Thread: Less is more

Shapton 2k
add 1 layer tape
Shapton 8k
Shapton 30k
Escher ahhhh every time

(Really bad edges do get cleanded up with chosera 1k 1rst)

I have been "wanting" to thin down my collection, but haven't brought myself to it.

I just cant do 4 stones my friend.

My go to for pretty much ANY razor is Chosera 1K, Shapton ceramics 2,4,8,16K, finished on Y/G Escher I got from Sham several years ago. Keep in mind that this is what I am doing "now", but a few months from now it may change to who knows what...but, I keep coming back to this combination time and time again.

95% of razors I hone see:

1K Chosera
La Grise Coticule
Y/G Escher Finish

I swap out a Japanese Natural or CF for the Escher when I want to play, but the escher is so consistent that I reach for it most. Truth be told, if I was a minimalist I could stop at the coticule.

Dmt 1200
Shams blue stone 3k - love it
Coticule slurry to dilution or jnat with naguras

Normal strop.

That was a wonderful and interesting post. Thank you!

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I prefer the 4/8K alone. If a 220 or 1K is easily available I'll use them if need be. But, the 4K is generally more than enough to get the work done, if you take the time to discern exactly what work needs to be done. The only time I use a 1K is when I've given up. After giving up, so to say, I will hone down the razor (including the spine) and set a new bevel. It is always my last resort. Generally I find though that careful attention to the razors geometry is better than "an attack of the hones". When I look at a razor I usually realize that there already is a bevel. I don't really need to "put on a new bevel". That little triangular shaped section along the tip. That's the bevel! What I really need to do isn't to "put on a new bevel", it's really to get the hone onto the bevel. This is an entirely new concept in honing, but it's the way I think.

This process, especially with a 4K can often take longer than "setting a new bevel", but I prefer to deal with the problem more from an academic view, rather than a tearing away at metal view. If there is a way to get contact with the bevel without tearing into the spine and making a new bevel, I'll use that approach.

After the 4/8K I usually transition to a barber hone, so that takes me to three. Instead of the big heavy 8K, I prefer the small barber hone. It fits better on the sink. The Norton looks kind of clunky next to the sink.

Again, 4K alone takes a long time, but I'm not willing to damage a razor of mine simply out of impatience.

I've discovered a lot of Ebay specials that really had decent bevels, they were just "honed" by stropping alone. Tearing away the spine, and even "bevel setting" weren't even required. Wanna talk about using minimal stones? Try finding out that the bevels were set just fine all along!

This thread is great. It made me realize what has been slowing down my progress. I have way too much stuff! I pretty much always end up with a nice edge after some trial and error but I should be better at this than I am. My bad case of HAD has been hampering my progress. You fine gentlemen have convinced me to put all but the basics away until I master them. Chosera 1k, Norton 4/8 and Naniwa 12k SS here I come!

Originally Posted by Disburden

Dmt 1200
Shams blue stone 3k - love it
Coticule slurry to dilution or jnat with naguras

Normal strop.

That 3K stone for 30 bux is the greatest bargain out there.love mine

this thread should be a sticky in the beginners and the hone forums....great reading and thank you for saving me lots of future money.

and while it goes against the entire spirit of the thread...where would one obtain one of these mythical $30 3k's of shams?

I never developed HAD. I suppose it is because honing sucks! I only have a DMT 325, a long paddle strop with balsa pasted with 9.0 diamond paste(In case I had to use the DMT!) Nortons:1000,4000, 8000 and a Naniwa 12000. Datsall! Dassitt!