I incorrectly asked a question (Water stone for setting bevel - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/water-stone-for-setting-bevel.640855/post-12286170) in another thread without context - so here's the full question with context.
I'm a beginner learner - recently honed my first razor from bevel to finish with help from many of you - particularly @H Brad Boonshaft. I used Shapton Pro 1500 for bevel setting and film thereafter - 3um and 1um. After this experience, it is clear that I should focus my honing for now to synthetic stones with well defined grits so that my honing would be predictable. At some point in the future, I hope to move to natural stones and hope to use my Arkansas Surgical Black as well.
Now I went through an entire sheet of 3um in honing just 1 razor. I know, I made mistakes in learning - tore the edge of the film, used up too much grit in the center of the film (the razor had a warp), and so on. Frankly, I don't know that I won't make more mistakes with my second (or third) honing.
For now, I face a choice. I can either get more film - spend $30 and get film - some I'll use (3um, 1um) some I won't (30um, 9um, 0.3um). Maybe it'll last me for two razors this time. Or, I can spend similar amount of money and get two stones - which may last longer. I was thinking of ordering Proyan glass stones directly from the manufacturer (Taidea) through their Alipay store - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804413841446.html. I could get 6000, 10000, 15000 for about ($90) and hopefully that'll last me a lifetime of synthetic stones and afford more learning.
I did read the responses to my question. I just wanted to be sure to a) give context and b) make sure these responses apply to the models I'm thinking of
Thanks for reading
I'm a beginner learner - recently honed my first razor from bevel to finish with help from many of you - particularly @H Brad Boonshaft. I used Shapton Pro 1500 for bevel setting and film thereafter - 3um and 1um. After this experience, it is clear that I should focus my honing for now to synthetic stones with well defined grits so that my honing would be predictable. At some point in the future, I hope to move to natural stones and hope to use my Arkansas Surgical Black as well.
Now I went through an entire sheet of 3um in honing just 1 razor. I know, I made mistakes in learning - tore the edge of the film, used up too much grit in the center of the film (the razor had a warp), and so on. Frankly, I don't know that I won't make more mistakes with my second (or third) honing.
For now, I face a choice. I can either get more film - spend $30 and get film - some I'll use (3um, 1um) some I won't (30um, 9um, 0.3um). Maybe it'll last me for two razors this time. Or, I can spend similar amount of money and get two stones - which may last longer. I was thinking of ordering Proyan glass stones directly from the manufacturer (Taidea) through their Alipay store - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804413841446.html. I could get 6000, 10000, 15000 for about ($90) and hopefully that'll last me a lifetime of synthetic stones and afford more learning.
I did read the responses to my question. I just wanted to be sure to a) give context and b) make sure these responses apply to the models I'm thinking of
They are generally smaller stones, very soft and self -slurry, that can scratch a razor belly. Where they save money is cheap or using less binder.
Those cheap Chinese synth waterstones wear super fast. They'll cut steel but they are really hard to keep flat.
The assigned grits were way incorrect, like not even close. The abrasives used aren't consistent leading to uneven scratch patterns with a lot of rogue gouges. They are soft and dish fast. A couple were soft in some areas and harder in others and wouldn't lap flat. The fake glass stone was 1/3 of the advertised 'grit', soft, and seemingly useless to me.
Thanks for reading