Thread: Touching up daily razor

I eventually want to get a 4k/8k, to get into honing 100%, but for now I have a question.

Will the spyderco uf, belgian coticule or japanese 12k be enough to restore a daily razor that is beginning to catch a little?

It just occured to me that I can maybe break up the investment.

Yes, any of those should be good.

I have both a Shapton 15k and a coticule. Both are great finishing stones. E

Thanks for the replies.

So they would be sufficient on their own for the time being at restoring the razor to shave-ready?

If I had to do it again, and I only bought truly shave ready razors, I would have only bought a coticule - the Norton 4k/8k in my opinion is more for getting the factory edge or antique razors up to the point where they can be finished on the coticule. The other reason for a Norton for me is if you rolled an edge or otherwise damaged the edge the Norton is the tool to have.

If you're never going to do more than just touch up an already shave ready razor, I would go with one of the choices mentioned above (for me that would be a 6x2 coticule from Howard)...it will keep you going indefinitely.

Of course, I have limited experience, and YMMV.

Mark

Any of these would be suitable although remember if you damage the edge too much it will be a lot of work to fix if you don't want to send the razor out.
(I say this from experience as I managed to go back to the Norton a few times after I managed to spoil the edge too much with the tap/ a fingernail etc)

And they will all need flattening before using? I know the Norton does, not sure on the finishing stones...

depends on who you get them from. I would say the Norton, 12k and coticule should be lapped - unless you know the previous owner already did it. Not sure about the spyderco as I have no experience of it

The coticule I got from Howard was lapped and had the edges chamfered. Of course, it really depends on where you get it from. The Nortons on the other hand do need to be lapped quite extensively before first use - to both get them flat and to "break them in." I don't know what they have as a coating or if the exterior is just odd, but mine worked better after I lapped it 2 or 3 times.

Mark