Changing my finisher. Need advice.

[JonnyAngel]

I need to change up my finishing hone. Have been using the Chinese 12k after the DMT 8k; the diamond hones scratch pattern is just to much for the slow cutting 12k.

Before I sell the 12k though, I would like some feedback from the forums. Most likely going to order a Shapton 16k in replace of the Chinese 12k. Will this follow up the DMT better?

 

[LessLemming]

I dont know how bad the 8k DMT pattern actually is,
but did you try to slurry up the chinese 12k?
btw. Scratch pattern does not nescessarily mean bad edge.
You could try to raise the angle with another layer of tape before going to the chinese.
this way the chinese has a smaller surface to polish/straighten

The shapton 16k does provide better edges than the chinese 12k
and he is considerably quicker. But as already said, I have no idea how bad DMT 8k scratches really are...
I use my Shapton 16k either after Naniwa 10k, Chinese 12k or even the belgian blue

 

[chess1]

have your dmt 8k has been brake in?
the best way i think you will need to have a couple more hones to get better edge.
dmt 8 k what is front of it?(how you bring blade to level 8k)
after this you can go
coticule +16k
or
superstone 12k+diomand paste +chro2 or
coticule+pastes above
or
if you want to go for really nice edge then
coticule +escher+chro2
etc etc.
hope this helps.
gl

 

[English]

I have found that it is helpful to use one type of grit throughout the progression to about the 12K grit level. So if you come from an 8000 grit diamond hone, I would follow on with diamond pastes.

The Chinese 12K is a great hone, but it is very slow.

As for finishers that will give you a great smooth edge, there are various pastes and I have found that a hard yellow coticule, the Escher, the Charneley Forest or a Japanese natural finishing hone are really good. I have not tried the Shapton glass 16k but I understand the Charnley and the Japanese naturals hone to a finer sharpness and level of polish. But we are talking levels of refinement that you may not enjoy and you may prefer the pastes which are a much less expensive option and also put wickedly sharp edges on a razor.