Thread: Less is more

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Hehehe um yeah 20 minutes from crap to shaving with a any finisher you might have, just a 1k and a finisher that can produce slurry and the ability to use it... Search - One Stone Hone, the proof is in the pudding

What are you saying? Any crappy razor in 20 minutes using only one stone - any finisher? Then you add a 2nd stone, a 1k - so you are saying any crappy razor in 20 minutes using only 2 stones?

I'm not even sure that is what you are saying, but if it is you are exaggerating or have never had a problem razor or one with a bad chip out of the edge. I had a pair of problem razors that I spent hours and hours on...then sent them to Lynn....and he spent hours and hours on them and they still shaved like crap. I think he got more exasperated with them then I was. After spending several more hours on them using every trick I knew and learning a few others along the way, finally got them to shave really well. But it weren't no 20 minutes a razor either for me or for Lynn. Also, the best finishers I have don't make much if any slurry, so you would be talking about a course stone and then a medium fine stone only, which would work, just not quite as well. A good black arkansas will not take out the scratch marks of a 1k stone in any reasonable time frame.

The coticule I would use if limited to one stone would not be a true finisher but a multipurpose medium fine/fine stone. I would not be a true finisher, because all a true finisher is good for is to finish with, but it would be close enough to fill the dual role. True finish stones polish but they don't cut much at all and I have both coticules and arkansas stones that fall into that category.

Originally Posted by stonehenge

What are you saying? Any crappy razor in 20 minutes using only one stone - any finisher? Then you add a 2nd stone, a 1k - so you are saying any crappy razor in 20 minutes using only 2 stones?

I'm not even sure that is what you are saying, but if it is you are exaggerating or have never had a problem razor or one with a bad chip out of the edge. I had a pair of problem razors that I spent hours and hours on...then sent them to Lynn....and he spent hours and hours on them and they still shaved like crap. I think he got more exasperated with them then I was. After spending several more hours on them using every trick I knew and learning a few others along the way, finally got them to shave really well. But it weren't no 20 minutes a razor either for me or for Lynn. Also, the best finishers I have don't make much if any slurry, so you would be talking about a course stone and then a medium fine stone only, which would work, just not quite as well.

The coticule I would use if limited to one stone would not be a true finisher but a multipurpose medium fine/fine stone. I would not be a true finisher, because all a true finisher is good for is to finish with, but it would be close enough to fill the dual role. True finish stones polish but they don't cut much at all and I have both coticules and arkansas stones that fall into that category.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...lynn-glen.html

I know that search function is hard to use, so here read, watch, learn, it was Lynn and I that worked it out

Basically once the bevel is set you can hone to shave ready on just about anything that you can get a good shave from, and it is that fast...

Me too, me too

I (would) do:

any 1k, I'd prefer chosera, though I use the superstone since that's what I have
naniwa 5k
naniwa 8k
thuringian/escher

This is almost exactly how I hone, but I sneak in naniwa 12k after the 8k, since I have it allowing me to be just a little sloppier on the 8k. I could certainly get by without the 1k, but I just don't want to, takes too long without it to hone out the chips on these ebay razors we're talking about.

wow guys this is a great thread!!! THANKs

My first razor was a hand down from my grandfathers; cleaned only by one of the professionals here , stored safely away, not honed. Ordered my first razor from this person and I asked him for a list of hones to learn with. He stated a Norton 220/1000, 4000/8000 and a Shapton 16000. He said that's all I will need, for the rest of my straight razor life. He was right; 34 razors later and I only use these "3" stones to bring to shave ready. I learn what to expect from these stones, on different types of straights. My technique improves with each new razor and refreshing the ones I have.

BUT......

I love stones/hones, I've collected no less that 40 more this past year. Only one other hone has been used on my shave ready razors. It's a piece of Welch slate, cut into a hone, here in Ft. Lauderdale; just to experiment with the slate. I don't see it becoming the 4th hone in my routine. I like to collect, call it H.A.D. , if you like.

If I had Donald Trump's money; I would live in a house made of hones!!
Laugh at me if you want; I've been laughed at by the best of them.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...lynn-glen.html

I know that search function is hard to use, so here read, watch, learn, it was Lynn and I that worked it out

Basically once the bevel is set you can hone to shave ready on just about anything that you can get a good shave from, and it is that fast...

Boy, you guys really went all out on the testing on the referred thread. Good information there. We basically said the same thing, and I guess you were agreeing with me and simply pointed out this testing thread that supports that with what you and Lynn found through all that testing. Sorry, couldn't quite understand what you were saying at the time.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

My first razor was a hand down from my grandfathers; cleaned only by one of the professionals here , stored safely away, not honed. Ordered my first razor from this person and I asked him for a list of hones to learn with. He stated a Norton 220/1000, 4000/8000 and a Shapton 16000. He said that's all I will need, for the rest of my straight razor life. He was right; 34 razors later and I only use these "3" stones to bring to shave ready. I learn what to expect from these stones, on different types of straights. My technique improves with each new razor and refreshing the ones I have.

BUT......

I love stones/hones, I've collected no less that 40 more this past year. Only one other hone has been used on my shave ready razors. It's a piece of Welch slate, cut into a hone, here in Ft. Lauderdale; just to experiment with the slate. I don't see it becoming the 4th hone in my routine. I like to collect, call it H.A.D. , if you like.

If I had Donald Trump's money; I would live in a house made of hones!!
Laugh at me if you want; I've been laughed at by the best of them.

Wait, you have bought over 40 stones just this year but you will never use any of them? I can understand collecting large numbers of stones and using them to chase that perfect edge for the suttle nuances they create, but collecting them like baseball cards.

Originally Posted by xMackx

Wait, you have bought over 40 stones just this year but you will never use any of them? I can understand collecting large numbers of stones and using them to chase that perfect edge for the suttle nuances they create, but collecting them like baseball cards.

Sorry, I was not clear.
I have collected over 40 this year as I said, but they are mainly not for razors. They are old Carborundums, for the most part that are NOS (New Old Stock), some have been put to use on my knives and axes. Most well over 50 years old. The rest are barber hones, only one old Swaty is used on my knives and axes, the rest of the barber hones are just collected, as you said, "Like baseball cards."

I do chase the perfect edge, but only with the three hones I mentioned above. I am still learning how to use them on different types of razors. I'm learning how to use "slurry" with my 1000 & 4000/8000.

If less is really more, how about a;
naniwa 1K
naniwa 5k
naniwa 10k
CroX pasted strop

I am somewhat guilty as charged in regards to OP's observation of getting a stone or 20 just cause it's hot right now
What can I say, I love to hone and to experiment on various platforms, be it Naturals or synth stones..

As to my basic honing setup that will always get the job done, that's easy:
1K, 5K, 10K Chosera, 20K Gokumyo and done.
No need for any pastes or other stuff, a plain old stropping on linen and leather is what follows that routine.