Thread: A little word of advice about getting finishers/hones on a budget

http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...nese-hone.html

Since then we have found that you can get better results with the really hard scratchy PHIG's by treateing them like a Arkie or CF, that can give some good edges but it takes even longer..

The really soft ones I have not found or seen of a solution, but they seem to have fizzeld out of the marketplace anyway

I guess I got lucky with my Chinese 12k hone. It works well at touching up my razors to keep them shave ready, so I tend to recommend it as a cheap hone for beginners just to keep their blade sharp. I can only recommend based off of my limited experience, but perhaps I will need to start adding that others may not get as lucky as I if they do decide to get one.

I sold my C12K because I could get better edges much faster from worn out 3 micron honing film.

My C12k is probably a lot closer to the 6k range.

It's funny but all these different responses to this thread prove the thread

Natural stones by their very Nature will vary from stone to stone, mine to mine, vein to vein, shaft to shaft, Naturally beauty (usefulness) truly is in the eye (hand) of the beholder...

Unless somebody takes the stones and grades them by using them for their intended purpose it is always a crap shoot as to what you are getting...

I bought a C12k but only because it was owned by someone I knew and it's twin was owned by another person I knew and both of them are experienced honers. Sometimes I can't quite get the edge I want off of one of my two cotis and so I'll try finishing on the c12k and more than half the time it kicks the keenness up a notch. In fact, my keenest edge was finished in just that way. Sometimes, it seems to make no difference. I would never buy one though from someone I didn't trust because of the reputed variability in their performance.

Unless somebody takes the stones and grades them by using them for their intended purpose it is always a crap shoot as to what you are getting...
Would a volunteer step forward please and help those stricken with a desire for a natural stone but sorely lacking in knowledge of such. I see this person somewhat resembling the grim reaper. A noobie (like my own self) nervously approaches the grim reaper sitting at a table holding a straight (with a slight smile), and hits the stone offered up a couple of licks....hands the stone back to the noobie and says gently, nice paperweight! Next in line...