Thread: Alright, time for a finishing hone. Recomendations?

My Spyderco Ultrafine is awesome for knives, but just isn't quite getting it done for razors.

I already have 1k and 5k Naniwa Superstones, so I guess I should grab a 12k Naniwa... I'm also thinking I should get something like a 325 grit DMT for flattening and to have a really aggressive stone for working out nicks or pinholes in the edge from corrosion... A hazard one runs into when buying from antique stores.

This gets expensive fast... Advice appreciated, as its better to spend money only once!

I have only been honing for about five or six months so my experience is limited. Anyway, I have a Naniwa 12k SS and like it alot. I have found it very easy to use and it leaves a very nice edged provided you did your work properly leading up to it. I also have the DMT D8C and have found it to be the most useful hone I own. I use it for chip removal on razors and sharpening knives as well as lapping my other stones.

I would recommend a Naniwa 8.000 instead. The jump from 5k to 12k is pretty large.
The Naniwa 8.000 is a good finisher and fits into your progression, but I would recommend a 0.5µm diamond on felt strop
to really get the smoothest edge possible. If you insist on finishing on a stone, or going one step further, you can always add the 12k to the progression,
or try finishing on your UF (which some people seem to get great results with) after the Naniwa SS 8.000

If you want to go natural, after 5k then a coticule would be a good bet, learn to use it and you might even prefer it to the point of making your 5k redundant. If you're staying with Naniwas, 8k first as, Lesslemming says. You're a bit spoiled for choice, as subsequent answers may well make clear

You're definitely going to need something to close the gab between 5K and 12K. As has been said, a Naniwa 8K would be a good stone to insert here.

Check the classifieds section, once in a while something comes up.

I believe you need an 8K before a finisher, although an 8K is a finisher itself. You could get an 8K and a 12K Naniwa, an 8K and a Chinese 12K (PHIG) or just one coticule and a slurry stone. With a coticule you could go from 5K all the way to final finish, but not all coticules are the same. Some will do this easily and leave a nice finish, others you may have difficulty with and a sub par finish.

There are several options and a few more which I have not mentioned. Time and cost are your considerations.

Yes, It's better to spend the money all at once. Get the Naniwa's. You will need an 8k, then the 12k, and grab a DMT 325 plate. That thing will come in handy again, and again. I also have a DMT XX, which is great for really tough stones. I normally use the xx, and finish with C. Depending on the stone, I may finish it up to 1000 grit wet sandpaper, like a Swaty...but that's me...Enjoy...and Remember, Coticules are like a box of Chocolates. You never know what your gonna get....Thanks Mrs Gump...

Cevulirn,

Try using a couple of squirts of 0.25 micron diamond spray (Straight Razor Designs) on your Spyderco UF.

10 laps or so, then finish on a CrOx pasted strop.

This gives a good edge very quickly

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Coticules are, indeed, all different, but that is a part of the fun, and I do think that they offer an answer posed by the OP. Obviously there are many other answers, I'm just saying. I'll drop this now.

Ok, 8k first, then finer later. Any recomendations on where to get an 8k Superstone and a 325 DMT for the best price? I'm starting to run out of budget here!