Thread: Major Dilemma

In truth, you do not really need a finishing hone; proper stropping will do you fine. A pasted strop will speed up the polishing process somewhat.

Dude, Just buy em all, You know you want too, you know you will eventually. You won't be satisfied until you've tired them all. First, contact Howard, spend the money, get the Coticule and BBW. The Holy Grail of Hones.

I just noticed your deployed in Iraq, Sorry Bro! I was there the first time in 91. Home you get home soon!

I meant, Hope you get home soon! I just got up....

Well for the pasted strop. thats something that i have never delt with at all or even seen except for video clips and all. Hones now are another story i have been sharpening my own knifes (yes a different animal indeed) and am very comfortable with a hone. and i am sure with time i will try the pasted strop idea but as of yet just not ready for it. think I might save that for when i get home and stay there LOL
Now as for buying them all yup sounds great to me but i just have this sneaky feeling that if i do I might have to build my next place of residence out of them cause the wife will draw the line

What I take away from this, is that it's all personal preference. I've contacted Howard and will buy my first Coticule and BBW. It seems you can't go wrong with them. I will also try the paddle strop with some crox too. Stay Safe Bro!

ZIB,
I have been here since 2003. I get to go home about once a year for 30 days or so. But I believe in my program and my crew and that is the only reason I have called this place home for so long. But I believe that is coming to an end being that my wife has gave me the subtle hint that I need to come home. Guess the last time i was hit with an IED was a little too much for her. She has backed me in everything and anything that I have ever done. so i think come January or February i am going to hang my hat here and go home and play with my grandkids, dogs and horses oh and lets not forget about the razors.

First and foremost- THANK YOU for your SERVICE

I use a combination of natural as well as synthetic hones. You'll find that each razor, depending on the material its made of, may require one or the other. IMO, there is no "ultimate hone recipe".

That said might I suggest a coarse Shapton on glass hone for setting bevels on difficult razors- ie a 1K or 2K. The 16K Shapton has proven to be an excellent finish hone and is still reasonably priced and readily available.

Personally, I cannot shave directly off a Coticule, the vintage Thuringians and Eschers are expensive but produce beautiful shaving edges. The 30K Shapton is fantastic-but VERY expensive.

Finally, a simple balsa paddle strop with CrOx is a great final polish-and is VERY CHEAP.

By all means-BE CAREFUL and bring your ass home in ONE PIECE!!

Lt Thanks, But it really has been my pleasure being here. the diversity of people is astounding to say the least. Now for the good stuff. I Have been looking at the shaptons for a little bit but am worried about how fragile they are. just one mortar in the living area and something falls off the shelf or something and wahla no stone or broken stone Shoot i have had Black hawks fly over my hooch so low that things actually fall of the shelfs and pictures come off the wall (yup near the airfield) in my old living area they would fly by so low and so frequent that it would pull the nails out of the wood holding it together. (not fun). So i think i am gong to lean towards a cuticle just because it is a little thicker and all. and plus in the next couple of months i have to pack all this junk that I have accumulated and send it home (not going to be fun at all) maybe big yard sale LOL. But I think the cuticle will be a great place for me to start from and in time i plan on expanding my so called collection

If you go the coticule route, may I sugest the 6"x2" since that is long and thin enough to work well without being awkwardly short or thin.

Of couse, YMMV.

Mark