Thread: Norton 4k/8k Pyramid Question

I note that this is a system on honing used by quite a few newbs.

The numbers in the pyramid are obviously ratios, but what exactly do they mean.

If the ratio is 1/5 does that mean 1 stroke on the 4k and 5 on the 8k?

Thats the way I read the pyramids, number of strokes on 4K and then the number of strkes on the 8K side. 1/5 means as you stated 1 on 4K and 5 on 8K

Yep 1 on 4K 5 on 8K!!!

Not just newbies use it either. Its an extremely reliable and fast system to use to get any razor up to snuff.

If your like me you'll learn on it, goof off with some other things for a while, then come back to it when you get sick of messing around and just want the best edge possible for the least amount of honing strife.

I use a pyramind on a coticule/blue combo to produce a good edge, then do a traditional stone progression on finer stones to finish.

Thanks gentlemen.

I have the Norton 4k/8k which I intend to use to learn honing.

Presently, I am just in awe of the edge some of you guys can put on a blade.

It all comes with time.

You can make the norton do some great work if you keep at it.

The pyramid system will produce a sharp razor for you. It's a guide though as there are so many variables with razors and strops and stones. If you really want to know what you're doing and what effect your honing is having, check the razor out heel to toe on both sides before you start honing and then periodically during the honing. Look for directional pattern of the scratches and the relative size of the scratches as you go from hone to hone. Note anything unusual like same color reflections in several spots on the edge and/or rainbow colored reflections. They indicate something untoward is going on right at that spot. Hone it out. When you can see what your work is doing, it will inform your honing.

I have honed over 10,000 razors utilizing this method and it continues to be very reliable. The number of stokes you start with and the amount of times back to the hone really depend on the type and condition of the razor. Shoot me a PM or give me a call as you get started and I'll try to help you out.

Good luck!!

Lynn

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

I use a pyramind on a coticule/blue combo to produce a good edge, then do a traditional stone progression on finer stones to finish.

Russel, can you explain why you pyramid on the Belgians? I've thought of doing this but it seemed to me that the point of pyramiding between the 4k and 8k Nortons was to
(a) avoid a wire edge from too many 8k strokes; the jump back down to 4k prevents this
(b) allow you to ease into the perfect 4k edge. That is, if you were a bit shy of this when you began the pyramid, the intermittent 4k strikes would crisp it up.

By contrast if you use a straight progression on the Nortons and moved on the 8k when you were still shy of a perfect 4k edge, you'd be polishing it with the 8k without much benefit; and conversely if you go too far with the 4k before progressing you'll run into microchipping. Pyramiding gives you margins of error and maximizes the benefits of both hones. Right? (I'm saying all this with almost zero experience on the Norton.)

But the whole paradigm of the Belgians is different. You're not forming a bevel with one and polishing with the other; they're both polishing hones. And the risk of overhoning with either is close to nil; with neither 4k-microchipping nor 8k-wire-edges a potential issue, you don't need to think about margins of error. So what does pyramiding offer?

This is not at all meant to be a challenge, I'm just curious. I do 50+ strokes on the blue til the razor's popping arm hairs, then do another 50 or so on the yellow until the arm hairs fall down quietly on delicate contact with the edge, and I'm done with the belgians. If pyramiding adds something I'd like to try it.

It's just something I'm playing around with currently. No hard facts to say it works better, yet.

It seems to speed the process up, but I haven't done it enough to say for sure. Thanks for asking though.