Honing swarf question...and a few other questions

Hello Again. I am looking for some more advice on honing

I am currently hone my TI 6/8 Throatcutter (love it) on the following stones...

Naniwa 1k,5k,8k,12k Superstones.

I also purchased a Naniwa 400 grit that i would use for kitchen knives to compliment the Edge Logic 1/3k combination stone. However, Could a guy use the 400 to set a bevel on a straight razor? Or is it too course for starting. I worry about scratching up my spine with it.

My next question has to do with the swarf. Not so much the swarf, but the particles that get inpregnated in the stone itself as one is honing. I see this often in the higher grit stones. Does that actually diminish the sharpening effect of the stone? Sometimes a quick rub with the thumb will remove the blackness that is in the stone.

Thanks in advance for the Replies, This is a great site for advice

Personally, I would not use a Naniwa 400 grit hone to set a bevel with. You would be creating a lot of work to get rid of the 400 grit scratches on the edge and at the same time shaving a lot of metal off the razor. I use a Naniwa 1K to set a bevel on razors with a really bad edge with chips and such in it. If the edge is fairly good I start with a Naniwa 3K and go up. I don't like taking off more metal than necessary because once gone you can't put it back. Use the least coarse bevel that will get the job done.

If you want to avoid scratching your spine up you can use a layer of electrical tape to protect it. Lots of threads on that subject in the forum.

You can clean stubborn swarf off with a couple of swipes on your lapping plate if need be.

Bob

The only time I use the 400 is when there are chips in the edge. The best way to get rid of the scratches left by the 400 is to follow the high pressure strokes, done to remove steel fast, with progressively lower pressure strokes done to remove scratches.

I also get the metal loading on the higher grit Shapton stones, if it gets too much I stop and rub the stone with some scotch-brite under running water, cleans it up pretty easily. The 1K Naniwa should be sufficient for setting the bevel, 400 is a bit too coarse.

A stiff brush applied to the surface of the stone under running water will remove the loose particulate. Not much of a problem really until the stone loads up with it and the ability to hone steel is degraded, then a light lapping of the stone is in order.

I've always felt fresh clean stone is important to your edges. You often on higher grit stones see a loading up of swarf in the surface of the stone. You could use what has been suggested, but I prefer to do a few figure 8's with either an Atoma 400 or 1200. I've always felt a slightly disrupted surface gives the best results.