Advise needed for hones.

Hello everyboy,
Let me please introduce myself before asking for help.:)
I'm 37, live in the french part of Switzerland.
I work in chemistry for a huge american company.

I started with straights razors only a couple of months ago but, to be honest I think that I'm addicted now ;-)

Actually my question is the following: I would like to be able to take a used straight razor and have a delicate shave after restoring it.
I don't mind if I have to spend weeks or months on it!
And fore sure I need sharpening stones.
I've looked around on the web and I'm pretty close to buy the chorseas series.
I'm sure they are good stones but as you guys are experts could you please tell me if I'm doing the good choice as it is lot of money even for a Swiss guy ;-)
Cheers and good shaves everybody!

Welcome to SRP. I haven't used the Chosera stones. An esteemed member just bought the 1k Chosera and he is very happy with it. I know of at least two other members who had the 5k and 10k Chosera stones and felt that they cut very fast but they didn't like the shaving characteristics of the edges they got from those and sold them.

I can say that the Naniwa Super Stones are very nice for razor honing. If I was to do it over, knowing what I know now, I would get the 1k Chosera, the 3 and or 5k super stone and the 8 and 12k super stone.

There are also natural stones such as the coticule and the Escher/Thuringan, the Japanese naturals. Those are for later IMO. After you feel competent with the synthetics. All this is just in my opinion.

Check out the SRP Wiki here for tutorials on all of this stuff.

Nothing wrong with your choose except amount of money you are going to spend .
better choose will be as JImmy mention to buy shaptons glass stones.
I should add Chosera's will last a lot longer.
their have very strong cutting power.

Thank you guys!
I think I'm going as Jimmy mentioned...
I've read a lot about Super stones and actually I was hesitate between Chorsesas and Super Stones...
And I've heard that some people had trouble with Chorseas if they put too much water!

One other thing, in the USA the Naniwa super stones are 10mm thick with a plastic base glued on. Since you are in Switzerland you may be better off with the 20mm thick no base glued on super stones available here . They are more money but more stone.

You will also need a lapping plate to flatten the stones periodically. I would recommend a 325 diamond plate such as the Dia Sharp DMT D8C continuous plate. I'm not sure if it is available in Europe, there may be an alternative such as the Atoma more easily bought where you are located.

I have to agree with Jimmy's comment/comment as I bought the Choseras based on early obervation about their fine abilities and am not impressed with the shavability after honing several of my razors on the 10K. The Shapton Glasstones and the Nortons and coticules work much better for me.

Then again, I'm not a honer, just a plodder along life's shaving pathways.

:beer2:

I agree that the Naniwa Super Stones are certainly the best for a new user just learning to hone. The grits Jimmy mentioned should serve you well. I would also advise you to purchase a DMT steel to lap the stones prior to use and to raise a slurry on them if desired. 6" Dia-Sharp Diamond Stone

There are several examples of these at this link. What I use is one that is course on one side and fine on the other.

Just be patient and if you haven't already check the Wiki for new shavers which also has honing info.
Straight Razor Place Wiki

Thanks to you all for your good advices.
I've decided to follow them :) as you guys have an amazing amount of experiences with honing...
So I'm gonna buy the following:
Naniwa Superstone 3000;5000;8000;10'000,12'000 and a chorsea 1000 for bevel setting.
To lap these stones I'm just hesitating between the NANIWA Flattening Stone Grain Size 220 and a Dia Sharp DMT D8C?

All you really need is this:
a finishing stone
a dmt course.

I haven't had any problem removing the scratches from the course dmt using all my finishers and you can flatten the finisher with it.

8-10-12k may be too small jumps in grit to be practical
and it will be too easy to overdoo the finishing
Skip the 10k is my advice

3k and 5k is really not neccesary to get both but some like the small steps they make

Ok!
So if I well understand I don't need all these stones.
Bevels Settings with Chorsea 1000, and 5000 or 8000 and a finishing stones like a 12'000 will be fine.
Am I wrong?

