Paddle Strop/diamond paste or 12 K Chinese waterstone
I am trying to decide what to buy. I am considering either buying a paddle strop with 1 micron and .5 micron diamond paste, or a 12K Chinese waterstone. On another post someone said that the waterstone could keep my blade refreshed without needing further honing, whereas using the pastes would eventually mean honing the blade again. Besides this I am leaning to the waterstone because I eventually want to learn how to hone, and I was hoping that working on the 12 K would get me used to the motions, without the danger of destroying the blade. Am I being naive? Could a newbie, who has never honed a razor, use a 12K to maintain the blade without the risk of ruining the blade? I am afraid I probably suffer from what many newbies do - honing looks so easy when you see an expert do it, that it can not really be that hard syndrome. Any counsel on the matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Christopher