Thread: beginner looking for stone

Originally Posted by tok

Take a look at coticule.be and make your own decision on this whole "one coticule isn´t enough" thing. I don´t say it´s bogus, as well as I don´t say it´s not. I do perfectly fine with a Coticule and a 1000 grit synthetic for the very hard evil mistreated ebay-razors. But maybe, I was just lucky getting the right stone…

Regards,
Tok

So what your saying, is with a 1k synthetic and a Coticule, then one Coticule is enough?????

Hmmmmm yeah I think that qualifies as two stones....which is exactly what we said above... whether you use two Coticules or a synthetic and a Coticule that would still be 1+1 = 2 hence that statement that One Coticule honing is becoming more of a myth...

I mean, if you have a badly rounded or even chipped edge from ebay or a flea market, working on a coticule works, if you don´t mind to work the whole day. I just prefer faster low grit hones. Doesn´t have to be 1000 grit, could propably be 600 or even less. I´m just too lazy to buy another hone, as I have a 1000 grit synthetic.

Maintaining your razors is a whole different story. As long as you don´t have to hone billions per day, I don´t mind spending a little more time on each of them. For Pro honers, a single coticule might be too slow, but for me, maintaining only my razors, it is enough.

If you want to say, it´s two hones, because of the one low grit hone I use on a razor at ONE time when i got it off ebay or whatever and then never again (unless I don´t screw it up by hitting something hard), I don´t mind. I don´t count words. So, I say, TWO hones are enough: a coticule plus a low grit synthetic.

Peace and regards,
tok

So again I ask would or would not that be true for most every single stone mentioned above????

To maintain a razor one simply needs "one high enough grit stone" if, as you stated, one has enough time...

I mean, I am perfectly capable of honing a razor from start to finish on a Norton 8k myself, but I would not recommend it for a newb...

For years I never believed that a Barber's hone would fully sharpen a razor, but guess what, after lapping multiple Barber's hones for sale, and testing every single one, on a single dull razor, to make sure they were smooth, that one razor is now sharp enough to shave...

So I guess I could say that a Barber's hone is a "One Stone Hone" but wouldn't that be a bit misleading???

Which leads back to the original statement of waiting a bit before even considering a hone purchase...

In most points, I agree with you.

Of course, you are able to go the whole way on a finisher. And of course, it takes a lot of time.
On a coticule, I need around half an hour to get a sharp razor starting from a razor that is not even able to shave arm hair, using the unicot method. Maybe, this works on other hones as well. I don´t know, I never tried it. Did others? Uniescher, Unithurry, Uniwhatever? I´d be very interested(Seriously).

(another point might be, that coticules are not known for overhoning, but I don´t really know, of how much importance this is, when you start.)

To make this clear: This is only my personal experience and opinion.

Regards,
tok

Originally Posted by gssixgun

So I guess I could say that a Barber's hone is a "One Stone Hone" but wouldn't that be a bit misleading???
..

I don't think so you are misleading.
As many people knows there is Barber hones which has 2 sides. simple one would be Cmon, frictionate00 etc. you can use any of those hones sharpen blade from dull state to shave ready condition .

Originally Posted by toughluck

Looking to get a single stone for refreshing my straight razor strictly, can I get away with one stone and what would you recommend?

Strictly refreshing? With one stone? Yes.

I use and would recommend a barber hone. They were made for the purpose of refreshing a razor edge. They are easy to use and generally cut fast; 2-7 laps. I would also recommend almost anything between (roughly) 10k to 16k and up.