Thread: 1k DMT staight to 8k DMT?

Just wondering if this would cut down the 4k stone step. I'm guessing no, but worth asking around.

I've never tried it, but I think that's too big of a jump. It would be like sanding something with 80 grit sandpaper and then moving up to 600 grit. The progression is too drastic to be able to eliminate the scratch pattern of the coarser grit. Even if you could do it, the entire process would take a lot longer without that intermediate grit. I don't think that fact that you are considering it with DMT alters the basic premise that an intermediate grit would speed it up.

Thats what I think, but someone who is slightly credible stated newbies might want to purchase a dmt 8k rather than a norton 4/8. Which led me to think, is it worthwhile to skip the 4k grit with a diamond hone?...

Clarification: I do not recall if this person was advocating going straight from 1k to 8k, but he might have.

I'm sure the DMT 8k is a great hone, but I also agree that going from 1k to 8k is a bit of a leap. If you wanted to spend a while on the 8k trying to get out the marks from the 1k, then go for it. But I think it would take too long, so there should be some kind of intermediary hone.

I haven't personally tried going from 1k to 8k, so I'm not speaking from experience, just my opinion.

I've done four razors using two stones, 800 and 8000. huge jump, and it takes a very long time on the 8k. I'm not even positive that I get all of the scratches out. It does work, but I would prefer a intermediate stone. for someone with less sharpening experience, I'd recommend an intermediate, at least that way you can get a good edge easily before the 8k instead of worrying about having over-honed blade sections, a problem I ran into.

When i started i got the 1200 & 8k DMT. I think it's perfectly possible to do. The issue would be getting the 8k scratch pattern out. They cut very fast & as a result are not too refined.

Originally Posted by ben.mid

When i started i got the 1200 & 8k DMT. I think it's perfectly possible to do. The issue would be getting the 8k scratch pattern out. They cut very fast & as a result are not too refined.

Didn't think about the scratch pattern from the 8k. Very interesting, explains why it cuts so fast and why the 1k and 8k combo theoretically will work. Oh well, didn't think I needed a new hone, guess its back to staring at that Shapton 16k....

Here is something to consider, I know DMT's are a different animal, but there are still three basic steps in honing a razor...

(I know these are a huge generalization)
Set the bevel, around 1k
Sharpen the razor, around 4k
Polish the edge, around 8k

Seems to me that you would be skipping the sharpening step, again I understand DMT's are different...
Please correct me if I am wrong here but doesn't their grit pattern go

120
220
325
600
1200
8000

???????????????

Glen: that is, indeed their pattern.

I have been making do for the entire time I've been straight shaving with a DMT 1200 & 8000. It is possible, though time-consuming, to completely remove the scratch pattern from the 1200 with the 8000. Takes a while, but it gets there. Also, it is possible, and not quite as time-consuming, to get the scratches from the 8000 out with my 30000 CrO bench strop.

I've had good success so far in getting and keeping my own razors shave ready with this setup, but the first thing I do after getting a rescale done by Max with my allowance next month will be to get a 4000 (probably a Norton) and probably a 10k+ of some sort.

Originally Posted by ben.mid

When i started i got the 1200 & 8k DMT. I think it's perfectly possible to do. The issue would be getting the 8k scratch pattern out. They cut very fast & as a result are not too refined.

Well that's what I use if the razor is dull or have any nicks in the blade, if it alright sharp I just use the 8k DMT and coz finish with a fine stone and strop..