Thread: King - Ice Bear 1000/6000 water stone for razor honing

Originally Posted by vjanda

Is the fact it's only 2" wide and not 3" a big issue?

I heard good things about the Norton 4000/8000 but it's almost 3 times the price of the Ice Bear.
Not sure if it's worth spending the extra cash as it's only purpose will be straight razor honing.
It's 3" making it nice for razors as I wouldn't have to move the blade sideways.

The Norton 4/8 is closer to the finishing end of honing & the King 1/6 is closer to the coarse end of honing.
You should use the X stroke on a 3" stone as well or risk creating a frown in the edge like this -> (

Originally Posted by Proinsias

I like mine.

I find the 1k takes quite a bit of soaking and needs frequent lapping. The 6k is almost splash & go. The jump between the two can take some time and you're likely going to want further refinement after the 6k. I find the size good to use as both a bench stone and hand held. I like using the stone with slurry and it feels more like working with natural stone but I don't think it's necessary.

What are you looking for from you first hone? I think the King is a good stone stone for the price but it basically provides a bevel setter and then a big jump to not quite shave ready. Paired up with a finishing stone and a dmt d8c I find it a decent system for keeping a house full of sharp things but I wouldn't want it as a one stone solution for razors. If you're just looking to keep already sharp razors sharp get a finer synthetic or natural stone, if want to set bevels and prep razors for a final finish on the cheap consider the King.

A flat bit of marble or glass, some wet/dry paper, a king 1k/6k and a finishing stone/paste/medium provides a fairly budget friendly all in one razor solution in the UK. Whilst bearing in mind you get what you pay for the Chinese natural stones, welsh slates and Muller grindstones that I've tried improve the 6k edge to the point a pleasant shave can be had. If you've not already got it think about some chromium oxide, around 30,000 grit, on a bit of balsa wood or leather, I got mine from Neil at the Strop Shop for less than £2 and a few years on I still think it's the best cost vs performance vs ease of use I've come across.

Sharpening stuff with my dmt d8c, king 1k/6k, muller grindstone, purple welsh slate, vintage coticule and chromium oxide:
Attachment 122674

I'm quite good at sharpening knives and even re-profiling edges to full convex.
However after reading all your kind answers I think 1 combo stone won't do what I require.

I plan to sharpen cheap n nasty ebay uk razors so that they are as shave ready as possible given their questionable quality.

I think my first phase will be with wet 1000 grit sand paper.

Second phase either ice bear 1k/6k or the more expensive norton 4k/8k. Advise please.

Third phase dragons tongue like this one perhaps WHETSTONE RAZOR HONE 8-10K! DRAGONS TONGUE SHARPENING STONE WATER HONE | eBay

For the final phase stropping with dovo paste (green / red) or chrome oxide that I use for knives.

Any thought or suggestions are most welcome

Why not buy a single 1k brick & the Norton 4/8. The 6k of the King is really redundant & the 1k will see the most use.
Have you seen this thread ? http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...l-setting.html
If you buy eBay junkers you can even use your DMT for heavy lifting. Sandpaper is redundant too.

Wouldn't a Norton be US grit specs and the often Japanese specs? Which would make the Japanese 6000 about the equal of an 8000 Norton, and fine for the job.

Originally Posted by mdarnton

Wouldn't a Norton be US grit specs and the often Japanese specs? Which would make the Japanese 6000 about the equal of an 8000 Norton, and fine for the job.

That may be technically true but so many guys here know the Norton 8k that any difficulties the OP would have with honing are easily answered thru experience , not so the King 6k. Grit isn't the only factor to consider. Natural stones can have quite large particles yet give nice shaves.
Personally I don't like shaving off 6 or 8 k.

Would the norton 8000 be sufficient before stropping for a smooth shave?

Any thought on the dragons tongue : WHETSTONE RAZOR HONE 8-10K! DRAGONS TONGUE SHARPENING STONE WATER HONE | eBay

I'm on a budget, can afford 1/2 a dozen stones

Originally Posted by mdarnton

Wouldn't a Norton be US grit specs and the often Japanese specs? Which would make the Japanese 6000 about the equal of an 8000 Norton, and fine for the job.

Well that depends on who you talk to, on this forum in the Archives is a letter from Norton that one of the members recieved back that says that Norton uses the Japanese grit standard also...

Now after honing on a 6k King and a 8k Norton side by side at one of the meets makes me believe that letter more...

Originally Posted by vjanda

Would the norton 8000 be sufficient before stropping for a smooth shave?

Any thought on the dragons tongue : WHETSTONE RAZOR HONE 8-10K! DRAGONS TONGUE SHARPENING STONE WATER HONE | eBay

I'm on a budget, can afford 1/2 a dozen stones

I'll let the Norton lovers answer that but sufficient & optimal are 2 different things.

Sorry. No experience with the DT. There's a thread here on them:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...ne-anyone.html

Originally Posted by vjanda

Would the norton 8000 be sufficient before stropping for a smooth shave?

Any thought on the dragons tongue : WHETSTONE RAZOR HONE 8-10K! DRAGONS TONGUE SHARPENING STONE WATER HONE | eBay

I'm on a budget, can afford 1/2 a dozen stones

I own both of those and I would not want to shave off the DT, I have no issues shaving off the Norton..

The 3 stone set from AJ is pretty darn good I like the Green and the Purple and would shave off either over the Norton

Buying the King 1-6 and the 3 stone set from AJ would be a viable option IMO and experience

I could easily go 1-6-DT then Green or Purple and get really nice edges at a discount price




In fact using slurry correctly I could just go from the King 1k to the Green or Purple or from the King 1k to the Norton 8k but I know how to use slurry and the 1 stone hone technique
Just went sideways in this thread didn't I

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Well that depends on who you talk to, on this forum in the Archives is a letter from Norton that one of the members recieved back that says that Norton uses the Japanese grit standard also...

Now after honing on a 6k King and a 8k Norton side by side at one of the meets makes me believe that letter more...

Good memory Glen.

2008-2009 Norton Catalog. 8000 is JIS