AHHHH... Hones!

[skacj7]

Ok, so I am fairly new to the straight razor lifestyle, but I am getting better and want to take the hobby as far as I can. Which inevitably brings me to the world of honing. I have read up on this forum and others to find out what basic stones I would need to maintain a good edge on my straights. There is sooooo much out there and I've read so many different opinions its enough to make my head spin.

Can anyone out there narrow down for me what basic stones I could get that would do the trick? I was thinking a norton 4K/8K with a chinese 12K to finish plus a lapping stone. Is this good enough? or should I get a different combo? I heard Coti's are good too? Please break it down for me!! What type of stone? What grits? Just the basics. Thank you guys in advance! Any help is much appreciated!

 

[Munxcub]

Are you going to be taking dull edges from bevel setting to shave ready or merely maintaining shave ready edges?

Are you going to resurrect chipped up eBay specials?

What tickles your brain more, natural stones or synthetics?

 

[bluemantra]

Buy a coticule 6x2 is fine with a slurry stone. Take a look at thesuperiorshave.com. Also pick yourself up a DMT 600/1200 combo hone for removing chips in a razor and setting the bevel. Coticule.be will have all the info you need on the learning the coticule. Don't be scared away by the learning curve. It's no that bad and you'll be thankful in the end. Those 2 stones will be all you ever need for maintaining your straights.

 

[Disburden]

Norton 4/8K for a start, it's cheap and effective.

Coticule is effective too but I have been preferring major work on the Norton first before moving to a coticule.

 

[azmark]

Norton 4/8K for a start, it's cheap and effective.

Coticule is effective too but I have been preferring major work on the Norton first before moving to a coticule.

+1

Hard to beat that set up, it's the Proraso of honing. It's the right of passage.

If you get a coticule you can just use the combo then finish on a coticle. Then when you've mastered that set up you already have a coticule to begin the madness.

 

[skacj7]

Thanks guys! Right now I only have 1 straight and am in the market for a 2nd. Since I'm just starting out I'm just looking for a list of basic stones I would need to keep up routine honing maintenance. Eventually I would like to acquire some vintage straights where I would have to do more hardcore work like setting the bevel and such, but right now just what I would need for routine honing maintenance that will put a nice shave ready edge on my straights. Thanks again guys!

 

[skacj7]

PS-speaking of acquiring a 2nd straight..do any of you guys have any recommendations of a good "step up" for my 2nd SR? I currently have a Dovo 6/8 Special which I love, but since their is so much out there I don't really know what to move on to.

 

[Munxcub]

Well there are 2 routes, your "bare bones" synthetic setup would be the Norton 220/1k, 4k/8k and a finisher, like a C12k or CrOx or something. (would only need the 220/1k for heavy chip/bevel work)

Natural stone, basic setup is a decent sized Coti bout with slurry stone, if you are looking at doing any chip removal a DMT600/1200 combo would serve you well, with the coti to follow.

There are other brands with which you could build your synthetic setup, and there are other natural stones you could use (JNats, etc...) but these would be the simplest, basic setups. I went with the DMT/Coti rig and am extra pleased with the results after spending a couple weeks learning what I'm doing. heh

 

[Munxcub]

PS-speaking of acquiring a 2nd straight..do any of you guys have any recommendations of a good "step up" for my 2nd SR? I currently have a Dovo 6/8 Special which I love, but since their is so much out there I don't really know what to move on to.

Look at some vintage straights, either already restored on the BST or get some ebay specials and fix them up yourself. It's lots of fun and quite rewarding.

 

[skacj7]

Well there are 2 routes, your "bare bones" synthetic setup would be the Norton 220/1k, 4k/8k and a finisher, like a C12k or CrOx or something. (would only need the 220/1k for heavy chip/bevel work)

Natural stone, basic setup is a decent sized Coti bout with slurry stone, if you are looking at doing any chip removal a DMT600/1200 combo would serve you well, with the coti to follow.

There are other brands with which you could build your synthetic setup, and there are other natural stones you could use (JNats, etc...) but these would be the simplest, basic setups. I went with the DMT/Coti rig and am extra pleased with the results after spending a couple weeks learning what I'm doing. heh

Awesome..thanks chris! Your list is a great jumping off point and exactly what im looking for!