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Norton 4000/8000 Combo Stone...

Took forever to get it flat. Seems like the lapping stone that Norton sells will be used up by the time you get this stone flat. Once i got it flat it works great. Seems like the texture of the stone changed as well - once I lapped off what might have been 1/4".
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Efficacy
3.00 star(s)
Ease of Use
4.00 star(s)
Overall Value
4.00 star(s)
Resistance to Wear
3.00 star(s)
What is the minimum price of the stone?
Very good consistent stone... all the issues I have with it have been outlined: it wears down fast and thus need to be periodically lapped. It will eventually p*ss you off if you get hooked on razor restoration and you will probably switch to DMT or Glass stones...

But I love it. It's incredibly smooth and gives good feedback so you know what you're doing.
Quality
5.00 star(s)
Efficacy
4.00 star(s)
Ease of Use
4.00 star(s)
Overall Value
5.00 star(s)
Resistance to Wear
3.00 star(s)
The Norton 4/8K has grown in popularity over the years with straight razor users, and honestly it deserves a good reputation. This hone is probably (definitely) the most easy hone to learn on for new straight razor users. A lot of new guys want the mystique of a Coticule or something like an Escher, but the truth is, this is the hone you need to have an easy learning experience. It is also the most consistent hone to use as far as setting bevels on the 4K side and then polishing on the 8K side is concerned. Matter of fact, I like this stone so much, that I sometimes do a complete honing on it alone and then shave right off the 8K side (maybe with some CrO after). I own quite a few hones; a DMT 1200 for bevels, the norton (obviously) and then a Belgian blue with slurry and a coticule with slurry, and I like the Norton best of all for the efficiency and consistency it provides on a regular basis.

There are a few down sides with this hone, as there are with all of them. It will need to be lapped when you get it new, also it needs to be lapped often to remove any kind of swarf that becomes embedded over time. This will happen from normal honing routines, and you will see the metal become embedded in the hone.

The norton pyramid technique (Search for it here or on Straightrazorplace.com) is the easiest method for a new honer I have ever seen. You can easily get a shave ready blade with this technique, and it also prevents the user from over honing (as long as the edge is checked after each step with a Thumb nail test).

Have fun, Like Lynn has said, this is the most consistent stone out there for the new guys! :thumbup:
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Efficacy
5.00 star(s)
Ease of Use
5.00 star(s)
Overall Value
4.00 star(s)
Resistance to Wear
3.00 star(s)
I like this stone but I hate this stone. This was the first stone I purchased and the one I learned to hone on. It is an easy hone to learn on because it doesn't cut metal that quickly (especially the 4K side) so its difficult to ruin a razor on it. Also, lots of guys on this site and others have experience on the stone so their is a lot of information out there on how to use it. Lynn's pyramid system that he talks about in his DVD uses this stone.

There are two reasons I don't particularly like this stone. You have to soak it in water for about 10 minutes before you can use it and it needs to be lapped frequently. It seems to need lapping after every 1-3 razors. A DMT doesn't need to be soaked or lapped.

Anyway, those are my +'s and -'s but bottom line its a good first stone and a good choice if your only going to own one stone.
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Efficacy
2.00 star(s)
Ease of Use
2.00 star(s)
Overall Value
3.00 star(s)
Resistance to Wear
2.00 star(s)
This is the most consistent hone for new people to learn on. I continue to wear them out on the thousands of razors that I hone.

Have fun,

Lynn
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Efficacy
4.00 star(s)
Ease of Use
5.00 star(s)
Overall Value
4.00 star(s)
Resistance to Wear
2.00 star(s)
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Norton 4K/8K
This is the most commonly used, discussed and recommended straight razor hone. It is a man made hone – which is manufactured by Norton Abrasives, and created by taking abrasive powder, and creating “stone” by combining the powder with a binding agent. In layman’s terms – think of it like putting sand in a puddle of glue, and waiting for it to dry – of course Norton has this down to a science, and my example was extremely primitive, but you get the point. These stones come in 2 sizes, and the one in this particular review is 8” X 3” by 1”. The white side of the 4/8K is 4000 grit, and made in Italy, the yellow side of the hone is 8000 grit and made in the USA. As a “water stone” it uses water as a lubricant, and as a means to keep swarth (or metal deposits) from rendering the hone ineffective.

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Pro’s
1.) This hone has 2 ideal grits for straight razors.
2.) This hone cuts relatively quickly – which is optimal for establishing an edge in a reasonable amount of time.
3.) Due to the size/width of the hone, you can keep the entire spine/edge on the hone at once, so you do not have to hone in the “X” pattern.
4.) These hones offer a good value, as it is 2 grits in one hone.

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Con’s
1.) Hone needs to be soaked for 15 minutes prior to use.
2.) This hone will need to be lapped periodically.
3.) This hone is somewhat fragile… if you drop it – it’ll shatter.
4.) This is a relatively large/heavy hone, which can make it a little cumbersome for those who prefer to hold the hone in the palm of their hand (like myself) when honing.


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Overall:
I feel this is a superlative hone, and there is the greatest amount of information on it's use RE: Straight razors. Personally - I feel you will still need a finishing hone after using the 8K side, as it's 8K side isn't as fine a grit as say a Shapton 8K or a Kitayama 8K, it's really more like a 6K, so it can/will put a nice shave ready edge on a razor, but to get the most out of your razor, you'll need a finer stone.

TO DISCUSS THIS REVIEW, PLEASE SEE THIS THREAD!
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Efficacy
4.00 star(s)
Ease of Use
4.00 star(s)
Overall Value
4.00 star(s)
Resistance to Wear
2.00 star(s)
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