Thread: Narrowed it down but need help choosing a hone

Okay. So I think I've narrowed it down to what I need/can afford. Can people provide advice? I am considering the following areas: ease of use, quality, and versatility. I'm pretty sure all the set ups I will list can cover these in my price range (<$200, preferably closer to $100).

I want something I can use now to hold edges from honemeisters/touch up when I ruin them, and something I can eventually begin working chips, and then graduate to ebay specials.

Honing Set Up: (if you could have only one set up...?)
Norton Kit: 220/1k, 4k/8k, lapstone Amazon.com: Norton Waterstone Starter Kit: 220/1000 grit stone, 4000/8000 grit stone, SiC flattening stone: Home Improvement
Natural Kit: BBW and Coticule, both 6x2, slurry stone
Best Sharpening Stones
DMT: Plane old DMT8EE (Someone says it cuts as fast or faster than a Norton 4k, yet leaves a sharper edge than a Norton 8k), and later buy something with a rougher grit for bad chips and stuff

Finishing Stone: (if you could have only one...?)
Escher, either 4x1 or 5x1
Thurigan, 7.5x1.5
Carborundum/Barber hone
Coticule

I think I'm leaning toward either the Norton with a finishing stone cus of all the info out there and how versatile it is, but I'm really attracted to the Coticule/BBW set because I wouldn't need a finishing stone (I could just use the coticule without slurry) Can someone look at that website and let me know if those are decent quality natural stones, or are they all from the same quarry anyways?

The Norton is the easiest stone to learn with, I would suggest it and a pasted(cro2) strop.

Have you looked at the Naniwa stuff at straightrazordesigns?

I saw them in person at the Mid-MO get together and was impressed.

I haven't priced the Norton's in a long time, so can't compare the cost between them, and even though you still need to buy a DMT to lap them, I think it would be worth it.

Edit: I saw someone go from the 1000 to the 10 or 12k with no problems FWIW, so you might save a few bucks there.

For pricing: the norton and natural sets are $120 +/- $10 each, the Dmt is $80ish?
Last I checked Naniwa's weren't that cheap.

Edit: So it is possible to use just the DMT8EE?
Edit (again): I like the naturals because they are their own finisher, but the DMT and Nortons are bigger. I think right now I think I'm leaning towards the Norton with a barber hone or a Thurigan. However, if the DMT is an option, I really like the idea of a DMT8EE with a Thurigan- the DMT rarely needs lapping especially for the light use I'm looking at, will finish up to 8k, and then the Thurigan will put a nice smooth natural finish on it. I think. Is that right?

IMHO, the Nortons are more straight () forward in use/technique. Do you really need the 240/1000? Unless you're restoring very dull blades....

I've also done just fine finishing on chrom ox and you can always throw a Chinese between the 8K and the chrom ox. Just my $.02

Jordan

If you endeavor to keep your edge sharp rather than letting it get dull and resharpening it, your choices are a lot easier to make. A coticule will keep your razor sharp. I keep one in my medicine chest and give the razor a few licks every week in order to keep it sharp. I then strop and that's that. If I get lazy, I'll take it to my belgian blue and then coticule and then natural leather.

The D8EE is an aggressive cutter and you'll see shiny metal on the edge after 3 swipes. Unfortunately, it needs a bit of refining after that with a coticule or esher as the diamonds just don't leave an edge face-friendly.

Howard