Thread: 16K Shapton enough to maintain an edge?

I'm just getting into Straight Shaving and I see a lot of posts suggesting a Norton 4k/8k combo plus a higher grit stone for honing and maintaining razors. If I'm simply maintaining an already shave ready razor and not doing restoration work, is a Shapton 16k or similar hone sufficient to start with? My wife's already looking at me with the look so I may need to start off slow. I already have a leather hone treated with CrO for my kitchen knives I could use on the razor for further edge refinement.

For simply maintaining an already "Shave Ready" edge Yes, IMHO

Is it the best single hone choice??? Not IMHO

Keep in mind I am a Shapton Fanatic, but, if I could only have 1 hone to maintain razors it would be a Yellow Coticule....

I've read good things about the coticules and Lynn spoke well of them in his DVD. With it being a natural stone, I was a little concerned about getting one that may be a little too coarse for a final stone due to natural variations in grit between stones. Price wise it looks like a 6x2 coticule with a slurry stone (I assume I should get a slurry stone) would be about the same price as the Shapton. I'm certainly not set on the Shapton, but it seems to get a lot of good press for a finish stone.

The Shapton "Sweet 16" is a fantastic finish stone, and yet it is aggressive enough for maintaining a razor....
Either way would work but a Yellow Coticule is way more versatile....

I guess sooner or later it comes down to personal preference, and mine would sway toward the Shapton.... Others would go to the Coticule...

Why not try something in between like a Chinese 12K? Its a great stone and cheap.

My choice would be a Norton 4/8 combo. It gives a lot of versatility.

Just my $.02,

Originally Posted by honersimpson

Why not try something in between like a Chinese 12K? Its a great stone and cheap.

I don't thing the Chinese is a good choice over the Shapton or Coticle because it is a pain to get flat and takes many more strokes with your blade than the others to get the desired result.

bj

Thanks for the input everyone! I'm rather enjoying the discussion. Assuming I like shaving with a straight as much as I've enjoyed the research, I think I'll end up eventually trying the Shapton, Coticule, Norton Combo and probably a few more. My wife tells me I'm prone to ADs, I admit nothing

Right now I'm leaning towards getting the following in the next month or two if all goes well:
1. D8C - Lapping Stone (I need one anyway)
2. 16K Shapton or Yellow Coticule (I'm still torn on the matter)

In 6 months or so I'll probably add a Norton combo stone to the mix to round out the collection. I'm sure stupidity or a lapse in concentration will strike eventually requiring a coarser grit stone.

If you're just starting and don't want to spend too much money, there are a number of options open to you. Personally, all I have been using recently are a King 1K (to set bevels; something like the Shapton 1K or the DMT 1.2K would work just as well, and if you go with the DMT you can lap other stones with it) and a BBW/Coticule combo. That's it, start to finish. There is even an article in the Wiki about using these stones together to go from bevel setting to polishing.

While these are not the only stones I have (I've also got a Swaty and the Med and Fine Spyderco pocket stones), I have only been using the two above and I can get great edges (and great shaves) with only those two.

If you want to start by just maintaining an edge, a coticule, 12K, Swaty (or similar barber hone), or something like the Shapton 16K would all work. While the Norton 4K/8K is a great workhorse, it would only come into the picture if you damaged the edge or wanted to start working on other blades; it's not really a maintainance stone in my eyes.

Originally Posted by 2Sharp

I don't thing the Chinese is a good choice over the Shapton or Coticle because it is a pain to get flat and takes many more strokes with your blade than the others to get the desired result.

bj

Hi BJ, yes your right, of course, but the 12K is cheaper as a starter stone and does a good job if you have patience.