Thread: How can some people shave off a 12K and like it?

Originally Posted by Utopian

(20, 5 flip, 5 flip, 5 flip, 5 flip)

Huh?

Yes...
five circles on each side before flipping to the other.

Just a starting point... your hand and razor will differ.
I do like the result of circles, there is little or no risk of
a slap from flipping the razor and circles do just enough
back honing to minimize raising a burr.

Even I figured that one out

Great, thanks alot. I've been dreading this day for along time, although I knew deep within that it would finally come. Now Im going to have to buy a Shapton 30K which will render all my naturals completely useless.

I think Glen hit it on the head. Smoothness is really what I am struggling with. I love the edges off my Asagi and can differentiate the edge using heavy, medium, and light slurry and just plain water so I think it is a case that I am just to dang particular.

To that end thanks everyone!

Man, if the talk about hones comes up you guys are all over it!


OK! OK! I take it then that all of you only use a coticule and shave off that? If that is the case I would gladly take all those POS J-Nat finishers off your hands.

Thanks for the input I am going to have to see what a coticule will give me, should be interesting.

Take Care,
Richard

Richard,

I do not think you are missing anything. I get good edges off the coticule, better edges off a Thuringian or Escher and even better edges off my Nakayama. When I use a chrom. oxide pasted strop after the hones I can hardly tell the difference between coticule, Escher or Nakayama.

After about 10 shaves I do feel that the performance of the razor starts to diminish. After about 10 shaves I can still shave with it, razor does not yet pull but shaves are slightly less smooth, less comfortable and start taking longer. For me that's the moment to take the razor to the hone again.

So it is all about performance and the moment you feel performance starts getting below par.

I think that most of these guys are right on the money,IMHO. I posted about a month ago that I think I had it,I spent about an hour on my 8k and did each stroke slowly and carefully,then went to the silk strop and finally the leather,it was an epiphany,one of the best shaves in my life,get a grip on the 8k and then worry about the rest.I also like the point about honing your finger for a while,hes right,not much happens,but our fingers aren't made of metal,(at least mine aren't),so going to something as smooth as glass isnt going to add too much over the 8k. Like I said its just IMHO.
Good Luck
Griz

Sorry, but you should never need to hone for an hour on the 8k. I don't think you ever need to do more than 20 strokes on an 8k Norton or Naniwa Superstone.

I should have been clearer,I started out with what was basically a butter knife,after I set the bezel I started with the 4k,8k combo,and had a few mistakes so I had to start over,
the whole thing took me a little over an hour,but I got it to shave,and that's what I was looking for.Also it was a practice blade
Griz

Originally Posted by riooso

I think Glen hit it on the head. Smoothness is really what I am struggling with. I love the edges off my Asagi and can differentiate the edge using heavy, medium, and light slurry and just plain water so I think it is a case that I am just to dang particular.

To that end thanks everyone!

Man, if the talk about hones comes up you guys are all over it!


OK! OK! I take it then that all of you only use a coticule and shave off that? If that is the case I would gladly take all those POS J-Nat finishers off your hands.

Thanks for the input I am going to have to see what a coticule will give me, should be interesting.

Take Care,
Richard

Seems like your pickiness is just testament to a lot of experience and experimenting with different edges and hones. To that end, you sir are taking full advantage of all the best parts of this sport!

I have to confess I was pretty surprised that someone would think shaving off the Naniwa 12K was somehow not a great shave.

For fun, I have worked all the way down to shaving off my Naniwa 3K. I wouldn't recommend it for normal practice, but I got a very good shave when I completed the 3K. I know that's heresy for some, but it's the fact of my experience.

I also have shaved of the Naniwa 8K, and the 12K is usually where I stop. Maybe a CrOx pasted strop, but so far when I do my part setting the bevel with the 1K, I find working up the 3K, 8K, 12K Progression produces a nice edge that gives a fine shave.

I would think that if a person had average skin and an average beard, if they can't shave very comfortably and enjoyably off the Naniwa 12K, they are doing something seriously wrong.