Thread: Choice of honing stones

For what will give a better edge, that's a matter of opinion, experience, and personal preference.

For learning to hone, I'd recommend the Norton 4k/8k followed by the 12k of your choice. The Norton is practically the "standard hone" here, and unlike a coticule, most of the Nortons are pretty identical to most of the other Nortons. I say "most" because they've shifted the country of manufacture a couple of times and that seems to have mattered. But if you post questions about your honing, it'll be much easier for people to give helpful answers if your hone and theirs are so similar.

My first hones were a woodworking 1k/6k and a barber's hone and a coticule that had bumped around an old family toolbox for years unappreciated. My first honing success was on a 4k/8k, following exactly the pyramid honing guide posted at our wiki. There's lots of other info on hones and honing there that can help you decide.

Good luck with it all, and welcome to another level of the experience.