Thread: Advice on hones required

Bart,

What grit grade of DMT were you suggesting to compliment the coticule?

Smalleyboy

First of all: I'm no expert when it comes to razor honing.

I started out with a Norton 4K/8K and a Spyderco UF as a finisher, and the got a DMT1200 for setting the bevel, got interested in natural stones and got a coticule and a slurry stone from Howard.

Lately I've been playing with just the DMT and the coticule, and it works well, it takes a little longer to get the razor sharp, but I find the honing process more enjoyable with the feedback of the coticule vs the Norton, so for me it seems like the Norton is on it's way out, and I've found I don't need another finisher after the coticule, yet, even though I kind of want another stone.

There is one thing though, since I started honing razors on the Norton, I learned the basics on it, and the pyramid is very valuable when it comes to learning to hone imho, if you decide to go down the coticule road, you should be aware that you'll have to invest a bit more time in learning to hone than you might have to with the Norton, but if you want a setup with the biggest width of honing possibility, and are willing to take the time to learn, I'd take the coticule route, with either the DMT1200 or the Norton 1K/4K as a first stone.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the informative response.

I take it that you use a yellow coticule for maintaining your razors but would drop down to the DMT1200 for setting the bevel if required. Do you have a blue coticule as an intermediary step to the yellow or would you move from the DMT1200 straight up to the yellow coticule?

I don't know why but I am leaning towards the natural stone route, although I am aware that it will take more time to learn and is the less popular route.

Originally Posted by Smalleyboy

Thanks for the informative response.

I take it that you use a yellow coticule for maintaining your razors but would drop down to the DMT1200 for setting the bevel if required. Do you have a blue coticule as an intermediary step to the yellow or would you move from the DMT1200 straight up to the yellow coticule?

I don't know why but I am leaning towards the natural stone route, although I am aware that it will take more time to learn and is the less popular route.

It's correct that I only drop down to the 1200 when needed, and I rely on the yellow with a heavy slurry to do the honing before I use onley water for the polishing stage. I guess a blue after the 1200 would speed up the process, but since I never used one, I won't claim anything. I think I recall reading something about some of the members here, (poona(?) and welshwarrior(?)) who I think is located in Northern Ireland, switching to a Belgian Blue and a coticule, maybe you could send them a PM regarding the blue.

Why the natrual stones?
To me it's all about the feeling I get from the stones, it just feels more right to me.

Originally Posted by Smalleyboy

Looks like the jury is out on Norton vs Belgian. It seems both types have keen followers, and there is plenty of posts on the forums about using the 4k/8k setup. I shall do a bit more reading around the subject.

The yellow belgian with water could be as fine as 10k, if going down the Norton route what would you use after the 8K stone, pasted strop??

Yes, I like the .5 Micron paste after the Norton 8K. I use chromium oxide myself, but you can also get the .5 diamond paste. .25 diamond paste gives a nice edge too.

Jordan

Thanks to all for the advice offered and information provided.
It is great to find a forum where everyone takes the time to help those with less knowledge and experience.

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

I'd vote option #2, plus a coticule slurry stone. there's a guy that sells some small cheap ones on ebay, but the extra shipping might outweigh the savings of just buying it with the hone. http://www.theperfectedge.com/belgian.shtml

The coticule is a one stone touch up progression in and of itself. The slurry is about as aggressive as 6-8k, and the plain surface with just water can be up to 10k. So it is all you need to maintain razors.

The 1k/4k would be very versatile for restoring old worn blades, but wouldn't see much use after they are made shave worthy.

If a yellow coticule is 6-10k based on slurry v. water, what is the range of the blue coticule?

Originally Posted by loueedacat

If a yellow coticule is 6-10k based on slurry v. water, what is the range of the blue coticule?

This is something that I have not for the life of me been able to figure out. I know a number of guys here get good results with the Blue in place of the Norton 4K, but I cannot seem to get benefit from it. It seems to be as fine as my 8K or Yellow - and slooow. I'm frustrated with it.

Jordan

Originally Posted by jnich67

This is something that I have not for the life of me been able to figure out. I know a number of guys here get good results with the Blue in place of the Norton 4K, but I cannot seem to get benefit from it. It seems to be as fine as my 8K or Yellow - and slooow. I'm frustrated with it.

Jordan

With a slurry going?

Originally Posted by littlesilverbladefromwale

With a slurry going?

Yup, I even bought the Blue slurry stone from Chrisl.

Jordan