Some advice on honing stones - Naniwa Stones
Hi
I'm new to straight razor shaving but have been doing it every day now for the last month. I've already accumulated 14razors, 3 new (2xDovo & 1 TI) and the rest are all vintage Sheffield’s, most of which have been restored to a high standard and shave ready.
Inevitably, my next progression into this growing obsession is honing. I want to invest a few hundred on a decent set. I've already got a Norton 4k/8k but have quickly realised this won't do for me; i will always want better.
This is what I am considering:
Naniwa Chosera 1k
Naniwa Chosera 3K
Naniwa Chosera 5K
Now I was just thinking of getting the Chosera 10K as my finishing stone but after reading several threads it would appear the Naniwa Super Stone 12K is superior for a smoother polish? My question is, is it ok to jump from the Chosera 5k to the 12kSS or should I be thinking of getting the 8k or / and the 10k SS as an intermediate stage?
I have also seen Naniwa Diamond stones that go up to 5K also? These would appear to be more durable but are they suitable for razors or would Chosera be the better route? After finishing on something like the 12k is it best to use a strop with stropping paste or could I go straight to the leather day strop?
I've also heard the Chosera stones shouldn’t be saturated in water and left wet as they are prone to cracking; yet another factor to take into consideration.
Advice or thoughts much appreciated, especially from those with experience of the Naniwa range.