Thread: New Honing Strategy

Up until now I have been using only natural stones to hone my razors. I get a comfortable shaving edge from a coticule and a thuringian. I do not, however, get a spectacular edge.

I am waiting on a Suehiro 20k Japanese synthetic and will do the following from now on. Coticule as always followed by Thuringian followed by 20 to thirty x strokes with 20k synthetic. No chromium oxide only a good stropping before use.

How does this sound? Should I consider a final few x strokes on the Thuringian to maintain the natural feel or is this overkill.

Thanks.

David

If you are going to use the 29k, I'd stop there. Either use the natural Thuringian to finish or the 20k. But to be honest, if you're having trouble I'd really like to see you use only synthetics. Naturals have so much variation.

Is it ok to use the thuringian followed by the 20K? I feel like it will bridge the gap between the coticule and the the synthetic.

The 20k is likely more refined than your Thuringian. It would likely be a step back. As I always say, I'm not the expert here so I'll leave some space for one of them to chime in.

That is what I meant. Coticule, Thuringian, Suehiro 20k, strop

Just try it out. Hone it going coti-thuri-SG20K so your razor is maxed and see how it shaves. Then take it to the thuri and see what happens. Observe what happens and then you'll have your answer. Ive never used the 20k so I couldn't tell you how many laps to do.

Makes sense. Thanks.

I know its probably not the answer you were wanting but that is really the only way to find out whats best. Your thuri could be a normal thuri and I could have a super thuri and the 20k would not improve my edge but it would yours or vice versa. Again I have never used a 20k but I have heard that is supposed to smooth like a natural and likened to even a JNAT but the the guaranteed uniformity of a synthetic. SO you may not even need to do anything buy strop after the 20k.

About 30 to 40 strokes on the suehiro is what I have heard and use for now but YMMV.

Originally Posted by cosperryan

I know its probably not the answer you were wanting but that is really the only way to find out whats best. Your thuri could be a normal thuri and I could have a super thuri and the 20k would not improve my edge but it would yours or vice versa. Again I have never used a 20k but I have heard that is supposed to smooth like a natural and likened to even a JNAT but the the guaranteed uniformity of a synthetic. SO you may not even need to do anything buy strop after the 20k.

If the edge was good prior to the 20k, you won't need anything more. No pastes, no other finishers. It's an outstanding finishing stone. I really hope you get as much out of it as I have. For my money, it's the last word on finishing stones. But you really have to bring a good edge to it do it can truly be a finisher.