Thread: New naniwa stones, using them

Originally Posted by Chimensch

If you want to keep your life simple, just get a coticule. Anything more is unnecessary. IMO the honemeisters feel that they have to create the sharpest, smoothest edge humanly possible, not because it's necessary for a great shave but because they need to defend themselves against new users who have poor prep, poor stropping and poor technique.

We do have a lot of opinions in this place........................

My main driver is to have a method(s) and equipment that will reliably and consistently deliver an edge that is a good shaver every time without spending hours on each razor. It is also to develop and promote methods that are the easiest to learn and most reliable for new folks whether learning to hone just a couple of razors or to begin to learn honing as a hobby and then have a good base to start from.

Lynn

Well Lynn,

I agree that a yellow Belgian coticule in the correct hands can put a shaveable edge on a blade that has already had the bevel set. It just takes time and patience.

The Naniwa Chosera also does this. It is so efficient that it will easily and quickly put a fine polished edge on a bevel that has been set on an 800 grit Naniwa superhone. I'm not sure that adding mid range hones does anything to the finished edge. I'm not even sure it speeds the process up. It takes minutes to do this with the Chosera.

Perhaps this is the difference between it and the ordinary "superhone" range.

Needless to say, you don't need any pyramid process as you only use the one hone. You do need to clean the hone however as it gets dirty quite quickly as it removes the 800 grit grind pattern. I found it took more time cleaning the hone than actually honing.

I can see a use for some of the range of superstone grits if you repair old razors but for Mr Average, I would have thought a 1000 a 5000 and a 12000 set would be more than adequate.

Thanks for the feedback. Feel free to add your pyramid to the Wiki.

If I may add a few thoughts here:

I think that to many times we (read OP) don't clarify what we are trying to accomplish when it comes to honing razors.... what I mean is what are you doing and how often are you doing it...

Are you an end user where you only hone a previously shave ready blade back to shave ready...

Are you a hobbyist who is after the absolute finest edge that may be obtained and money is no object..

Are you an economic user who is after the cheapest way to get in your morning shave...

Are you a collector who needs to take E-bay specials from butt ugly to shavable...

Are you a Honemiester who actually gets paid to do all these things for others....

Are you a razor restorer who needs to take damaged blades and bring them back to life and shavability...


All these things have different requirements for stones, don't get me wrong you can get by using say, "one stone", but each one of these does have an optimum stone set....and more importantly a stone use technique...

So in my eyes when somebody asks what stone or how to use what stone the question to them is, "what are you trying to accomplish with the stone?????"


For example here on this thread my questions would be, what razor, where is the razor in the honing cycle, is this the type of honing you are always doing??? etc:etc:

That is a great synopsis of the possibilities Glen. I know you mods don't like too many stickies but that post oughta be one in the newbie section.

Originally Posted by erictski

If I currently have a Lynn Abrams honed razor with only one shave out of it...and plan on just keeping that one razor...could I get by with just the 12000 super stone and some .5 diamond spray or CrO...or is it still nice when the blade is dull to do a quick pyramid on the 5k and 8k then the 12k then CrO?

Basically I am saying I am not looking to get ebays or thrift shop razors and restore, set bevels...

This is a great question... sort of what I was talking about...

Eric has qualified his use and goals we all know what he wants to accomplish....

So we can confidently answer his question with a "yes" the 12k would work just fine or perhaps the 10k followed by a .50 Cr pasted strop and he should be set...

Others could explain their thoughts about barber's hones and Coticules but everyone knows what he needs, and wants, to accomplish....

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

That is a great synopsis of the possibilities Glen. I know you mods don't like too many stickies but that post oughta be one in the newbie section.

Actually, this one should go into What hone(s) do I need? - Straight Razor Place Wiki. But what with Glen being as allergic to Wikis as I am to Belgian "beer"...

Ah well, whatever. Glen, check the Wiki page, and see if you like the way I incorporated your stuff. Complaints will fall on deaf ears, as always. After all, it is 02:24am.

Lynn....I want to say thank you for your extensive and impartial testing of the various hones over the years. Your efforts have been a significant contribution to the knowledge base that we have now.

Glen....you have it right, we really need to know the starting point of the razor and the intent/skill level of the user.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

.....All these things have different requirements for stones, don't get me wrong you can get by using say, "one stone", but each one of these does have an optimum stone set....and more importantly a stone use technique..

Well, I've seen you post buckets of good advice so far, so could expand on that post a little?

You say there's a an optimum stone set for each of those scenarios. I'd really like your opinions on each. No details, unless you feel like sharing, but just a run-down of what you would put together for each would be immensely helpful and interesting.

Originally Posted by VeeDubb65

Well, I've seen you post buckets of good advice so far, so could expand on that post a little?

You say there's a an optimum stone set for each of those scenarios. I'd really like your opinions on each. No details, unless you feel like sharing, but just a run-down of what you would put together for each would be immensely helpful and interesting.

I second that question, also. Perhaps a person may have too many stones, or choices. Life was simple when I had my 12K DMT, BBW, and finished with the coticule. More choices confuses me.

Steve