Since the Naniwa lower grit hones are pretty inexpensive I'd add a 3000 for those picky razors that need that little extra between 1000 and 5000.

Choise is yours but that setup should do you fine

you can always add more later when you start looking for that little extra

Hello guys,
What a beautifful day, we just had a big amount of snow here in Switzerland! But the biggest supprise today was the box awaiting me at home... I have just received my Naniwa stones.!!!
1000 and 3000 Chorsea
5000-8000-12'000 superstones
The DMT 325 is still travelling from US To Europe...
I have a stupid question, that I' m sure you already replied to almost a thousand times before.
First thing to do is to lap all these stones with the DMT 325, is it correct ? and
do I need water to lap?
Afterward, do I need to soak the SS and Chorsea or not when I'm honnig?
Thank you very much for your patience -:)

Giuseppe

Yes use the DMT first and make sure they are lapped flat. You can do this by taking a ruler and making an X (with a pencil) from top left to bottom right then top right to bottom left. Use water then lay the DMT on the hone and rub until the marks are gone then it should be flat.
No they don't need to be soaked in water before using them. You can use a spray bottle of water to keep them wet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ucodu

Hello guys,
What a beautifful day, we just had a big amount of snow here in Switzerland! But the biggest supprise today was the box awaiting me at home... I have just received my Naniwa stones.!!!
1000 and 3000 Chorsea
5000-8000-12'000 superstones
The DMT 325 is still travelling from US To Europe...
I have a stupid question, that I' m sure you already replied to almost a thousand times before.
First thing to do is to lap all these stones with the DMT 325, is it correct ? and
do I need water to lap?
Afterward, do I need to soak the SS and Chorsea or not when I'm honnig?
Thank you very much for your patience -:)

Giuseppe

---

yes lap them before you use.
while you lap keep running water on.
when you start to hone spray a little water and start to hone when it gets dry add more water.
you don't have to soak any of your stones.
gl

Here is a good illustrated tutorial on lapping hones by Josh Earl. Scroll down to the bottom to see how to do it in the sink under running water.

The only hones that need soaking are Nortons. Never soak the naniwas, it could damage them.

Don't soak SuperStones........also don't leave the Chosera soaking for prolonged periods of time. Both not recommended by Naniwa.

Have fun,

Lynn

Those are good stones. The 3k may be redundant, but it's not like it's matters much - use it and be happy. It may be actually quite useful especially as you are learning to hone, since most new guys have problem at the bevel setting stage. Even if you don't get quite where you should be with the 1k, the 3k can fix that faster than a 5k can.

Hi!
I've just received my DMT Dia-Sharp COARSE 8" from US, but I am a little bit surprise as it looks pretty small..smaller than the Naniwas stones.
I was wondering if the 10" would not be better to ensure that the all the surface of the stone is completely flat what do you think?
Thank you all.

The DMT that you have will be just fine. I have both sizes.

Go to Fine-tools.com and look at the instructions for using the hones. To sum it up, if you soak them then do so for no more than 5 minutes. Do not store them in water.

I have found that with the Chosera 1K that a slight soak of both the hone and the rubbing stone works much better than if the rubbing stone is dry. Use of the rubbing stone to generate a slurry is optional.

Hope this helps,

Thank you,
I have tried it and actually as you said it's fine.
Now I have to spend some night trying first to set a bevel and after to have a shave ready nice razor but I'm sure I have to be patient....

An happy new year from switzerland to all of you fond of straights razors
Cheers!

I have just reread the various websites that sell the Naniwa SS hones. They all explcitly state that there is either no need to soak the Naniwa SS hones or on one case/website state not to soak the Naniwa SS hones.

My prior post is a misinterpretation. I was reading the suggestion for the Naniwa Chosera line and extrapolated from that. My mistake.

When I use my Naniwa SS hones I do soak them for about 2 minutes in about 1/4" of water, about 1/2 way up the thickness of the hone. I dislike having to spritz the hone with water so frequently. The slight soak helps with that.