If you had it to do over again...
Hello all,
As many of you know, there is quite a wealth of information for the new guy to review concerning the matter of honing on this site. Many thanks to those who have contributed for the benefit of newbies like myself - it has been a long and interesting study (and I haven't even done hands on...yet! :D) I would like to purchase a set of hones (with a preference to staying with the same system throughout) for the purpose of maintaining my razors (two thus far - one honed by Lynn and another antique store find) and for restoring old razors I find. After my research here and abroad, I have formulated the following options for my starting set of hones and would like your advice on which one you would choose if, as the title states, you could start from scratch again. Please keep in mind the following stipulations: I travel (by van) most of the year (330 days) with my family (wife and son) in what can easily become a packed van (Grand Caravan). Also, the places I stay range from a room in a house shared with another family, to hotel rooms, to guest houses - so a dedicated sink or other area conducive to wet operations is not always easily accessible. Also, as I'll be leaving the country in about a year for a long duration, I would like something I can take with me without having to worry about replacements. Given the above information, which of the following options (with pros / cons listed) would you choose. As always, any other thoughts or insights would be greatly appreciated.
Option #1
D8C (lapping), Norton 4k/8k, Chinese 12K
Pros: Relatively low startup costs, wealth of experience available from other users, well reputed equipment.
Cons: Requires soaking (necessitates a sink or other dish for that purpose), hones wear moderately fast with use (Norton), requires frequent lapping
Option#2
Norton Portable Waterstone system with Chinese 12K: Norton Portable Waterstone Sharpening System
Pros: Almost fully self contained system (the Chinese 12K might fit in there as well), 1" thick stones will last longer and can replace a single grit as needed, experience from others, well reputed.
Cons: Soaking time, storage space?, a little more expensive in startup costs.
Option #3
D8C (lapping), Shapton Glass 1K, 4K, 8K, 16K
Pros: Faster performance, longer lasting, requires no soaking, possibly more portable.
Cons: Higher startup, less experience available on tap.
Option #4
Other...
Thanks for your time and advice.
BJ