Thread: Hello from Scotland

A big hello to everyone I'm glad I found you.Well I just got a new razor and strop a few days ago.No real problems with them as I used to use a straight razor about 20 years ago until I gave it to a guy in a hardware store to hone and he ruined it completely.I have been trying to find the brand again,I believe it was Gotoh and was made of German Silver steel in Solingen.Cant find it with Google so I guess they may have went out of business.Maybe I'm getting the name wrong.I have never honed before and although I have watched videos showing the technique,it is the amount of different stones that bewilders me.I don't know where to start.

Johnny, Welcome!

There are many better qualified to answer - you can still see the curvature of the earth between my skills and a honemeister. I hope the videos you've watched include Glen's (gssixgun). They include synthetic progressions, and a natural (coticule). I'm hard pressed to recommend stones other than the Naniwas to learn with. Reliable, fast (especially that chosera 1k for bevels), pretty friendly. Use as Glen shows. Maybe a few low value, but high quality blades with straight edges - no smile or frown. Preferably one that was shaved with recently so there's no hidden restoration issues.

Hey johnny, the norton 3 piece set mentioned above is on sale at the following place in the uk

Norton Waterstones Kits

2nd or third kit down

However for my 2 cents, i would buy a separate 220/1k and 4k/8k and save some money as i've found the norton lapping stone to be gash. A piece of 400 grit wet dry and a glass plate/ceramic tile/level surface is muuch quicker and a better finish

I'm across in edinburgh, if you're around and i'm onshore, give me a shout and i'll take you thru the (very) basics of honing as i've just started doing it myself.

Thanks a lot man.Much appreciated.