Thread: belgian stones or norton?

Given the number of variables in the honing process, you want to start with quality hones. A Norton 4k/8k is a good one to start with and at $62 won't break the bank and you've got a 4k stone and an 8k stone. A coticule bout is another choice which, at $55 is another choice but not as much surface area to work on as an 8x3.

thanks guys after watching lynns dvd i,m gonna get a norton combo for now, and who knows maybe santa could fetch me a belgian coticule around xmas time! and a bismark and a silver tip brush and some.............................................

Originally Posted by tonyspurs

thanks guys after watching lynns dvd i,m gonna get a norton combo for now, and who knows maybe santa could fetch me a belgian coticule around xmas time! and a bismark and a silver tip brush and some.............................................

Sounds like a good plan, but something tells me that Santa might be comming a little early this year

Originally Posted by heavydutysg135

Sounds like a good plan, but something tells me that Santa might be comming a little early this year

Yes, once you get the bug, Santa does come a lot in the year. As well as the Easter Bunny, hell even St. Paddy has brought me a 'gift'

I have gotten outstanding edges from the Norton 4K/8K combo - a few times. I have also gotten many good (but not outsanding) edges. Personally, not crazy for it, though. Can't remember when the Norton didn't work well enough, except for some Dorkos... Most other brands - the Norton worked OK but I still go to other finishers.

I myself prefer to use a Belgian natural for both *normal work* and as a finisher. In fact, my top finishers may be Eschers, but the Coticule is probably used just as much. Both get followed by Chromium. This gives me much smoother-feeling (vs. smooth-looking) edges than the 8K. I have also bought a Japanese stone which should work as high as a 40K synthetic stone but cannot say much because I need more time on it.

I have this quirk - I prefer natural stones to synthetics just as a principle. Same with brush and razor handles - horn, bone, ivory, wood always make me happier than synthetics.

Cheers
Ivo

EDIT: for a new convert to honing - the Norton is a great start as it's consistent. Belgians and other natural stones exhibit variations, etc. - but if you buy from a respected guy like Howard (ThePerfectEdge) - you are guaranteed to get top Select grade, and outstanding customer service. All in all - I think your choice to start with the Norton is the generally accepted wisdom on this site. Other hones can always follow it

Originally Posted by pilothaz

Yes, once you get the bug, Santa does come a lot in the year. As well as the Easter Bunny, hell even St. Paddy has brought me a 'gift'

Hey... I celebrated the first Monday of this week by getting some custom scales done for a pair of Wapienica's.

Originally Posted by BrianP

Hey... I celebrated the first Monday of this week by getting some custom scales done for a pair of Wapienica's.

I celebrated Monday with the purchase of a new silvertip Brush, and I bought another one that previous Friday

Now I am working on my celebration for going to England with a blade from JoshEarl, and getting scales done by Joe.

You can definitely get a shave ready blade from the Norton 4k/8k combo. I think why they [Norton 4/8] are popular with "honemiesters" is they save time setting a good bevel on a blade. You can do it with a variety of natural stones but in most cases it will take you a lot longer.
If you did the whole process with say a Belgian yellow, it would take a really long time, but in the end you'll have a well polished blade that would (we hope) provide you with a great shave.
Instead if you start out with the Norton and finish with the Belgian yellow, your yellow is going overwrite the striations cut into the blade by the Norton. In the end the blade will look/feel like it would have if you started off with a yellow, but you will have done it in much less time.

it's not a quirk to like naturals over synthetics...that was another peave of mine with the norton. open up the case and you get the most chemical smell ever...just way TOO sythetic.

personally i like syntethics that act and feel like naturals. of course i would love to have a nice natural and i've asked a few questions here and there about them, but i can't decipher japanese (and translators are no better) so without actually taking a razor to the stone i'd have no idea what i was getting. plus the cost for a good japanese natural is too rich for my blood. (though i can only imagine what a 40k natural might feel like)