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

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 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

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Good memory Glen.

Yeah sure, tell my wife that as I wander through the house looking for the damn car keys, I swear she hides them just to make me feel older

LOL, it's called Damnesia. Damn ! Where did I put those keys.

a beginners question
is there anything wrong with using 1k wet sandpaper on glass surface for setting bevel?

Originally Posted by vjanda

a beginners question
is there anything wrong with using 1k wet sandpaper on glass surface for setting bevel?

Depends on who you ask

1k Wet-r Dry is pretty "Harsh" to an razors edge, it is not "Even" the grit is less rigorously checked ie: it is a average of 1k so it tends to leave some pretty deep gouges into the steel...
It will work but you have your work cut out for you after using it..

Personally I tried it once, on a heavy blade restore, because everyone said "Oh it works fine and really fast" once was enough for me, I would never use it on an edge again, especially not a Hollow grind...
Not when I can buy a King 1k for $25 all day long

thanks, I won't even try the 1k sandpaper, maybe give the 2K a go
how about the nano cloths?
are they available in the eu?
saw a youtube vid and the bloke achieved a mirror like finish on his blade, most impressive indeed

Lapping film may be more suited to what you have in mind, bevel setting & polishing, than nano cloth. Don't quote me but I think nano cloth tends to lend itself better to the really fine compounds <0.25micron for final polishing an already shaving sharp edge. Whereas there are certainly a few guys taking razors from the ground up on lapping film

I'm with Glen on the 1K>6K>natural finisher being a workable cheap option but as he mentioned for a few extra quid you can step up from the Dragons Tongue.

The King/Norton grit confusion I think in part arises from Norton labelling their 8K as 3 micron:
http://www.nortonindustrial.com/uplo...ningStones.pdf
I'm sure I seen a King catalogue with the 8K described as 2 microns but can't find it atm, though I do keep finding the Lee Valley table: Lee Valley Tools - Woodworking Newsletter

The mysterious world of grit comparisons aside I've heard plenty people around here say they could shave from the Norton 8K quite happily for the rest of their days. Whilst I can shave from the King 6K I'd rather not and I've not come across many people arguing that it does in fact produce a pleasurable shave. That said a little chromium oxide can make a huge difference to the 6k edge but I'd rather turn to a cheap natural as either a finisher or pre-chro ox.