Thread: What Grit / Micron Size Is Required to Enjoy a Good Shave?

No, of course we don't need to. However, using a coarser stone to efficiently finish a razor takes a bit more work in terms of hoops to jump through. There also is the fact that we all have differing facial hair (in terms of thickness and lie of the hair) and skin sensitivity. All these factors play into what makes an acceptably comfortable edge for each individual face.

A coarser grit can be made to cut finer by flattening the peaks of the abrasive particles, but that's a fair bit of work. It's one reason you'll find lots of guys who say "Arks are no good for razors - they aren't fine enough." They haven't done the correct prep to flatten out those peaks, so they get an uncomfortable shave. The nice thing about those old barber hones was that when they were made they had most or all of that work already done for you, and the hone was mostly already optimized to give a more comfortable shave.