Chinese 12K versus my Swaty
Here is my quandry....
My honing progression takes me through a coticule, then 10-15 laps on the CrOx, stropping...
For touching up the edge I use a swaty with lather, 5 laps or so until the blade is back where I want it.
My issue is, will a Chinese 12K give a vast improvement?
I know a barber hone can be used for touch ups, Ron has stated many a time that he uses one on his gym razors. Clearly the edge left by such a hone is plenty sufficient to shave with.
If the edge off the 12K is better then the swaty, I feel like the swaty becomes useless to me, why would I touch up my razor on a lesser hone when I could just go straight to the 12K?
But....If the edge is not so much better, and the swaty can refine the edge off a coticule a bit, then shouldn't the swaty become my finishing hone, rather than just one used for touch ups?
(For the record, I've never actually went straight to the swaty after the coti. This is just conjecture. So far it's just been a touch up hone.)
I would prefer a finer hone(read escher) but the 12K has a very nice price point and I don't mind the extra laps needed. Though if my swaty can do just as good of a job, or atleast a close job, why bother.
All thoughts a criticisms welcome.