Thread: What finishing hones are on par

Originally Posted by zib

You are absolutey correct about bad belgians, I know a few....(Just kidding) But seriously, It's much easier to get a bad Coticule than a good one, Many people go through several before they find one they like.

I don't know about the "much easier", but the thing is just that different coticules can have distinctly different properties. I have tried coticules from six different strata, and one of those was 'bad', as in unsuitable for honing, something which the seller actually mentioned, but I bought two together in a lot. I still haven't figured all of them out exactly and I have my preference, but I have gotten great shaving edges off all five of them. Also from four BBW sides as well, by the way.

I don't see the need to scare people away from naturals. It's just a steeper learning curve (Yes, I understand that this is why the general consensus is to recommend starting on synthetics) and a choice that you make: do you want to make it more difficult/challenging for yourself from the start? I answered "Yes" to this one straight away and haven't regretted it. But that was my choice. Others will choose otherwise.

And I don't think anyone in their right mind would venture setting a bevel from scratch on a coticule (i.e. breadknifed/Ebay dull). But for refreshing/re-establishing a bevel most of at least my coticules work (speeds differ, true), within ten minutes.

Originally Posted by Swerve

I know belgian co's are great but my concerns are there bad belgians? And what 10k, 12k, and so on are good? Also witch ”cheap” brands (naniwa) are decent finishers?

Lets start at the beginning...you are trying to build a house & put the shingles on it before you have a good foundation.

Most any veteran honer will tell you to stay away from naturals until you have a proficient honing "foundation". Please start out with either a Naniwa or norton 1K to set the bevel. Stay away from diamonds as they are for lapping stones & ladies rings. For the pre-polish & polish please start with either a Naniwa 3/8K or Norton 4/8K (no order of preference given). I didn't mention a finisher for a reason...you don't need one yet.

Once you can produce nice shaving edges off 8K every time, then by all means add a finisher...but NOT until then.

I am giving you the same advice that was given to me several years ago...it was sound advice then and still is.

Originally Posted by Scookum

A guy can't go wrong with buying the naniwa 3/8k combo and the 12k as a finisher. A DMT 325/1200 combo as a lapper and all round household sharpen everything stone. Has anyone used the DMT 1200 to set a bevel? It should work but the do remove a lot of metal quickly, a guy would have to be careful.

I have done this, and was not happy with the results. Very deep scratch pattern and toothy edge. I went back over that work with a 1k stone before I felt happy about moving on. I've done it since then, but knowing what would happen I taped the spine then removed the tape and went back to the 1k stone again.

Yes, you can remove metal in a hurry that way. I don't think, though, that there was much net savings by the time I was done with the stone and felt ready to proceed.

Six-gun hit it on the head, but it will fall on deft ears. We are all most probably in this for the same reason.

I collect and use old books, old cars, old tools, guns, fountain pens, razors and stones for the same reason…Amore.

The lure of our halcyonic writing about the great, greatest naturals the Japanese, Coticules, Escher’s, Translucent and rare exotics draw us like moths. The saged warning of pedestrian/synthetic stones to learn on is like eating steak without salt.

So, buy the largest, finest natural you can afford, knowing well there will be a learning curve, just like driving a Shelby AC Cobra for the first time. And… enjoy, welcome to the club.