Thread: Beginner Set of Hones

It sounds like maybe a good place to start would be a 1k and a 4/8k combo then? It seems like everyone is saying that those stones would be good to cut my teeth on an would serve me well after I get better at honing.

You could get to the journeyman level of honing and would still use it...

King 1000 for any heavy bevel work and a Coticule would do it too

Originally Posted by SlowRain

What about putting a Norton 4k/8k combo stone and a Shapton 16k glass stone together? Any issues with that combination?

Works for me.

Enjoy!

You could get the naniwa superstone for 1k. The chosera is nicer, but the superstone works very well too and is 40% of the cost. Or get the norton combo pack 220/1000 4000/8000.
If you'll be honing from damaged edges on several razors you really want a 1k hone and then 3k-4k-5k and 8k are a necessity to get well shaving razor. Over 8k is significantly more expensive, so you can skip that and add it later.

Norton, naniwa, shapton they're all very effective and while there are differences among them there really is no reason to go to a more expensive option just because you think it'll work better. It may work just a little bit better, or you could prefer the different feedback (or not), but only after you've gotten quite good at using either of them.

Whatever you get you can hone thousands (yes thousands) of razors before you wear it off, so that isn't really an issue either.

Originally Posted by Lynn

For someone who is going to be doing a fair amount of honing, I normally recommend getting a Naniwa Chosera 1K for bevel setting, a Norton Combo 4K/8K and a Naniwa Super Stone 12K. This is a great set up and very consistent for someone just starting out. I would also recommend the Naniwa Super Stones 5K and 8K in lieu of the Norton or The Shapton 4K, 8K and 16K glass stones (These are a little more expensive). You can play around with either .5 diamond paste or spray or Chromium Oxide following the finishing stones as well.

Good Luck,

Lynn

Wow that's nearly my exact setup. Although, it's like giving a Ferrari (well, not compared to most on here, but it's just an analogy) to someone who can't drive stick or get out of 2nd gear but I'm working on it.

Chosera 1k
Norton 4/8
Naniwa 12k (When I first used it I said "I wouldn't trade this stone for anything ")
Chinese 15K (just got it Saturday, and said "THIS is the Stone I wouldn't trade for anything.")

My "Plan" (if you can call what goes through my [lack of] 'Razor Mind' a 'plan') for the 15k was to keep it 'SinkSide' - so to speak - for frequent touch up.

Originally Posted by RazeWiska

My "Plan" (if you can call what goes through my [lack of] 'Razor Mind' a 'plan') for the 15k was to keep it 'SinkSide' - so to speak - for frequent touch up.

Methinks if you need 'frequent touch ups' you've got to work more on stropping, shaving, honing, or perhaps all of them...

Originally Posted by gugi

Methinks if you need 'frequent touch ups' you've got to work more on stropping, shaving, honing, or perhaps all of them...

Methinks you are probably right, and I continue to do so, getting a little better each day. My stropping has gotten a lot better since when I first started. My shaving too is improving, but the honing, being infrequent, I get less practice. {I don't have steady hands and smooth motion}

Originally Posted by RazeWiska

{I don't have steady hands and smooth motion}

oh, lynn didn't tell you the big honemeister trick?
gray goose, 3 olives!!!!
once you get better with it you can branch out, for example these days i'm experimenting with fancy gin&tonic, but i've found that whiskey and especially cognac work really well for me - that hand's not shaking at all

COGNAC ! ... you jest ?!

Surely you jest !?

I'd loose an appendage, or an eye, or something important to my person...