Thread: Best progression suggestions for Shaptons...

Hi,

I have Shapton 1K, 4K, 8K, 16K and 30K and am getting good edges but want to get the best possible. I want to poll the users on how to go from a well set bevel to a perfect edge with my setup.

Currently I do circles on the 4k followed by 20-25 laps, then about 20-25 laps on the 8k then 15 laps on the 16K and 15 laps on the 30K.

I don't like using CrO on a strop that's why I got the 30K but I'm open to any suggestions from the experts!

I'm able to get HHT5 most of the time holding the hair from the root end which I find is a harder test to pass then holding the hair from the tip.

My edges shave well but I think there is some room for improvement - they don't knock down arm/leg hairs well but I have very fine hair on those areas and the hair also tends to lay flat making that test difficult and difficult to interpret.

TIA

-john

My progression used to be the Norton 1K, 4K, 8K and then the Shapton 16K and 30K. I don't use pastes either. I was happy with those edges until I sprung the funds for a Gokumyo 20K finisher.

Now I have dropped the Shaptons out of use and use the Naniwa SS 12K and then the Gokumyo. I had been finishing with an Escher, but my experience with the edges coming off the Gokumyo have really surprised me. I haven't touched the Escher in months although it works really well. What the Gokumyo can achieve is clearly better. The Gokumyo is pricey but clearly worth the money.

Normally I would say that is a good progression. And it is.
Funny thing though, whenever I use my Shapton's (pro-versions) I seem to really enjoy the 1-2-5-8-12-30 grits.
The 2K seems to be just the ticket for speeding up the transition from bevel setting to sharpening/polishing.

I have to agree with Birnando above about the 2k and I use the GS series on the Shaptons, that 2k seems to add something special to the mix and is pretty darn reasonable in price.. In fact when I first started using the Shaptons at all, I bought the 2k and not the 1k

Originally Posted by Birnando

Normally I would say that is a good progression. And it is.
Funny thing though, whenever I use my Shapton's (pro-versions) I seem to really enjoy the 1-2-5-8-12-30 grits.
The 2K seems to be just the ticket for speeding up the transition from bevel setting to sharpening/polishing.

Drifting OT a bit with the Pro's but the 1.5k is really nice too & along with the 1k & 2k gives a great range of alternatives at bevel time.

My sequence is: 500, 2k, 4k, 8k, 30k

The 500 isn't necessary all of the time but it's not as aggressive as you'd think and does a great job of preparing the bevel for the 2k.

I do own the 16k but honestly I think it was meant to act as a finisher on its' own and using it before the 30k seemed to add complications more than anything. I do about 25-30 strokes on the 30k and get a fantastic edge using this method.

I don't use any pastes and the resulting shave is very comfortable.

You could try Glen's 3-2-1 method of 3 normal strokes, 2 back-strokes and 1 normal stroke, all at the exact same angle (see his Shapton honing video #3). I'm surprised you didn't suggest it yourself, Glen! But hey, someone else suggesting your method must boost your ego a little

Gentlemen,
I quote Ocelot:"I don't like using CrO on a strop that's why I got the 30K but I'm open to any suggestions from the experts."

I'm not an expert. My finest stone is a Shapton 16K. I have the 30K on my wishlist but this list is quite long and overcrowded with priorities. I wonder if the 30K can replace the Crox fully. Accordingly my conversion table micron/grit and information on the bottle Crox semi paste (Hand American), is 0.5 micron and equal to 50/60K.
So when we finish with 30K and proceed with stropping on plain leather (I assume we do), we make a giant step in the progesssion scheme?
After Crox and before plain leather I strop on paper loaded with 0.25 micron diamond spray (100K) thus deviding the giant step in minor leaps.
Has Ocelot (or any of the others users) ever tried - though he dislikes it - to implement Crox after 30K before finishing on plain leather? And if so, did he conclude that the Crox treatment in his scheme (after 30K) can be passed as redundant?

Joost

Originally Posted by joostmoree

Gentleman,
I quote Ocelot:"I don't like using CrO on a strop that's why I got the 30K but I'm open to any suggestions from the experts."

I'm not an expert. My finest stone is a Shapton 16K. I have the 30K on my wishlist but this list is quite long and overcrowded with priorities. I wonder if the 30K can replace the Crox fully. Accordingly my conversion table micron/grit and information on the bottle Crox semi paste (Hand American), is 0.5 micron and equal to 50/60K.
So when we finish with 30K and proceed with stropping on plain leather (I assume we do), we make a giant step in the progesssion scheme?
After Crox and before plain leather I strop on paper loaded with 0.25 micron diamond spray (100K) thus deviding the giant step in minor leaps.
Has Ocelot (or any of the others users) ever tried - though he dislikes it - to implement Crox after 30K before finishing on plain leather? And if so, did he conclude that the Crox treatment in his scheme (after 30K) can be passed as redundant?

Joost

Well, to me their objective is not always the same.
With that I mean that the 30K is enough in my opinion, as far as polishing goes. More than enough.
But what you can achieve with the pasted varieties, to some extent, is added smoothness and less harshness than what a super fine synth-polisher will leave you with.
Or added keenness when honing to lower grits, or sometimes when using some of the natural finishers.

In my own honing though, if I use the Shapton 30K or the Gokumyo 20K as finishers, I will use a webbed linen strop and plain leather only after that.

My progression is 1K Chosera, 2,4,8,16K followed by a natural finisher (normally y/g Escher). This works every time, with any steel no matter if it's English or American steel. I have found that the 2K is really "special" as mentioned above. I have also found that my 30K gets used VERY little, few razors can handle it. There is also something about following that 16K edge with a natural. I have come to prefer plain old leather on my blades.