Thread: how would you use these hones

hi all,
been lurking around for a while now, but i was wondering about something. So i registered to ask you gents(and ladies) this question.
I have a couple of hones which i have been using the past years. Now i would like to know how you would use these stones in a honing session.

These are the hones available:
naniwa super stone 1k/3k
bbw(4-6k)
moderate coticule(6-8k)
slow coticule(8-10k)
thuringian(8-10k)
c12k(10-12k)
charnley forest(12k+)

here's what i do:
1k naniwa 40-60 circles and 30-60 x-strokes for bevel setting
3k naniwa 20-40 circles and 30-60 x-strokes for bevel setting
coticule(m) with slurry 20-40 circles and 30-60 x-strokes for bevel setting
coticule with slurry or thuringian with slurry 80-120 x-strokes for sharpening
coticule with slurry or thuringian with slurry 30-60 x-strokes for sharpening/polishing
coticule with water or thuringian with water 30-60 x-strokes for polishing
c12k with slurry 40-60 x-strokes for finishing
c12k with water 40-60 x-strokes for finishing

please remember that the numbers are an approximation, both strokes and gritsize. I actually never count, specially for this post i did count during the honing of a razor just so i could put up some numbers. I also translated the numbers i did to a certain size, namely 8x2 inches. All the hones i have are different sizes but for uniformity's sake i'm pretending all hones are 8x2 inches. Also would like to note that often a razor will go back to the coticule for a couple of strokes if the edge is to crisp. I did not put it in the routine because i would like to know what the plan is when you start to hone, not what you actually did. Because we all know that a honing session always goes a little or a lot different from what we planned for a specific razor.

So, what would be your plan having the above hones available to you?

I would love to here your ideas and also try them out, so that maybe i can put up a better plan of attack in the future.

kind regards stephan.

First welcome aboard & second, you have a nice collection of stones.

I'm not qualified to critique your system, a couple of your stones I don't even have & I've only got 3 years of honing experience.

But,,

two things stick out to me;
1. As you stated, different razors often require a different routine (honing session, as you put it)
2. I use my C12K, PHIG, a lot & I've never gotten anything out of it with only 40 strokes,,,I see great results on mine at the 120+ stroke range.

hirlau,
ofcourse the razor is very important, an old carbon would propably take half the strokes when compared to a stainless.
As for the phig, well can you see what i did in the first post, i'm still playing with it a little. But i have not noticed an improvement going to higher stroke numbers. I have tried as little as 40-60 strokes on water up to propably 100-120 with slurry followed by 100-120 on water. In the end i chose 50 slurry/50 water as this gives me on average the desired result i'm looking for.
and again this is by no means science, i'm just interested in what someone else would THINK to do with my hones.
For instance my charnley is unused in my routine setup now, but it is a hone i love dearly. The c12k just leaves a smoother edge, whereas the charnley requieres some strokes on the coticule before being shaveready. That's why i try the c12k. The same goes for the thuringian, i love my cotis but the thuringian is just a very nice stone to work with. Both the c12k and the thuringian are unneeded in my setup, but every once in a while i like to buy another hone just to see how it matches up against their gritsize sibelings. And hopefully making my honing even more enjoyable.
Remember what people say:
All hones lead to a shaveready edge and a shaveready edge was not build in a day.

The only question that needs to be asked and answered is if your system is giving you a Comfortable edge to shave with ????

As to the system you posted, IMHO you are jumping all over the honing spectrum, and it is honestly coming down to having a set bevel (Naniwa 1/3) and the last stone that you are using...


Edit:

are you sure ???

"of course the razor is very important, an old carbon would propably take half the strokes when compared to a stainless"

"All hones lead to a shave ready edge and a shave ready edge was not build in a day"

oh yes, i get really comfortable shaves alright. I actually had test shaves done by a masterbarber with my razor and then his razor on my face. And we both found the razors performed equally on closeness, mine seemed a little bit smoother atg. But since it were different days, who can tell. Anyhoe the masterbarber would not hesitate using my razor on his clients.
As for the use of hones. I both got my hones and razors from my grandfather and also he learned me how to hone. Only in the last years did i acquire the naniwa, thuringian and c12k. These hones have not improved my edge, but they do make honing somewhat easier and fun. Especially the naniwa was a revelation, before bevel setting was a real chore. But i could propably lose a couple of steps in my routine, but i've rusted into an old routine. I just added some hones.
So i was thinking, should i ask what i have to do or should i ask what someone else would do. It seemed the latter was a better question. Since i have no problem getting a good edge, but i might be able to get there in a different way. Because since i have been reading these forum i did notice that my routine seems a little messy and or long. But i like using my different hones, i could live with only the coti/bbw natural but where's the fun in that.

kind regards stephan

ps. think Rome

I don't know if you can get there a different way, that is for you to figure out, you asked for an opinion and ideas but don't seem all that responsive to hearing different ways.. Myself reading your system the only thing that even stands out is you are using a whole lot of laps, but I don't even know the size of your hones...

Now I do know that given the hones you listed most of which are naturals I can't say what you can do with your hones, but I can say what mine can do

Any of my hones listed below in my hands would be capable of a fine shaving edge with just the use of the Naniwa 1/3 and just one of either

BBW (not really to my liking)
Thüringen
Coticule
Chinese 12k
Charnley Forest

Any one of these stones using the Naniwa 1/3 and then just that stone in fact I can drop the 3k and still get there pretty easy...

You might search out this topic "Lynn & Glen one stone honing" there are some Tricks and Vids showing Lynn and Myself honing with the bare minimums...

But again if you are getting good edges and are happy with them I would be hesitant to change anything

thanks glenn,
what i understand from you is. That you would use the naniwa for bevel setting and then you would take any one of the higher grit hones to get the edge shaveready.

I have seen and read a lot of what both you and lynn have to say about honing. That is actually what got me thinking about my own routine.
The one stone honing is how i learned it from grandpa, on a combo coti. The cf he picked up in england in the 50's and has always just been used to get the edge that little sharper of the coti.
I will try with just the naniwa and coti, reducing strokes. Just to see with how little work and hones i can get that edge. Since i seem to use to many hones to get that edge.

kind regards stephan

ps. guess i should be honing my mercurio razor this way to favor the gods.

Just finished shaving. I must say that it was a very nice shave. It also was the quickest honing i ever did. 12min honing(first bevel setting on the naniwa 1k, then the coticule) then shave half the face, another 10 min. honing(just on the c12k) shave the other half of the face. To be honest i felt no real difference, both very smooth. Only difference would be that the coti could benefit from a 3rd pass, whereas the c12k side wouldn´t benefit from a 3rd pass timewise(though both were almost bbs after 2 passes). So in my opinion the c12k left the edge marginally sharper, but i have to say that glenn is absolutly right about needing just 2 stones to get a great edge. I will be trying different hones after the naniwa the coming weeks to see which i like best.

kind regards stephan

ps. thanks for putting my eyes on the ball

Just keep messing with them until you get the results you want, I find much of the fun in finding new ways of achieving a Shave Ready edge...

whatever routine you choose it sounds like your grandfather has taught you very well...

edit: if your looking for another aspect to learn, bevel setting then finishing on one coticule will keep you busy for a while