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For restoration do I need a 12000 waterstone?

I am getting into restoration and looking at the Norton 3 piece set with the following. 1 220/1000 Combo, 1 4000/8000 Combo and 1 flattening Stone.

Was looking at getting a Naniwa Super Stone 12000 Grit also, but do I really need the 12000?
 

Legion

Staff member
Well.... You don't need it. You can shave off an 8k. Personally I prefer an edge that has gone to 12k.

Before dropping the coin on the 12k you might try just using CrOx on a bench strop after the 8k and see what you think of that.
 
Well.... You don't need it. You can shave off an 8k. Personally I prefer an edge that has gone to 12k.

Before dropping the coin on the 12k you might try just using CrOx on a bench strop after the 8k and see what you think of that.

Yep. This.

The 12000 is great for refreshing an edge, too. I use mine more than every other stone I have combined.
 

cleanshaved

I’m stumped
welcome fellow Kiwi
I would hold off on the Naniwa Super Stone 12000 until you have mastered the norton 4/8 at least.
I have the same set up you are looking at but don't use the lapping stone just found it too slow. got myself a DMT for lapping, always flat and much quicker.
+1 on the CrOx as legion says
 
Great advice here. If I would start over from the beginning, my setup would be: 220/1k Norton, 4k/8k Norton, 325 DMT, and some kind of pasted flatbed hone with crox. You will be able to get very nice edges with this setup, and later if you are already good with your stones, than you can choose a nice finisher after 8k.
 
Also some people love the nani edge some don't. I love the keenness it provides but it feels harsh to me. I can hone a razor for you and finish on the naniwa 12K for you to try before you buy one. Honing is free, just pay shipping. PM if interested.
 
Well.... You don't need it. You can shave off an 8k. Personally I prefer an edge that has gone to 12k.

Before dropping the coin on the 12k you might try just using CrOx on a bench strop after the 8k and see what you think of that.


Is the bench strop one those flat board type strops?
 

Legion

Staff member
Is the bench strop one those flat board type strops?

Yeah. Basically it is just a hard flat surface, usually with rubber feat, with a softer material bonded to it to strop on and carry the paste. I like balsa for CrOx, but you can use leather or other things. It just sits on the bench like a hone and you strop on it.

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Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
FWIW I hold bench strops and also stones or lapping film on tile, in hand rather than laying them on the bench or table. The give of the hand helps the blade and the stropping or honing surface find their own alignment.

Also, much cheaper than the naniwa is a tile and a piece of 1u lapping film. Plus it can be much much bigger for a better stroke, it is easy to use and needs no soaking or lapping, and gives amazing results. Did I mention cheaper?

You don't NEED anything finer than an 8k (or 3u film) and perhaps you shouldn't get anything finer until you are certain that you are getting the best possible edge with the 8k or 3u. After honing on that stage, you can use the same medium to go finer by simply adding lather and using a lot (LOT) ov very (VERY) light laps. With film, you can also add a piece of damp paper between the film and the plate. These techniques will give you a very decent edge without springing for what we regard today as a finisher. When you are getting nice edges from that, THEN it is time to look into a finisher. The nani 12k is good, but the 1u film is better.
 
8k edges are useless to me. So - if speaking in synth-ese, I need more than an 8k stone. In fact, lets refine that - I need better than an 8k JIS edge.

10k, 12k, Coti, Thuri, Crox/diamond paste, Jnat - whatever. There are lots of choices, what you 'need' depends on what you want and like.
 
Try a dmt 1200 for bevel setting...a hard coti for sharpening/polish...anything else after that is for "fun"..I have yet to use anything else after loving coticule edges
 
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