Thread: Hone advice

This is something i cann't make up my mind on.
I think the next blade of my i hone up.
I would go coticule then finer coticule then a arkansas stone or a cf.
can't go wrong with collecting the things.

Originally Posted by DaveW

I'll offer the alternate opinion, having many 1000 stones. If you're going to buy a dozen or two fix-up razors on ebay, I would stick with the 1k norton.

It's not that I don't like the chosera stones better, it's that they won't do the job any better, and the difference between the two of them is not something that will make or break restoring razors for a hobbyist.

I have 5 stones in that range right now. When I get a new razor in the mail, I will set the bevel with whatever stone is on the bench, it really makes little difference. Any of them will do the bevel geometry right and any of them will leave very uniform scratches for the next step to remove.

If I used any of my 5 stones (or even a slurried hard arkansas or an aggressive slurried coticule) to set the bevel on a razor, you would never know which one I used if I did the finishing process properly. If there was a difference in time between any of the alumina based stones (norton, shapton, sigma, bester, chosera, ...) it would be measured in a minute or two.

(I don't have all of the stones I have because of razoring, I have them because I was on a bender woodworking, where you use a medium grit stone like a 1k every time you hone something, and you remove a lot of wear each time you use it. Even at that, I could get along with any of the 1k stones I have for *that* just fine).

Once you have your shavers, something would have to be mad wrong with a razor that you had in shape to remotely consider putting it on the 1k stone. The coarsest stone any of my "in shape" shavers have seen in the last two years, after the initial restoration, is an 8k synthetic or a coticule. Any more than that is honing off excess good edge (and spine if you don't tape) for no reason.

In my opinion, you're about $60 apart in what you can get for the 1k/220 vs. a chosera cost new. Spend that on another razor or on a more favorable finisher. If you don't paste or powder an edge off your last stone, you *will* feel the difference between finishers if you last finisher is inadequate. If you feel the difference between various bevel setters when you shave, something is way wrong in your finishing.

Dave,

I have learned more about sharpening and hones from your posts in the last few days than I have since I got the basics in honing 15 months ago when I started this process. thanks for your informative, rational and logical posts

I use Arkansas stones to set the bevel as well because that's what I have!

i should post a picture of my collection so far.
i got a few coticules to set bevel then a few to make it shaving sharp.
i got arkansas rocks to they a good affordable choice.
got some j nats with different grits.
I think the other rock that is missing from my collection is one of those
turkish oil stones. If you could find a super fine natural stone dirt cheap secnod hand buy it.
even if it's from arkansas.