of the bevel. It was about half the size of the bevel. This gets removed at the 1k level, and you do not move forward until it's gone. I also use one layer of tape to prevent wear. So, A combination of all strokes, circles, X strokes and back strokes will get you where you need to be, and Yes, You should be popping hair at each level....

I normally work in sets of 20 each, 20 backstrokes, 20 circles, and 20 full x strokes, test, repeat....
After 1k, I leave off the back stroke and do the Full X, and circles, 20 sets each test, repeat....

I'm normally using the 1k, 3k, 8k and 12k, and then possibly a J nat..Sometimes Diamond paste/spray.
I sometimes hit all the Naniwa's, 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12k. I've felt this gives me a better edge, especially on wedges...
I think Glen does the same.

I really like the naniwa 1k for bevels. I have the whole series and when I am using them I follow the 1k with a 3k/5k pyramid and then finish on the 8k and 12k unless I'm doing a natural stone finish. So the 5k may not be 'necessary' but I sure do like having the intermediary step.

I do a bit of hair testing but not as much as I used to. The initial TNT during the bevel setting stage is something I still do. Once I pass that I don't do it again. I follow with more on the 1k to clean up any damage the TNT may have done and begin using the TPT along with a bit of arm or leg hair testing.

Educating the thumb pad is a good thing to do. If you hone razors often arm and leg hair will begin to become a scarce commodity if you use them for a test a lot. People will shy away from you if they don't know that it is just razor mange. The TPT will become a good indicator and save a lot of hair.

Many thanks for taking the time to write that detailed reply Stuart. I really appreciate it!

I need to get a nagura stone to remove glazing on the 1k...I have used 600 grit wet & dry to now which isn't ideal. I don't want to pay EUR10 postage for a EUR6 stone so was thinking of adding other hones to get value for the shipping hence whether the 5k would be the next in line... you are the experts so thought it was worth asking first.

I think the difficulty is

1) mastering the technique of using no pressure and keeping the blade completely flat...I'm getting there

2) knowing when to move on to another stone (which your reply above will help considerably.)

I ordered this loupe that Jimmy had recommened in another thread I read
Widget Supply 21mm 30x Chrome Teardrop Triplet Jewelers Loupe
and it would appear it can't get here soon enough.

Perhaps I should avoid going to the 3k stage until I get it? I am happy the bevel has been set at the 1k level as it easily removes hair on all parts of the blade at skin level.

I have one other question. I bought a truing/flattening stone(grain size 220) which is the following

NANIWA Flattening Stone (Truing Stone)

but in order to lapp it I used an 80grit wet and dry sandpaper. The trouble is I can't see anything when I mark it with pencil so I don't see any grid/progression on whether my flattening stone is indeed flat. Should I buy white chalk or what would be a suitable alternative?

Thanks a lot for the help guys

Paul

I don't have as much experience as others here, but I've never heard of needing to flatten a flattening or lapping stone. I believe they are made to be perfectly flat right out of the box, and they are generally made of stuff that's a LOT harder than normal honing stones, so they really can't be "ground down" by another stone. Or at least that's what I've understood from others. If I'm wrong, then maybe I've been missing some very basic information.

The lapping stones by Naniwa and Norton are hones like any other - they do not necessarily come flat out of the box, and they need periodic lappings. It's the diamond on steel plates, like DMT's, that come flat and stay flat. For me, this is a big part of the draw to DMT's.

Thank you everyone, this post and the answers were quite useful

If you have one of those little hand held microscopes sold at radioshack it makes honing a lot easier. You can actually see when each stone replaces scratch patterns on the bevel and then you can do an arm hair test and move on to the next stone.

You should be able to cut arm hairs right after the first stone/1K stone.

There is a ton of info packed in here,,,I didn't realize that you guys were using so many slightly different techniques...
I do mean "slightly" here, just tiny little tweaks each or you do, I find that very interresting...

Zib you were right I do use every one of those stones when using the Naniwa SS's I do the same with the Shapton set, just seems to work out very well for my style to take many smaller steps...

The only thing I could add to this actual thread though, is that for me, I have found that the Naniwa SS's can be rather deceiving when it comes to many of the same sharpness tests I use on the other stones.. They impart a very SMOOTH edge as you are honing, that I feel is a bit smoother than other sets at those same lower levels...
When I first got my NSS set I couldn't get anything to pop or feel right in the middle so I was backing up a ton, until I finally just pushed through to the end and realized that my sharpness tests didn't work quite the same...
Now I am used to it, but it took quite a few razors before I learned the difference for me...

Now I am heading to the Honing Alter and putting a very nice Filarmonica through the Naniwas can't wait for the test shave...