Progression on honing

i have seen a lot questions about progression while you hone the blade.
Generally everyone accept if you go from one grit to another by doubling the grit you should be ok. example. 4000k next go to 8k etc so on.

I have tried a little different progressions and i thought this will help.
i used 1k for set up then i used 3k japan hone then 4k then 8k norton next i went to Panama razor hone ,next i used 2,5 grit past then chromium oxide ,strop and check the blade.
By doing this i did get excellent result. what is important about this progression is i was not doubling the grit when i go from 1 to another.
As a result i did get end result faster then if i use doubling method. another good outcome is there is less space for mistake.
Problem in this method is
Too many hones.
Think about ,1k,3k,4k,8k,razor hone, pastes.
End result
By using too many hones you will less likely make a mistake and you will loose less time.
Again you will end up too many hones.
In above method i spend less then 1 minute on 4k.
if you guys have a different opinions shoot it.

I like your progression Sham. I use the 500 if I have a chip then progress 1K, 2K, 4K, 6K, 8K, 16K, 30K then CrO. I spend the most time on the lower grits getting the bevel set. I may have to get me a 12K just to see if it will fit in.

bj

BJ that(by that i mean your progression BJ)is excellent progression. hardest will be setting bevel as soon as you set bevel then you good to go.
that stones were available to me that is why i used in that order. i didn't have any 6 k or 12k to add in the middle.

So far in honing I have used a few progressions....

Norton 4k 8k (3in wide and 1.5 inch wide)

Norton 1k, 4k, 8k, - White Arkansas stone

Norton 1k, 4k, 8k - Yellow extra fine Coticule

Norton 1k,4k,8k - Shapton 16k

Norton 1k - Shapton 2k, 4k, 8k, 16k

Shapton 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, 16k

Naniwa 1k, 3k, 5k, 8k, 10k, 12k

I have other bevel setters, and low grit repair stones and a few barbers hones but those are not part of any progression....


Pastes in my arsenal include:

Dovo - Red & black
Diamond paste .50 &.25 on leather
Diamond spray .50 & .25 on felt
CrOx on leather
CeOx on leather

I have no standard paste format, the only paste that I even think about being a universal one is the .50 CrOx I have never seen it have a bad reaction on a blade... I paste if, when, and how, I feel it is appropriate

My progression is fairly simple:

DMT 1200
Norton 4000
Norton 8000
Coticule w/water
Y/G Escher

I have a DMT 325 and 600 if I really needed anything coarser than the 1200, but haven't found the need yet.

I don't always finished on the escher as finishing with the coticule leaves a different feel that I like sometimes. I know doubling the grits is the best method and I've considered getting a hone around 2000 grit. But seeing as I don't hone all that often I don't really find it all that necessary as going from 1200 to 4000 isn't that big of a jump anyways.

Soon my progression will end with a Nakayama Maruichi. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave

My progression is fairly simple:

DMT 1200
Norton 4000
Norton 8000
Coticule w/water
Y/G Escher

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I have basically the same progression except I don't have an Escher and it's been a great progression. I just discovered it this week! :rock:

I use this about 95% of the time for a vintage or new razor:

• 1200 (9µ)
• 8000 (3µ)
• a barber hone (or Thuringian)
• newspaper

I have some coarser hones for heavier work.

My "new" progression (meaning I've only used it twice)

Norton 1k
Norton 4k
Norton 8k
Chinese 12k

Shem, I only disagree with one thing.... You can not have too many hones ! :D

Assuming the blade needs the bevel set I usually do the DMT 1200 and then go to the Norton 4/8. Sometimes I do the Shapton professional series 1, 2 ,5, 8, 15 and rarely the 30k

I like hitting the 2k following the 1k. I really feel like it gives me a good head start before moving up.

Sometimes I do the 1200 or the shap 1&2 and then go to a bbw/slurry and then the yellow coticule with water. Sometimes Escher light green or yellow or blue green to finish. Depends on the blade and my mood.

If the bevel is good I would skip the bevel setters and might go synthetic or all natural stones. Again depends on what it is and how I feel about it. Intuitive stuff going on.

I only use pastes on blades I just can't seem to get sharp enough with the hones and stropping alone.

I usually use a lot of hones and a small progression as well.
It varies, which ones I use.
Depending on the steel.

I've been using:
1200 dmt, 4k, 8k, 14k spydercos. Grit aproximations

I will be switching/trying 1k, 5k, 8k, 12k/16k, crox.

I have found 1200 dmt ,4k ,8k , bbw slurry then yellow coticule water. for maintance bbw slurry yellow water i now have thuringian i mwill add after coti. great shaves every time.

4K - 8K (both on my Norton) that's it as far as honing is concerned

Sometimes, I go from there to a pasted strop 1.0 followed by 0.5 micron diamond paste, but usually I just go directly to my daily strop.

Sham's progression works very well, I watched him use it on a wedge I was having extreme difficulty with. When he got done with it, it was the best edge I think I have seen. Then I watched him prepare the potato trick. I cant wait to see how this works! Go Sham, youre the best!

excuse me, but isn't that just adding 3k into it? where's the sixk and the 10:):confused:

i would be gladly add 6k and 10k in rotation i didn't have at that time. instead of 10k i did use 2 different barber hones.
what i wanted to find out speed of the honing . it did decrease time of honing a lot. that is the purpose of this test.

Here is a question that fits well here....
Starting with a dull razor, I spend ample time at 2k and 4k to form a good bevel that pops arm hair and feels agressive on the thumb pad. I've noticed recently on a few different blades that as I continue on to refine that bevel with finer grits (like 8k, 12k, 16k) the edge will start to feel dull on the thumb pad.

My expectation is that after setting the bevel nicely, it should then polish out fairly quickly when using a tight procession of fine grit stones. A 10X loup shows that to be the case as the bevels begin to mirror light. However, the sharpness does not come along with the polish.

Eventually, either by looping back to a coarser stone or back honing or tinkering with slurries, etc. I have managed to get a nice edge, but I don't seem to be getting there with just a straight forward procession. What am I doing wrong?

your are not setting bevel right. Exactly to say you are moving from 2 to 4k too early.(could be from 2 to 4) .don't worry about getting shiny bevel worry about setting bevel -getting "V" edge first.after this you will be fine while you are moving nest hone.
hope this helps

What helped me is not leaving my bevel setting stone until it could shave hair.

Not having the bevel set correctly leads to hours of frustration

Thanks, good suggestions, but not useful here. I'm familiar with the problem of moving on too soon before the bevel is good. I stay at 2k until it shaves arm hair very easily, over the full length of the blade! So I know for sure I have completely ground both sides of the blade to a new edge before moving on. I double check with a 10X loup as well as the TPT. In some cases I am removing old chips so I'm at 2k for a long time.


Maybe I'm not staying on the 4k or 8k long enough? How do you know when to move on from those?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by matt321

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Maybe I'm not staying on the 4k or 8k long enough? How do you know when to move on from those?

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When the scratch pattern from the 2k has been largely replaced by a 4k or 8k pattern. Often visible in good light without magnification. Or when the TPT and/or HHT gets noticeably better. Or all 3.

I use the visual method until it looks close finish-wise. Then I TPT the edge. If the TPT confirms my visual assessment, then I'm done on that grit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by matt321

Thanks, good suggestions, but not useful here. I'm familiar with the problem of moving on too soon before the bevel is good. I stay at 2k until it shaves arm hair very easily,


Maybe I'm not staying on the 4k or 8k long enough? How do you know when to move on from those?

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Now move from 4k to 8 k when arm hairs pops up from the blade.