What are the advantages to include a 2k between 1k & 4k?

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I was wondering when someone would bring up the "double the grits"... shall we call it a theory? Where does that come from, anyway? My understanding, and I could be wrong, is that it came from the US distributor of Shaptons. Does anyone know any different, with regards to its orgin?

Regardless of where it comes from, we have very clear evidence that systems that do not double grits (Norton 1k, 4k, 8k or Naniwa 1k, 3k, 5k, 8k, 12k with the 3 and 5 being either/or/both) yield extremely high success rates and neither one doubles the grit at each step.

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Don't know where it came from, but I see honing as not dissimilar to sanding, where you often double grits.

Yeah, never said the other methods didnt work fine. There are lots of ways to skin a cat. I wanted to try a new cat-skinning technique.

EDIT--To clarify, I was thinking that the doubling would make things go faster. Looking at your post, I get the impression that there has been some debate over grit doubling, but I'm not really aware of any of that. Perhaps I read it sometime back, but I was thinking doubling when polishing or sanding and how that gets faster results.

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Originally Posted by pcb01

I recommend a 2K. It comforts me to know the bevel is set,set, set.

I start with a DMT 1200. My TPT is calibrated to a Norton 1K, however, so I always follow the DMT with the Norton. Good TPT, shaving arm hair, I got my bevel.

But then I go to a Nani 2K. Smooth TPT, easily shaves arm hair, and I KNOW the bevel is set, set, set.

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I just want to post a follow up here to say that this advice is the best I've received, so far.

I'm now using a DMT D8E to set the bevel and establish an arm-hair popping edge. I don't leave that hone until I know I could actually shave with that blade if I wanted to, before I go to the Naniwa 2000, followed by the 4/8 Norton, then the Naniwa 12k, and last time I honed my razors (a month ago) I finished them all with an Escher. I have the Shapton glass 16k and 30k and might decide to use them next time. However, I've shaved with all of my SRs now, some more than once, and can happily report very positive results all around.

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Originally Posted by newb

Glen did a video on one stone honing. It makes me question if the progression up is even necessary. Set the bevel on 1k, the jump right to 8k.

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Go ahead and question it. In fact, I strongly recommend that you do that.
I just won't recommend that anyone else do that.

I'm perfectly happy with my 2k, and it took me a lot of effort to get it because it wasn't available in the US when I needed, errr, that is, wanted mine.

You need to understand that there was not actually a 1k to 8k jump

Yes in the stones used there was, but in the method employed there was a slurry progression, and yes that essentially creates the 2-3-4-5-6 k progression too...
The Coticule guys do the exact same thing by using slurry also...

In fact any time you use slurry at all, essentially you are changing the cutting power of the stone so you are adding "grits"

You can do a complete honing progression on pretty much any stone that you can shave off of using the right methods...

BUT

Using a stepped progression such as the Naniwa or the Shapton is still the most consistent method ...

also I just re-read what some of you are saying there and going to a progression such as

Shapton 1k - Naniwa 2k - Norton 4k/8k - Naniwa 12k is not an even progression, it might work I am not saying it won't but IME it works way better to use the same brand in a smooth climbing order...

You are not only mixing grit rating up but you are mixing the cutting type and the binders, you are getting different depths of cuts and changing the feel of the hones as you go... This is something I would not recommend unless that was all you had to work with... JMHO

To me the most important step remains the bevel setting at the 1K level. I use a fair amount of pressure with the circles followed by X strokes with some pressure. Normally, I then go to the 4K and my first set of circles is with pressure to reinforce the bevel setting. From there I go with no pressure circles and X stokes on the 4K, followed by no pressure X strokes on the 8K, 12K and then usually .5 diamond spray on felt. From a consistency and reliability standpoint, this method has proven to be near perfect for me. I am still not a fan of the DMT 1200 for bevel setting as I simply find this stone way more agressive than needed. I have experimented with adding a 2K in after the 1K and end results were no different. I tend to look at it as simply an extra step that if you feel comfortable with, you CAN do. You can also add a 10K into the mix before the 12K if you feel that it works better for you. You can also use and mix up your slurries at any part in the process you want with any stone you want to use. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Have fun,

Lynn