Thread: Using 1K, 4K, 8K, then....

Originally Posted by PaulKidd

I'm not sure that it matters much how you get to 12K, as long as the bevel is good.
It seems to me that it's mostly a matter of preference and efficiency...whatever
works for you. I use Chosera 1K, Naniwa 3-5-8-12

Lately, for finishing, I've settled on a combination that seems to work very well on
hard steel, such as Hart, Portland, Friodur. I haven't tried the same routine on "softer"
razors yet, but here you go:

12K - dark blue escher - black/translucent Arkansas (just a few laps) - 0.5 CrOx on
hard felt - linen - Roo hide.

Today I shaved with a Friodur which was honed by gssixgun, so you can bet that
the bevel was well set. All it needed was a touch-up. I used the above progression,
and I swear that it's maybe the best edge that I've ever been able to put on a razor:
super sharp, really smooth, with no stainless steel harshness. It was a very close,
irritation-free shave. For me, anyway, it was a step up from "normal."

Originally Posted by JOB15

Escher to crox.
I would have thought that Escher would be the finish , if all the previous steps were perfected .

JOB15 is right. I touched up the same Friodur razor again, this time ending
with the escher only, and the shave was a bit better...not quite as smooth,
but plenty keen enough.

Thank you, sir!

Sweet Mother of God!!!! Well then, someone should take a Filly Barbas Duras or better, a Livi, out to the sidewalk with a pint of milk and have a go. If a brick works, then a concrete curb should be a good way to finish it... That video is bone chilling. I'd be interested in a video that shows that same guy actually shaving with a blade "sharpened" using that method. OK it's parody right? Sure hope so... Might be worth a chuckle to do that to a Gold Dollar and then look at whatever edge remains under magnification. The term "sawtooth" comes to mind.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Here ya go.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zD2z2vJEpKQ

I usually go

Naniwa 1K - Naniwa 5K - BBW - Coticule - canvas strop - leather strop

Originally Posted by gary haywood

I use the 3 k chosera for bevel setting and the 1k chosera only if I really need to speed things up. After using natural hones I really don’t need to since in invested in to the Gok 20 k . Great finisher that leaves nothing but smooth edges.

Gary took the words out of my mouth.
That is precisely what I do.

B.

Originally Posted by beluga

Gary took the words out of my mouth.
That is precisely what I do.

B.

I have seven razors 5 that get touched up with the 20 k and two that get maintained with my coticule or mini Thuringian hone for razors .

I like both but for consistency and smoothness I have to admit the 20 k is really easy and has to be the best finisher out there for that reason of consistency.

Originally Posted by gary haywood

I have seven razors 5 that get touched up with the 20 k and two that get maintained with my coticule or mini Thuringian hone for razors .

I like both but for consistency and smoothness I have to admit the 20 k is really easy and has to be the best finisher out there for that reason of consistency.

How does the 20k compare to the Coticule (let' say a La Grise or Nouvelle Veine) in terms of smoothness and forgivingness?

I've been tempted to buy a 20k but couldn't justify the cost so far

Originally Posted by Utopian

Are you using milk on any of those?

Donkey milk that is!

Originally Posted by TristanLudlow

How does the 20k compare to the Coticule (let' say a La Grise or Nouvelle Veine) in terms of smoothness and forgivingness?

I've been tempted to buy a 20k but couldn't justify the cost so far

Since I had the 20 k I have compared both edges ?

First of all I use 3 k 5 k 8 k naniwas plus 12 k then 20 k

If I am using the coticule I set bevel at 3 k level then dilucot and finish with water as most coticule users do.

The coticule edge when successful and at its peak is smooth very forgiving as you may well experienced.

I really do think the 20 k edge is as smooth and the feel is nice it really does mimic that natural stone feel maybe not as forgiving but maybe shaves that bit closer on the first pass.

Coticule edge kind of munches through the stubble where as 20 k edge just shaves a lot cleaner it’s hard to explain.

If you get chance send a razor to celticrusader on here he used 20 k for sometime then you can try a 20 k edge to judge for your self but I would recommend it my self

A brick,eh.!!! . Everyone knows bacon grease, works better than milk.

On a more serious note..
Bevel set on 1000 Chosera.
Washita.
Fast cutting Thurigan W/ slurry, diluted to water.
B/G Escher, Slurry to water.
Leaded linen strop.
Then a line up of leather, starting with a heavy draw to fast. Typically 3 leather strops, 100 passes each.

Results...smooth, irritation free shaves.

I hardly use my synthetic hones anymore.
Hard to beat an Escher, but your edge stops at the strop, not at the stone. JMHO

The two most important things..
Proper bevel set, and stropping. If any of these two are done wrong, your just wasting time.

Originally Posted by AirColorado

Something I've been wondering for years... As with most, I'll set a bevel using a 240 grit stone or glass and then start to get things right starting with a 1K up to the 12K.
.....
After the 12K I have an Escher, 0.5 CROx on leather, 0.5 and 1.0 diamond spray on leather, a few good cuticles from the quarry in Belgium, felt, mesh, and all other manner of polishing stones and materials. My normal right now after the 12K is to go to the Escher, then CROx, felt, and leather strop. At times if something seems "off" after the Escher I'll do some laps on 1.0 diamond then 0.5 diamond then CRox, and felt/leather. But it seems there has to be a less variable method.

So if you have all or most of the above, what's your preferred go-to routine when starting from bevel-set?

Lots of moving parts ...
Go-to is what works.

I am tempted to say that the 1K and coarser stones belong in a box... if used, use them once on the razor
because the bevel once set is good for a gosh long time. If they are necessary to set a bevel spend a lot of time
at 2K or 4K to remove the abuse that the coarse stones do to a razor. Magic marker test to know that the bevel
is set is valuable.

The pyramid method 4K and 8K has taught me a lot. It seems that once a blade is sharp (set bevel) the
management of honing to eliminate a burr is important. I used circles a lot and now work hard
to remove any circle scratch pattern before moving to the next finer grit. Slurry gets washed off
much quicker than I used to do.

I now refresh a razor that shaves only on 12K or on a coticle and do that refresh finish under running water.
Coticle or Echer but not both...

I do have 0.25 micron diamond or CBN on most of my canvas or felt strops. Mostly to break the
canvas in quicker.