Thread: If you had it to do over again...

I put the "D8C, Norton 4k/8k, and Chinese 12k " option, it's not what I have, but would be a great set-up nonetheless. My set-up is similar and I like it a lot. I have: a small norton diamond plate that I use for lapping (325 grit), 220/1000 and 4000/8000 nortons (which I have 2 sets of because I cut them both in half), and a belgain blue/yellow combo stone. It satisfies all my honing and lapping needs. But the DMT D8C, norton 4000/8000 and chinese 12k sounds like a great option too, except if you had a razor that needs more work (i.e. a courser grit than 4000, but not as extreme as 325 as in the DMT). Just my opinion!

Dave

Since you mentioned lots pf travel and limited space I can not answer the question as if I were starting over. I don't have those constraints. TO answer as 'What would I do in your position?' I agree with the guy above on the paddle strop, at least a seven day set of str8s (they don't need to match) and a leather/linen strop. If I (you) want to get fancy a small corticle, escher of barber's hone. Once my (your) blades are sharpened correctly I (you) won't need the other hones unless I (you) ae doing repairs to the edge and based on the environment that is not an option until I were off the road.

FYI, I have that Norton portable water system and I love it! I didn't pay that much for it but it works really well. I don't like messing with the combination Norton hones so I prefer this system. The storage bin underneath is large enough for the Chinese 12k, a couple of DMT plates, and a few barber hones.

If I had to start over with the premise of being on the road most of the year,
I'd get a DMT D8F (600 grit), a fast Coticule and a Belgian Blue.
The D8F does everything a D8C does (that includes lapping the Belgians), it only takes longer, but you can step right up to that Coticule with slurry. Next the Blue with slurry to push the sharpness envelope a bit further before you finish on the coticule with water. You could restore edges with that setup and get very comfortable edges as well. And I think natural hones might fit the attitude of someone with your life style.

Bart.

I would have to go with Other:

1. DMT coarse
2. 8x3 coticule combo
3. Nakayama
Optional: 4. pasted leather strop

It would have saved me a lot of money, but I have learned a LOT along the way, and wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

I would, however, take the money back!

Like Joke said, and by the way, that's a nice sounding kit he made up there, there is the matter of the journey and the experience it gives you. I have had many different hones and if I lost everything and had to start out again, I'd go for #3 as I use those now but I'd still be adding a belgian blue and yellow, a pasted bench strop and keep a few $$ in the pickle jar incase something else interesting comes along. Like ChrisL said, there's more than one way to skin a cat and if the amount of money comes into the equation, I'd have to narrow it down to a D8C, 4k/8k and a coticule.... Anything added to that is for tweaking to your taste or for sheer convenience in my view. That toolbox with the 3 nortons..... I wouldn't bother. I've got one of the plastic honing boxes from LV and it's gathering dust here... too much trouble to clean out, potential mold issues unless you use bleach in the water etc. etc.

Regards

Christian

To be honest- I wouldn't change a thing. I have everything but a Japanese hone and have used all of them at one time or another.The experience gained using both natural and synthetic stones can't be beat.

There is no "do it all" hone.

Thanks for the advice everyone. While I was expecting a diversity of opinions, I wasn't expecting my first three options to score so low. Guess all that reading did a lot of good .

Bart, and others who recommended the BBW/ Couticle, would these two be up to restoring blades with minor chips or dings and resetting bevels? I'm not seeing myself doing severly damaged razors, but want something that can handle some restoration on razors I find here and there.

Gssixgun, you had a very good point about only needing the lower grits for honing sessions. Taking that into account, the soaking / water issue is more or less negligible and the Nortons seem like a good option.

While I have no experience with the pastes to rule them out, from what I've read I really don't see myself pursuing the "ultimate sharp edge" at this time. However, if I were finishing on a D8EE, I would have a paddle with some CrOx on it for smoothness.

Tenatively, I 'm considering the following but have some questions:

D8C( maybe D8F), Norton 4K/8K, Yellow Couticle - 6" X 2" yellow couticle ($200 from Howard)

OR

D6C (maybe D6F), BBW, Yellow Couticle - all 6"X 2" stones($160 from Howard)


1) Could I go from the D8C to the Norton 4k/8k or would I use D8C, Yellow with slurry, Norton 4k/8k, Yellow with water

2) Would the D8F make a good hone for both lapping and a low grit (600) starting stone. Anyone else use one for lapping?


Thanks again for all the replies everyone. Keep them coming!

I don't use the DMT's for lapping, but I imagine the D8F would work much the same as the D8C for lapping, but it would just be slower. It would also work as a low grit honing stone, but from what I've heard the DMT's cut fast, and you don't want to hone too much on a 600. I think you would only need such a coarse grit stone to hone with if you were to do some major repair (i.e. getting out a chip). Just my opinion though, take it for what it's worth! (Probably not even worth $0.02 )

Dave

I'd go with a mostly paste setup for the situation you describe. The portability can't be beat. A four sided strop would give you all you need for maintenance honing plus your daily use. Add in some wet dry sandpaper in case of the need for nick removal and you could be set for quite a while.