Thread: Only One Stone

Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER

Most people either buy them all at one or get one at a time.

So what do the others do?

Well, I kinda bought them all AND one at a time.



The "all" kept changing and so HAD to be supplemented one at a time.

Maybe we could ask the OP what he would want to do if money were not a factor. Then tell him to do the opposite of that minus one.

Originally Posted by SOLITARYSOLDIER

Most people either buy them all at one or get one at a time.

Originally Posted by edhewitt

So what do the others do?

They get them one at a time, or buy them all at once.

Originally Posted by Aldwyn

They get them one at a time, or buy them all at once.

You guys are missing it completely some people buy a couple hones at once but not a complete set. Therefore not buying one at a time and not buying them all at once. What now....

You start with setting a proper bevel, if this is not done all other stones are useless. So start with buying a bevel setting stone and start to practice bevel setting.
This is usually a 1K grit stone and if you search you will find threads with recommendations and comparisons.

Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER

You guys are missing it completely some people buy a couple hones at once but not a complete set. Therefore not buying one at a time and not buying them all at once. What now....

Schrödinger's Hone?

Originally Posted by Frameback

You start with setting a proper bevel, if this is not done all other stones are useless. So start with buying a bevel setting stone and start to practice bevel setting.
This is usually a 1K grit stone and if you search you will find threads with recommendations and comparisons.

Why would someone with a just off shave ready razor (which most learners seem to have now) need to bevel set. Learning the basics of refreshing is probably more useful.
Additionally if you are only buying one stone buying a bevel setter is useless if you can't get it up to shaving.
I appreciate that one stone honing is possible but more arduous that utilizing a range.

Originally Posted by jrudd

I am not ready to start honing yet, I still need to get the shaving down but if I were, where would I start? I couldn't afford all the stones from 1000 grit to 12000 grit all at once. So what stone is the single most important must have stone?

Originally Posted by Frameback

You start with setting a proper bevel, if this is not done all other stones are useless. So start with buying a bevel setting stone and start to practice bevel setting.
This is usually a 1K grit stone and if you search you will find threads with recommendations and comparisons.

Sorry Frameback but I disagree. I believe that your reasoning is too linear in this instance.

Jrudd said he wants to get shaving down first, which means that he is going to have to start with a razor honed by someone else. Therefore his first hone purchase should not be a bevel setting 1k hone. Instead it should be a hone suitable for maintaining an already honed razor.

There was a phrase that used to be used around here a lot--"It is easier to keep a razor sharp than it is to sharpen a razor."

Jrudd, you would be best served with a finishing stone that can serve double duty as a maintenance hone. The Naniwa 12k has been mentioned both because it can accomplish both tasks quite well and in a very predictable manner; and as a result a lot of people have them. This is the same logic for Norton 4/8k. If you get one of these hones you will have a lot of people with direct experience with them to help talk you through how to use them.

You could use a coticule or a thuringian for the same task, but then your rock won't necessarily compare to my or anyone elses' rocks and so our advice won't be quite as helpful. This would be the same case for a barber hone, though I am a huge fan of them. They are a great cheap way to maintain a razor forever but there is such a wide variety of them and their initial condition can vary so they will also not be quite as predictable for allowing advice from other members here.

So there you have it. You can start with whatever you want but no, you do not have to buy them all. You have the luxury of asking the advice of others' who have already done that!

Finisher for touch ups, which will keep your razor going indefinantley , send it out for bevel set and finish honed,

Setting a bevel is done once , unless your buying and selling, or collecting a bunch, so one stone will do you , and he Naniwa 12k is going to be a very consistent easy to use stone, that and a decent strop and your good to go for years unless the occasional accident happenes then send t out again , don't get me wrong you still have to learn the refreshing technique, but as Ron said there are plenty of guys here who can walk you thru a Naniwa. Tc