Hi there!

I am looking to make an entry into the basic and perhaps a bit more advanced honing fields and I was wondering... maybe I should have undergone a thourough research, but... I'll ask anyway.

Like most of us, I have a hard time controling my fascination for this whole stright razor thing and keeping in mind that I don't have too much to spend on stuff... but we all have in the back of our heads that our purchases are investments, I mean, the stuff we buy, unless we ruin them or sell them, will have a long time to be used. And that means razors, strops and, of course, hones.

So here it goes: If you had to choose a basic set of hones for maintenance honing and some ocasional honing that is beyond maintaining a keen edge on the razor, what would you buy? I was thinking a purchase within a reasonable budged (Note: reasonable = wife not cutting of the pea**** afterwards... )... that meaning a set of maybe 3 hones. Or even one for that matter!
I've been thinking of purchasing a belgian coticule... but the one I saw is around 8K grit. Maybe I need something with a finer grit... and something with a coarser grit... What would you suggest?

Thanks! But beware: budget - small kit! something to put an end to HAD before it starts...