Thread: Belgian stone or not?

I'm a newbie "honer" using a Norton 4000/8000. After a 3/3, 1/3, 1/5 pyramid, my razor is still hanging up a little on my face. Do I need to invest in a Belgian coticule stone to get it to the next level or am I not using enough strokes/pyramids on the Norton combo? I can't my entry level Dovo to pass the HHT. I've run through several pyramids and I even used the 1000 grit Norton.

Any advice is appreciated. I'm close to cracking the code.

Be patient with it, it will come.
Personally, I do not think you likely need a Belgian right now, (although a few years ago I pulled the trigger on one thinking similarly...) but just some more work on the Norton 4/8K, and perhaps the strop.

Does the razor pass the HHT off the strop? The strop is surprisingly important in good results, for me at least.
Also,
Personally, depending on which entry level Dovo you have, I'd almost recommend a better Dovo before pulling the trigger on a Belgian, unless you are just looking for a small affordable one. I had a Dovo "Best Quality" entry level razor which was not very cooperative (for me) on the hones. Every other Dovo I've owned has been wonderfully cooperative and gave terrific shaves. There is definitely a difference in steel between my Dovo "best quality" and my Dovo Special, Bismarck, etc etc. If you go this route, the Dovo Special in tortoiseshell is one I have, and another that is an awesome shaver is the Dovo Bismarck.
Regardless, you should be able to get the razor there with just the 4k/8k and a good bit of stropping. I'm sure others can recommend even more devious ways to spend your money, but right now, IMHO just be patient with the hones, perhaps buy a Radio Shack microscope to watch your progress, and be extra vigilant on your stropping technique. It is much more important than it would seem.

Hope this helps.

John P.
John P.

If you're not able to hone that razor to HHT prior to taking it to a fine polish stone like the coticule, you have more work to do on the 4000/8000 and the coticule will NOT bring that edge to HHT.

Unless you have very fine hair, you should get an HHT edge off the 4000 side or most certainly off your 8000 side of your Norton. For me, normally I can't get an edge to pass the HHT unless I've correctly set a bevel and therefore am prematurely going to 8000+ grits with the non-HHT edges.

What the coticule will do for you (I own one) is take an edge that is already popping those hairs in half off of the Norton and passing the HHT and refine the edge for greater shaving comfort. Even though I have a terrible case of HAD and pretty much want every hone out there, believe it or not I'm all for economy (......in theory and in practice by others with more willpower than I have!). So......If you're looking for an inexpensive (albeit slow) polishing stone to take your edge to the next level, you would not go wrong with the $35 Chinese 12K from Woodcraft.com. You WOULD have to lap that stone, as you would any other.

One other thought. If you're working like the dickens on this razor and simply can not get that edge to pass the HHT no matter what you do.....make sure that blade is not warped. It could have a very subtle warp or uneven spine which prevents the edge with normal honing technique from being set.

Keep us posted.

Chris L

Originally Posted by chilira

...my razor is still hanging up a little on my face. Do I need to invest in a Belgian coticule stone to get it to the next level or am I not using enough strokes/pyramids on the Norton combo?

No, you don't need to invest in coticule. And I doubt you need more strokes, you need the right strokes. But don't worry, you're getting there. Stick with the Norton for now - you'll be amazed what it can do. If you don't believe me have a honemeister do it

I say get a coticule BOUT. they're not as expensive and defiantely as versatile as the larger coticules.

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

I say get a coticule BOUT. they're not as expensive and defiantely as versatile as the larger coticules.

I agree, but it will not improve anything until your technique is sound!

Very true that. But I do find the Coticule very user friendly, so that might help.

Quite heavy reliance on the HHT here. I have so many razors that fail HHT and give better shaves than the ones that do.

Firstly -

How is your prep,
Your Stropping
Your skin stretching
Your technique?

Look at these variables first and then go back and diagnose your honing results.

Hope this helps.

Great feedback everyone (and much appreciated). Btw, I'm practicing w/ a Dovo Best Quality in good condition that I bought used on eBay. I didn't want to butcher up my new TI (in fact I'm sending the TI to Lynn) so I decided to cut my teeth on the Dovo.

So it sounds like I need to continue w/ my Norton combo to break through.

Also, I'm using a TI two-sided paddle strop. I'm thinking in investing in a hanging strop (Illinois) -- the paddle strop seems "short" to me. I'm using TI paste sparingly on one-side before finishing -- 25 to 30 strokes each side after each pyramid. I'm trying to be very, very focused on my technique during honing and stropping (keeping blade flat and even -- little pressure -- x-pattern strokes -- rolling properly at end of the stroke).

Anyhow, I'll keep after it. Pretty cool stuff.

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

Very true that. But I do find the Coticule very user friendly, so that might help.

LX gives good advice.
I too like Belgians. Of course I use to use just a Norton. I have tried to swich to using a Coticule almost exclusively. MikeB