Miyabi Toishi question

[aodenkou]

Gents, I am currently near the Smoky Mountain Knife store, heck of a place if you have never been there. Anyway I caled to see if they had a hone for straight razors. They said they have "Miyabi Toishi" - I know little or nothing of hones and would like an opinion if this is a good hone to start out with. I have my first straight, and will want to learn how to hone myself, so if the hone would work I would be up for getting one. Plan on finding a inexpensive razor to practice with.

Thoughts? Thanks for any help!

 

[Bayamontate]

Which grit? I remember trying out their Pro 1K which was a decent bevel setter.

 

[aodenkou]

I am not sure....... but does something like 100,000 sound right? To be honest I don't know enough to ask the right questions, hence, my question. I watched a couple of vids and honeing a blade did not seem "that" difficult. I keep my kitchen knives nice and sharp so seeing how the blade is taped, kept flat on the stone, well watered, and making sure to keep the strokes equal on the blade it does not seem outside a skill set I could not develope with a bit of practice. So getting a razor that does not cost an arm and a leg, trying to hone, strop, dull the blade and start over again.

 

[Bayamontate]

I think they make a 10K as well.

 

[mainaman]

Miyabi as in Henckels Miyabi or something else?

 

[Bayamontate]

Zwilling Miyabi Ceramic Whetstones

 

[Kentos]

Depends on what you goal is. If only for touch up, and you stay ahead of the dulling edge a higher grit should be ok...

If you need to bring up a dulled razor a high grit won't cut it .

 

[mainaman]

Zwilling Miyabi Ceramic Whetstones

Those are rebranded Super Stones, Naniwa is making them for Henckels. Those stones should work great with a razor.

 

[aodenkou]

Gents, thanks for the information so far. What I am looking for at this time is a stone that I can use to touch up, not really hone a vintage razor back to use.

 

[Kentos]

Touch up 12k or 10k.

 

[aodenkou]

Gents, for the 64 thousand dollar question.........any suggestions on a vendor that could provide a good stone at a reasonable price.

 

[Kentos]

Are we still talking about touching up?

 

[Doc226]

Gents, for the 64 thousand dollar question.........any suggestions on a vendor that could provide a good stone at a reasonable price.

What kind of stone? What is it going to be used for?

 

[aodenkou]

Gents, at this point I guess touch up, keep it as sharp as possible. I am guessing if I keep a razor honed and stroped I can learn to shave with my new razor. I know there is a learning curve, there was with DE. But once I started to use a Feather the curve went away and it was smooth sailing. In large part to how sharp they seem to be compaired to other blades. I think for me having as sharp a razor as possible all the time might help. Perhaps it is just a mental immage that my razor is not as sharp as it could be nags at the back of my mind. My razor was honedat the shop where I made the purchase, so it should be good to go. Yet I have this nagging thought that I should be doing the honeing, and I would learn how to doa better job.

 

[Kentos]

Well, there are three to four options IMO:

Lapping film-$
A natural stone like a coticule-$$
Synthetic progression-$$$
A natural stone like a Jnat-$$$$

For finishing there are a whole 'nother set of choices too.

If you plan on honing you might as well bite the bullet and commit yourself to learn from bevel setting all the way to finishing. I believe full enjoyment of straight shaving hinges on your ability to maintain your own.

All 4 of the above will accomplish that admirably, some harder to master than others...but that is half the fun!

I would do some research before you drop the cash tho' .

P.S. I would suggest a coticule as a beginning all in one solution.

 

[Wid]

Where was the razor purchased from?

 

[aodenkou]

In Regensburg Germany. It was a shop that sold knives (not a place with fantasy knives and the like, quality knkves and related items). I have purchased Merkur from similar shops in Oldenburgh and Hamburgh.