Looking for a finishing hone

[bluefoxicy]

I have the $100 Norton 4k/8k.

I want a finishing hone for blade maintenance/touch-up. Preferably the kind of thing I'd use once a month (or less?) to keep the blade in shape, and never go back to the 8k again unless I've done something quite wrong. Or maybe that's impossible.

Whatever it is, I don't want to dump $100 for another hone. I have the 4k/8k, I want to bring up a better-than-decent edge and I hear it's doable to finish up on the 8k and shave with it. I've been told I shouldn't, but screw it, now is the time to learn to take care of my own blade.

Also, this part might be expensive: my razor's dull anyway, so I soaked (for half an hour) my 4k/8k waterstone and tried gently gliding the blade forward. There was drag, on spots. Like the hone has an uneven area, a much more abrasive spot, or whatever. I'm going to pretend I know what I'm talking about here and just assume there's a just-slightly-high spot on the hone, or in some other way it's now uneven; I have attempted to hone other razors on it, after all. How do I fix?

 

[leighton]

Whatever it is, I don't want to dump $100 for another hone. I have the 4k/8k, I want to bring up a better-than-decent edge and I hear it's doable to finish up on the 8k and shave with it. I've been told I shouldn't, but screw it, now is the time to learn to take care of my own blade.

Not sure thats possible. Only stone of "finishing" grade significantly under $100 is the Chinese stone. And to be honest, I'd rather save my money and learn to shave off the 8k norton.

Alternatively, you can scour ebay looking for a vintage barber's hone.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Did you lap your norton?

Is this the 4k/8k combo stone? $100 sounds a bit expensive.

But yeah, if you want a cheap finsihing stone. $19.99 for chinese water stone at woodcraft.

It will also need lapped and is slow. But will do the needful.

You can also add a pasted strop pretty cheap.

I have the $100 Norton 4k/8k.

I want a finishing hone for blade maintenance/touch-up. Preferably the kind of thing I'd use once a month (or less?) to keep the blade in shape, and never go back to the 8k again unless I've done something quite wrong. Or maybe that's impossible.

Whatever it is, I don't want to dump $100 for another hone. I have the 4k/8k, I want to bring up a better-than-decent edge and I hear it's doable to finish up on the 8k and shave with it. I've been told I shouldn't, but screw it, now is the time to learn to take care of my own blade.

Also, this part might be expensive: my razor's dull anyway, so I soaked (for half an hour) my 4k/8k waterstone and tried gently gliding the blade forward. There was drag, on spots. Like the hone has an uneven area, a much more abrasive spot, or whatever. I'm going to pretend I know what I'm talking about here and just assume there's a just-slightly-high spot on the hone, or in some other way it's now uneven; I have attempted to hone other razors on it, after all. How do I fix?

 

[professorchaos]

The question you need to ask yourself is "what kind of edge do I like?" Some gents like to shave off of a Chinese 12K, others off of CrOx and others still off of Japanese naturals. Getting the least expensive will not necessarily be the cheapest if you don't like the edge it produces.

Given that you don't want to spend a bundle, a 4 sided paddle strop might be your best option. Paste one side with 3 micron, one with 1 micron, one with .5 micron and the last with CrOx and you have a very versatile tool to use after your Norton and maintain edges.

 

[bluefoxicy]

Interesting. I just don't want to send it off to be honed repeatedly while I destroy the edge (though now I have a solid brass Feather RG coming, so woo disposable blades? Guess that makes the learning curve easier to deal with...), and I want a smooth and sharp edge.

And a well-maintained edge, at that.

I haven't lapped the Nortons, they need either that or cleaning I guess.

I've heard tell that the edge off a stone is better than the edge off pastes (notably, it holds its edge longer); and that an oil stone produces a finer edge than a water stone but with much more time invested. Maybe a 12k-15k oil stone would suit me? Who knows, it's guesswork.

 

[JBHoren]

Who knows, it's guesswork.

Not really. There are tried-and-true methodologies for honing a straight razor (you can find clear, well-written tutorials here, and on SRP), and there is no lack of qualified honemeisters, who would be glad to teach you.

But "guesswork"? Nah... not unless you want to 'reinvent the wheel'

 

[r0ckrat]

I've heard it mentioned that regardless of final finish, it's easily possible to get a great edge off of the Norton 4/8, followed by lots of time on linen and leather strops. No "finishing stone", just a very light touch as you finish on the 8k side off the Norton. Someday I hope to be able to test this, but until then I'll be finishing on either my $20 Chinese or the small (1-1/2"x5") Coticule. I've been sseeing some Coticules available for less than $100.

 

[GsSixgun]

You can shave just fine off a Norton 8k you just have to learn how to use it correctly....

