Thread: Ready Set Hone

Okay I have finally got my hands on Norton 4K/8K stone.

Purchased some 2500 grit 1000 grit sand paper.

Got a few razors from ebay and it is time to get my hands dirty. I plan to start with the 1000 grit sand paper on glass move to 2500 grid and then do the pyramids on the Norton stones as prescribed.

Any words of advice for a first time honer would be well appreciated

Lap your hone gently on high quality automotive wet/dry sandpaper. Drwing a grid with a pencil and lapping till that's gone is a good way to know it's ready. I'd say finish with anything between 600 and 1000 grit, but be aware that whichever you choose will slightly change the action of the stone. The higher the grit, the smoother the finish.

Also ... TAKE YOUR TIME! Do everything in your power to pay as much attention to what is happening on the hone as possible. What does it sound like? What does it feel like? Does going one way differ from going the other? This attention to detail will help you progress quickly.

X

There already are 1000s of tips on the forum. Read through here as you go. The threads on here make a lot more sense when you actually start doing this stuff.

Start with your least favorite blade.

Keep it flat on the hone

Don't be afraid to use a little pressure on a properly lapped hone

Go straight down the hone

Use pyramids

Get a good bevel

Change to an x pattern

Lighten pressure as it sharpens

Be patient

Don't get obsessed with the Hanging Hair Test

Points noted.
I have honed a "Boker" made in "Japan" and will give it a go this evening.

The blade seems to have take a very good edge, simple based on the thumbnail and finally the thumbpad test

I will do the real shave test and post the results.

Thanks guys for the help. One thing I did realize is that honing is a lot about feel. I did use the pyrmaids but ultimately had to have some amount of feel to get it the edge tuned to as sharp as I could get.

PLEASE pay attention to XMAN's advice about lapping your Norton to make sure it's flat.

After thinking I had destroyed my freshly honed razor, I discovered, through the method he describes, that my NEW hone wasn't flat. After lapping it on a ceramic tile from Home Depot and "600" wet sandpaper, I rehoned, and got my keen edge back.

Lesson learned for me. This could avoid a bad experience if your hone isn't flat.

Good luck!

Peter

Originally Posted by xman

. I'd say finish with anything between 600 and 1000 grit, but be aware that whichever you choose will slightly change the action of the stone. The higher the grit, the smoother the finish.


X

Thanks for the info X but why is this true? I can see how the higher the grit as well as the flatter the lapping surface, the flatter and truer the lapped hone will be ----but how will it give a different polishing action to the blade --- isn't the polishing action determined by the labeled grit of the hone?


Justin

Hey Justin,

Because the Norton is higher grit (on either side) than the paper, the paper will gouge out between 600 and 1000 grit "channels" onto the surface of the hone. Like how the hone leaves channels in the razor's edge.

Using the razors on the hone should even it out after a bit.

James.