If it ain't broke...

As I become more and more successful with my synthetic 1/4/8 k progression, I'm starting to see less and less reason for anything else. I assume that at some point, I'm going to want to use some high end finisher again(of which I have several), but I'm really, really happy with a good edge on just a Chosera 1k, Norton 4/8k progression. In fact, if I'm happy after the 8k, I don't even take anything else out of the drawer anymore. This makes me wonder how many long termers really think it's necessary to go to 10k and beyond. I mean we pay 80-600 dollars for a stone that's gonna get 10-20 stokes on the end of every razor, and then linen and leather? Now after linen and leather, I've got a perfectly mirror shiny bevel. Seems almost like if I'd have stopped at 4k, and done a little more with linen, I'd have the same edge. And if that perfect shiny mirror bevel doesn't cut, I'm not taking it back to 8k...I'm taking it back to 4k for more sharpening, or maybe even 1k if I really screwed up. Meaning to say, that once we get in to "polishing" grits, I'm questioning whether or not any stone is necessary for it. I guess we've all spent the money already, and more will as time passes, but for those who have done the experiments, honestly how broken up would you be if you never used an Escher/asagi/shapton 30k/etc. again? It seems linen and leather is the great equalizer according to my thinking. Put any edge on it you want after 8k. You're shaving off the strop. Just something I was thinking about.

I really don't know enough to weigh in on this either way. I have had success on some razors all the way to 12k, others shaved great after 8k and I haven't wanted to mess with them. That being said, I've seen a few members echo some of the same sentiments lately. Mainly that after the first shave or two, you are just shaving off the stropped edge anyway. And other members that like to use finishers also tend to mention how slight the improvement is over 8k when using a finisher. Like many things it seems like a matter of preference. For myself, I like having the stones, they are like jewels to me. Finishers, especially naturals, have alot of allure to them even if I don't really know enough to use them!

Michael

That's the cool thing about honing as you are learning...there is no perfect recipe, only what works for you. I'm very pleased you have the attitude you do and that you are building a proper foundation of your 1,4,8K stones, so I will leave you with this: It only gets better as your knowledge grows. There is no "need" for another stone after 8K, only desire to chase that "perfect edge".