Thread: Hones and grit sizes, Please Help Me

Right now I have a Norton 4k/8k a Japanese 12k water stone and a 4 sided pasted paddle from TM. With this setup I feel confident that anyone who has any ability can sharpen most razors. You will note I said ability so that leaves me out, but I have really come to love the 4 sided pasted paddle. The other night I sat down and refreshed the razors in my current rotation.

Some time ago one of the websites that sold the Col Conk hone stated that it was 1200 grit. If it is then it would be useful in removing major nicks from blades. If you have it, keep it. Its a tool, learn where it can be used best.
The black arkansas stone israted at approx 1200 grit also. But...it is a very slow cutting stone, not much use for razors unless thats all you have.
The Norton 4000/8000 3" wide model may be the easiest to use, fastest cutting ,easiest to keep clean and keep flat of any hone out there. Thats why a lot of us use it.

The Norton 8000 will give you a very good shaving edge but its nice to get an even better one. To go to the next step you have many options. One of the options that is easy to strt with is abrasive pasted paddle strop's. A 2 side paddle strop pasted with 1.0 micron and 0.5 micron abrasive pastes works very well. Tony Miller is a good source for these.

Hope this helps,

Randy,

If I didn't use that dang Col. Conk hone so much I'd mail it to you so you could see how smooth it is....LOL

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Uhmmmm X, I don't think it's SO bad that it can'd be undervalued Sorry, I couldn't resist

Well pickle my petunias I shoud have said that it SHOULD not be undervalued.
Will the grammar police let me off with a warning on that one?

X

grammar, shmammar... give it to me, I'll butcher it any way you want

Originally Posted by xman

Well pickle my petunias I shoud have said that it SHOULD not be undervalued.
Will the grammar police let me off with a warning on that one?

X

You will find pennance after you say 10 Our Fathers and think about your sins, my son.. I see that you're not an unrepentant sinner like Nenad, so there is hope for you

Originally Posted by cudahogs

Joe, what grit would you say that a swaty is? It does feel like a very fine stone, but my fingers can't tell the difference between 4k and 10k

It seems like about a 10K, maybe a little finer. I don't know if it's true in all Swatys, but on the ones I have the branded side is finer than the plain side.

The whole issue of grit is a little unclear, and feeling the surface doesn't tell the whole story. Sometimes, a fine stone, like a Swaty, cuts faster than one that feels rougher. As far as fine stones go, the Swaty is pretty fast, so I wouldn't call it a finishing stone. It's designed for touchups where you want just a few passes to do the trick. The Lithide, when well lapped, feels much smoother and is slower, but doesn't produce a finer finish. The difference is that you have more control at the end since it's slower. So, you're better off using this hone when you're doing a complete honing job rather than just refreshing.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Some time ago one of the websites that sold the Col Conk hone stated that it was 1200 grit. If it is then it would be useful in removing major nicks from blades. If you have it, keep it. Its a tool, learn where it can be used best.
The black arkansas stone israted at approx 1200 grit also. But...it is a very slow cutting stone, not much use for razors unless thats all you have.

I can't explain it, but the grit ratings on these two stones seem to be way off. For Arkansas stones they don't really use the system.

The black Arkansas seems to be about 6K. Ivenever used the Conk, but those who have say it's about in the same range. That is a very useful range, but a little too coarse for a shaving edge. I find that the 8K is about the minimum fineness that's acceptable for shaving, and many guys like it finer.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

I see that you're not an unrepentant sinner like Nenad, so there is hope for you

But we expect such thing from Nenad, he's the devil isn't he?

X

Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

It seems like about a 10K, maybe a little finer. I don't know if it's true in all Swatys, but on the ones I have the branded side is finer than the plain side.

The whole issue of grit is a little unclear, and feeling the surface doesn't tell the whole story. Sometimes, a fine stone, like a Swaty, cuts faster than one that feels rougher. As far as fine stones go, the Swaty is pretty fast, so I wouldn't call it a finishing stone. It's designed for touchups where you want just a few passes to do the trick. The Lithide, when well lapped, feels much smoother and is slower, but doesn't produce a finer finish. The difference is that you have more control at the end since it's slower. So, you're better off using this hone when you're doing a complete honing job rather than just refreshing.

Thanks, Joe. I try to treat the Swaty like a finer grit than the Norton 8k, now I feel better that I have a little confirmation.
-Fred