Thread: what finishing hone should I buy?

If you get a somewhat shave ready off the 8k, then moving to a perfectly lapped PHIG, with at the most 100 strokes should be
a very good edge, well at least it is for me and many others 400 makes no sense to me.
Instead of buying new stones make the one you allready have work for you.

Originally Posted by eleblu05

Dan hows the shave off the 8k ?

Thanks for the replies everyone.
the shave off the 8k is possible but it is not smooth.

Originally Posted by danielghofrani

Thanks for the replies everyone.
the shave off the 8k is possible but it is not smooth.

If you make your razor shave ready or shavable and smooth on the 8k then hit the finisher your in for a treat!!

Originally Posted by pinklather

Jimmy tells ya right, Daniel.

On finishing, a member communicating w/ Heribert Wacker's son mentioned that HW thought anything above 10k was a waste. Glen will often say that anything above 8k is all subjective personal preference. You start shopping naturals, and you're gonna part w/ some money. And it won't guarantee you'll have a good stone - or that you'll know how to use it well. Plus, you're going to run into blades/steels that don't like your nice new natural. Having the synthetic finisher gives you a reliable fallback position. Nani, Shapton - Lynn has posted favorably about the Sigma 13k. When a blade gives me fits, I reach for the Nani. I may use some CBN after that, but the edge from the stone is quite respectable.

+1 on the Sigma 13K

I should note that the Sigma is not better than
the Naniwa 12k but is different. If you have Naniwa
hones then the 12k is a good next hone. If you are
not adding to a pile of Naniwa hones then there
are multiple choices that are marked from 10k to 16k
and seem to be about equal except on the price...

After honing I do like a submicron pasted strop but
limit myself to 20--40 strokes. CrOx, CeOx, Diamond, CBN
only one pasted strop makes sense to me. Some folk strop 100
or more strokes but for me 40-50 light smooth deliberate
strokes is all I need.

Back to CrOx, CeOx, Diamond, CBN... I have come to the
opinion that these will condition the canvas strop and once the stropping
material picks up a load of steel the pasted strop becomes self
maintaining because the iron in the steel oxidizes and iron oxide is
as good a polishing agent as any. A production honemaster
like Lynn, Don, Glenn, etc will want more 'additive' because time is money.

Originally Posted by danielghofrani

Thanks for the replies everyone.
the shave off the 8k is possible but it is not smooth.

here it is the best advice anyone has given me is get the 8k down take the time to get the 8k right once you do that every thing after that will fall into place !

Originally Posted by eleblu05

here it is the best advice anyone has given me is get the 8k down take the time to get the 8k right once you do that every thing after that will fall into place !

This can be said of all the grits before 8k also but of course proceeding past 8k with a poor shavetest is a recipe for frustration.

IMO, the JNat I got from Alex at japanblade was well worth it. I picked up one of the smaller ones, but when it's used like a Barbers hone (finisher) size is not a issue.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

400 strokes, as in 200 laps, on just the PHIG?????

.................................... on the PHIG (people's hone of indeterminate grit) .............

I see what you did there, lol.

Sharpman