I honestly get a kick out of listening to all the "experts" talk about how you need this stone or that stone to finish to a nice smooth edge...
You don't NEED any of them, you might WANT them though, my advice is get very, very, proficient at honing on that N8k until you decide you don't NEED anything else, by that time you won't need to ask us what you might want next....

 

[leighton]

You can shave just fine off a Norton 8k you just have to learn how to use it correctly....

I honestly get a kick out of listening to all the "experts" talk about how you need this stone or that stone to finish to a nice smooth edge...
You don't NEED any of them, you might WANT them though, my advice is get very, very, proficient at honing on that N8k until you decide you don't NEED anything else, by that time you won't need to ask us what you might want next....

True, but if I was on a budget and just needed a purely touch-up hone, I'd want a ~12k grit hone. If I were really on a budget, I'd just use crox and forgo hones entirely.

 

[r0ckrat]

So in answer to the original question...

I want a finishing hone for blade maintenance/touch-up. Preferably the kind of thing I'd use once a month (or less?) to keep the blade in shape, and never go back to the 8k again unless I've done something quite wrong.

He should just use the 8k side as the touch up hone since he has it. Right? Or should he invest more $$$ in hones?

bluefoxicy, if it were me, and I already had the Norton, I'd stick with just that hone until I knew more. I'd keep my eyes peeled for an old Barbers Hone in a thift or antique shop. And once I could get shaving off the 8k side, I'd use that for touch up until I decided if I wanted to refine it further.

I started at the opposite end, with a vintage Barbers Hone, then another, and another, and then a Chinese 12k, and a King 800/4k for restoration work. I still haven't spent $100 on hones yet. Close, but not quite there. My tiny Coticule came along with a W&B wedge that needs serious help to shave again, and the two together were $30.

So, I guess I'm suggesting patience.

 

[richmondesi]

You can shave just fine off a Norton 8k you just have to learn how to use it correctly....

I honestly get a kick out of listening to all the "experts" talk about how you need this stone or that stone to finish to a nice smooth edge...
You don't NEED any of them, you might WANT them though, my advice is get very, very, proficient at honing on that N8k until you decide you don't NEED anything else, by that time you won't need to ask us what you might want next....

Want is the operative word here for me.

I wanted a coticule and got one in that is fantastic. I can set my bevel and finish on this one stone (honed 3 razors today ). I'm like a kid at Christmas...

 

[leighton]

So in answer to the original question...


He should just use the 8k side as the touch up hone since he has it. Right? Or should he invest more $$$ in hones?

I'd rather save my money and learn to shave off the 8k norton.

Right.

 

[joshmpdx]

i wouldn't have the patience to learn to shave off of the 8k. i would most certainly pick up a 12k hone if i were in your shoes.

 

[Slartibartfast]

If the edge is not ready off the 8k, you still have more work to do before progressing to the 12k.

i wouldn't have the patience to learn to shave off of the 8k. i would most certainly pick up a 12k hone if i were in your shoes.

 

[gary haywood]

I agree you can shave of 8k norton and touch up on 8k norton i realy have had great shaves of my 8k a finishing hone won't solve your problem if your not there at 8k level your razor of 8km will easily be shave ready if honed to its potential if its not there its down to your honing.

 

[professorchaos]

For clarification, what exactly do you gents mean by "shave off the Norton 8K?" A WTG pass? XTG? Or complete WTG, XTG and ATG shave?

 

[Klarion]

Completely shave worthy, sounds like.

 

[leighton]

For clarification, what exactly do you gents mean by "shave off the Norton 8K?" A WTG pass? XTG? Or complete WTG, XTG and ATG shave?

I can shave off an 8k stone, ATG & WTG. In fact, thats the first stone I bought and learned to hone off of. I then upgraded to the spyderco UF, but for several years I shaved off the 8k stone.

 

[professorchaos]

I can shave off an 8k stone, ATG & WTG. In fact, thats the first stone I bought and learned to hone off of. I then upgraded to the spyderco UF, but for several years I shaved off the 8k stone.

Thanks.

 

[richmondesi]

For clarification, what exactly do you gents mean by "shave off the Norton 8K?" A WTG pass? XTG? Or complete WTG, XTG and ATG shave?

A full shave that results in an irritation free BBS.

After 8k, even on finishing stones, there isn't much work to do any way. By utilizing an ultra light touch on the finishing strokes, it is quite possible to get a great shaving edge off of the 8K.

This is a pretty interesting post from SRP by Randy Tuttle back in 2005. Back then, many of the guys only used 8K and maybe pastes.

It's an interesting thing how pastes, and additional hones have reached "necessity" status. When I first discovered this concept, I took it as a challenge to get to that point, and it has helped my edges a lot.