Thread: New to honing: The One Stone Honing Method

I have read that instead of using multiple stones to hone a razor, one can use a single Belgian coticule with a slurry stone to take a razor from through bevel setting to the finishing/polishing stage. If so, can someone point me in the right direction as this appeals to me. Which stone should I get for this?

There are several different systems to do this with most any stone really not just the Coticule

If you just search "One Stone Hone" you will find a rather large Thread from Lynn and I about it complete with vids..

For a Coticule technique that many swear by search Dulicot and Unicot

None of these systems work everytime, and they are not the easiest way for a beginner to learn to hone...

+1 on the video's mentioned above, they are very good.

Setting a bevel on a Coticule can be really hard and time consuming, I personally would get two stones (some make of 1k and either a Norton 4k/8k or a Coticule) and a pasted paddle. This would take care of most issues (not all) and give a nice edge

Hello,

Welcome to SRP FauxPax. I asked the same as you a year ago. The info gssixgun has pointed out is great, really helped me. It's a steep learning curve however, when you think you got it down you find out your method doesn't work next time. One stone honing brings in many factors. But learning to utilize one stone is kinda satisfying.

I first bought a coticule and Blue combo stone. And had success but with a lot of time invested. gssixgun often says that 90% of honing is in the bevel setting, I found that consistent bevel setting with a coticule and heavy slurry was very difficult. So I'd suggest to getting a cheap 1000k to 4000k synthetic stone to go along with the finisher. It really helps get consistency and save on time! I got the cheapest i could find and that was a King.

Well i hope that helpful, or at least clear. If i have steered you wrong the experts here will gently tell me off and give you better advise.

Nathaniel.

Another vote for "two stone honing"...A bevel setter is just way too valuable for as cheap as they are. I like coticules also, but I'll never, ever be without a bevel setting 1k again.

I went ahead and purchased the King 1k and a C12k (smaller size)

Originally Posted by FauxPax

I went ahead and purchased the King 1k and a C12k (smaller size)

If you have those two you will need to add some fillers in between, the jump from 1k to whatever the fineness equivalent of the Chinese stone is way too big.
The C12k is a very slow stone.

I am relatively new to honing also and I really just liked the appeal of natural hones when I started. Now my progression consists of a cheap king 1k, vintage coticule, and if I don't finish on the coticule i have a thuringian and a Cnat. Natural stones just take more patience to learn. If you give them time you will be very satisfied when you master them.

Being that this was on my mind last night, I decided to do something about it; so called, the put my money where my mouth is, so to speak. What I did was run a Lion Brand by Yankee Cutlery 5/8 over my bevel setter. I then took it right to my two (2) sided barber's hone. I did maybe two or three (2-3)"hard" passes and a couple of lighter ones on the first side. Then I did about ten (10) on the brown side; that is, the finishing side. I then did about as many on the same side very lightly with some lather. I then ran it across my pasted linen three (3) times. Then about twenty (20) on pasted leather. I then did about twenty (20) on pasted leather, and then finished it on the linen and then leather. It shaved beautifully! Though, I must admit, basically, the bevel was probably already set. But, all-in-all, as far as the barber's hone go, it can be done. But, like gssixgun says, setting the bevel is paramount to a successful honing. In addition, you really NEED to have a pasted strop or two on hand to achieve optimum sharpness. Another caveat: you really need to appreciate what it is you're trying to achieve and each and every blade should be considered individually.

That's great. Why did you go down to a bevel setter for a touch up?