Thread: Why Not This Combo?

It's frustrating to me the way the hone companies create combination hones. Norton 220/1K, 4K/8K then you need a third finisher, but very few of us use the 220.

I wish a company like Naniwa would bring out a set with just 2 combination hones: 1K/4K and 8K/12K. You'd have a beveling/sharpening stone and a polishing/finishing stone. Just two stones for the whole process.

Okay, "pet peeve" meter now registering safe levels...

When you get to the stage where you're rehabing old razors , you will find the 220 (or similar grit hone) to be very useful when you need to remove "tiny" nicks in the edge . Or when you are trying to put a bevel on a razor who's steel is so hard , it laughs at a 1k hone .

Bear in mind, the target market for an abrasive stone company consists of people sharpening knives and tools. Unfortunately us straight razor folk are barely a blip on their radar screens.

Getting a nick in your bevel is easier than you think. You'll be glad you have the 220k if that happens...

How bout a combo Escher/Asagi while we're dreaming things up? lol

Originally Posted by HNSB

Bear in mind, the target market for an abrasive stone company consists of people sharpening knives and tools. Unfortunately us straight razor folk are barely a blip on their radar screens.

Hey HNSB
I gotta say...your avatars really creep me out sometimes!

But you're right about the market. I'm just griping. I tried to sneak my hones to the office to day so I could play...I mean...work on a couple razors over lunch, but I couldn't wedge them all in my bag...would have been easier with two combo's like I describe in the OP

Originally Posted by LawsonStone

It's frustrating to me the way the hone companies create combination hones. Norton 220/1K, 4K/8K then you need a third finisher, but very few of us use the 220.

I wish a company like Naniwa would bring out a set with just 2 combination hones: 1K/4K and 8K/12K. You'd have a beveling/sharpening stone and a polishing/finishing stone. Just two stones for the whole process.

Okay, "pet peeve" meter now registering safe levels...

While dreaming...
Or if you buy a set of four (you pick the four) you get 45% off
the one by one price. 50% if you buy five....


Now (Don) that would be a Christmas sale
but I doubt there is that much margin.

The Naniwa Value Pack - 5000, 8000 & 12000 Grit Stones is
not too bad a package.... If I did not own a Norton already... not that
my Norton combo is not a fine hone well followed by my Naniwa 12K...
Anything coarser than this kit might better be a DMT -- (my silly opinion)

Personally, other than in barber hones, I really don't like two sided hones. When I first discovered SRP and started to drastically increase my hone count, which for years had been two, I bought single grit Nortons. I didn't like the idea of constantly flipping over the hone and having to clean off the contaminated surface over and over.

Korin carries a Mizuyama 1/4 and 6/10, but I don't actually know how the stones perform.

EDIT: Sorry, the 6/10 is actually 1/6

Norton 220/1k and 4/8k are handy. I have no 220/1K but somewhat similar Japanese and/or unnamed stones. With these you get along with almost any blades there is...kitchen knives, tools, even straight razors. Maybe no axes or lawn mower blades.
IMO Chinese 12K stones are cheap. That is all you need with Nortons. Why not buy such or barber hone and that is all you ever need. However there are so many other combinations, as those with more experience has stated.

Few months ago an idea of doing it all with single stone only started to haunt me badly until i had no choice but try. I honed my Torrey razor from all dull to shaveable using coticule with slurry of various thickness.
It was funny test, although it took much longer to set the bevel than with my King 800. Also i couldn't get it as sharp as from C12K, but i could shave with it with ok results and no pain.
I wouldn't try this with tool blades or kitchen knives and in my laziness i think i stick with 'multiple stone method' from now on.