Thread: Advice on hones required

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 bjorn

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.

Tis true, I am from NI indeed.

Coticule for me every time.

Ashmanq,

Have a look at the website www.theperfectedge.com for prices. Half the US$ price to crudely convert to UK£ and then add UK£20 for shipping. According to Howard at perfect edge, the first 0.5kg of shipping is the most expensive.

The exchange rate is good for those of us in the UK. I have just ordered a strop from Tony Miller and even with shipping, it works out cheaper than sourcing a Dovo strop in the UK. Based upon glowing reviews of Tony's strops on this forum, it would suggest they are much better quality than Dovo.

Warning: although buying from the US looks like a good deal, be aware that Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs will levy VAT on your purchases and this is collected by your postie. I believe anyone exporting goods out of the US has to state the value and type of goods on a label on front of the package. HMRC and the post office, due to the large quantities of parcels, don't always collect the VAT. I shall have to wait and see what happens.

Thanks for the info Smalleyboy I too have ordered a strop (Apprentice) from Tony Miller after reading good reviews of his products. Hoping I wont be hit by customs but VAT on it shouldnt be that much. Ill defo take a look at the perfect edge for honing products since taking into account the exchange rate aswell as vat it is probably still cheaper to buy from abroad!

Ashmanq

Ashmanq

I did a bit of searching on-line and there are several places in the UK sell Norton hones, but I couldn't find anyone in the UK selling belgian blues or yellow coticules. There may well be, but my brief search didn't reveal any.

Nick

Just got a coticule from Rob at Ardennes Coticules/ blues. Google it you'll find them.
You get a free rubbing/milk stone with it, but don't forget to get the box with it, it is extra but very cheap and nicely made.
I finished of the blade of my Swiss Army knife at work (on the rubbing stone), It is now very sharp!!
Took 2 days to get to me and the stone is very nice, I got a selected stone which is picked to be plain, or so I've read (The Rabbis like them that way), but get a standard as there are inclusions in them and they look pretty!