Just Bought a Norton 220/1K and 4K/8K

[krisbarger]

I just bought this deal....

http://www.ptreeusa.com/norton_waterstone.htm

Now what?

I need to touch up a razor that is slightly dull.

How do I lap the stones first? Don't I have to do something to the edges first?
Is there a wiki on how to prepare a norton 4K/8K for the first honing?

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[Sputnik]

I used Norton 350 sandpaper I bought at Home Depot. The flattening stone that comes with the combo is basically 220, so it should do the trick as well.

 

[azmark]

Haven't seen that combo set before but it's pretty cool.

All your questions can be answered on the "sticky" Joel put up on the General Straight Shaving Forum.

Also, Leighton has another great guide.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1451148#post1451148
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=102968

If it's slightly dull you probably just need to strop it using chromox. I haven't ran any of my razors on anything coarser than a 12k finishing stone or Spyderco UF stone since a few months ago. Try to get yourself a barbers hone or similar finishing stone if you're having trouble bringing the razor back on a strop with chromox

 

[krisbarger]

Tried everything. Still pulling after about 30-40 strokes on my nano 12K. I think a few on the 4/8k will make the diff.

I just need to know how to prep the stone before 1st use.

 

[kadett]

You will need to lap the stones before using them even though they are new otherwise you may damage the razor edge. This link about lapping explains the process:

http://straightrazorplace.com/forums/honing/16043-hone-lapping-101-a.html

Remember to soak the Norton stones thoroughly before lapping them and before every honing session.

Other than that honing is only really learned by practice and careful study. There are some good videos on YouTube explaining the process, for example some good instructions are found at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjzMJ3Ny-eE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMV-KRFjDM0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_sduST5lHw

 

[azmark]

If it is a dull razor you shouldn't even be pulling that 12K out. You should be able to shave hairs off your arm from your 8K before you use the 12K.

It takes a while but and there is a huge learning curve to get a dull razor sharp.

Im sure Leighton and a few of the experts will be on here soon to give you a better explanation.

Tried everything. Still pulling after about 30-40 strokes on my nano 12K. I think a few on the 4/8k will make the diff.

I just need to know how to prep the stone before 1st use.

 

[professorchaos]

What exactly do you mean by slightly dull? Does it still have a bevel but not shave well? A few laps on diamond paste could bring the edge back.

As others have mentioned, you should lap your hones and, optionally, chamfer the long edges.

If I were tuning up the razor, I'd try diamond paste first. If that didn't work, I'd probably give it laps on the 4K until all parts of the edge felt smooth against the hone - no appreciable friction. Follow that up with some time on the 8K, then onto the 12K.