New to honing! (1st stone set)

[Lomez]

Hey everyone,

Been DE shaving for a while now, using the R41 with Israeli blues- which seemingly arent easily found these days. I'm really liking the idea of not having to buy razors to shave.

I picked up a few straights and sent them to Doc226 for new scales and a honing. They felt like I was shaving my face with a light sabre made of cloud.

Soooo, here I am. I am pretty sure I want the:

-Chosera 1k for bevel set
-DMT Diasharp course 325grit for lapping, but am not sure if the 10" would be worth the extra money for ease of use... (vs the 8")
-a small coticule, small bc they 3x8"s seem expensive- and who knows if I will even enjoy the challenge of using it.

So that's my plan.

I am open to a Norton 4/8 or Naniwa SS 3/8 in place of the coticule- but would need a slight push...

thoughts?

and thanks!

 

[smalltank]

norton stones are a love hate relationship..I hated em...I sold mine with Naniwa 12k...bought a dmt1200 diamond plate and combo coticule..never looked back or regret buying em..

 

[Lomez]

ST,
What size was the coticule you started with? What do you lap it with?
-Thanks

 

[smalltank]

I bought my coti from a member hete...its 6" long by 1.5" wide...my dmt sets my edge while coti does polish/sharpen at the same time..its a batural stone so it rarely needs lapping..Nortons need lapping always before..I dont use a slurry stone but oil...like mineral oil for my coticule

 

[Lomez]

hmm,

If the natural/coti doesnt need lapping often maybe I should just get some wet/dry sandpaper and skip out on the DMT325 and Chosera and get the DMT1200...

 

[pmaster]

If you see my other thread below, I was also looking into some DMT to lap my honing stone. I finally put in an order for a dmt duo sharp, which has a 325 side, and a 1200 side. I'm thinking of setting bevels with the 1200 when needed (although up until now I manage to do it OK with the naniwa 3k if its not too far off).

hmm,

If the natural/coti doesnt need lapping often maybe I should just get some wet/dry sandpaper and skip out on the DMT325 and Chosera and get the DMT1200...

 

[Wid]

According to where you get the coti just have them lap it. It's really a toss up to what bevel setter is best/better. I had the dmt 1200 and the chosera 1K, sold the dmt and kept the chosera. Going to the coti after each stone I felt the chosera was and easier transition. Both are great bevel setters.

 

[Lomez]

Pmaster,
for the price diff of the single dia vs the duosharp, I could prob justify getting the dia325 and the chosera instead.. good thinking though.

Wid,
you dont have to lap your coticule often huh?

 

[Wid]

No, I lapped it once and have been using it ever since. The just don't need the attention to lapping like a synthetic. Shoot, I don't lap the chosera much either.

 

[Lomez]

Excellent... excellent...

 

[gary haywood]

I would also highly recommend the 1k chosera . then anice combo coticule my go to coticule is 150x40mm. also apasted strp with crox may well come in handy while learning..

 

[pmaster]

Yeah I imagine you can find the dmt325 cheaper than I, it is somehow overpriced for us Canadians to get any dmt plates. And even though one can use some sanding paper + glass plate to flatten stones, I personally find it really really annoying

Pmaster,
for the price diff of the single dia vs the duosharp, I could prob justify getting the dia325 and the chosera instead.. good thinking though.

Wid,
you dont have to lap your coticule often huh?

 

[BJJ]

IMO you can pick the quarter size stones from whippeddog if you wanna go cheap

if you dont care about money you can get the choosera 1k. And others.

I have naniwas 1k. 3/8k. And 12k. The 3/8k are combined together. I am very happy with them. They make nice edges.

By the way. A bigger lapping plate is always better IMO
Regards

 

[Lomez]

Now is the time for me to justify spending, since i'm telling myself it's my new set up as to not buy more DE blades

BJJ, what do you think about the Chosera vs DMT? Have you tried a coticule? I'd be curious to hear why you are using the naniwas..

 

[Disburden]

Coticules ALL vary from each other and take a lot of time learning how to use to get good results. Nortons are all the same and all work the same a eachother, it is easier to get advice with a stone that works the same as someone elses.

 

[Krodor]

Coticules ALL vary from each other and take a lot of time learning how to use to get good results. Nortons are all the same and all work the same a eachother, it is easier to get advice with a stone that works the same as someone elses.

+1

I started with norton 4k/8k + DMT 325 + poor man strop kit. Would not have changed a thing. I learned a ton with that setup, and still use the norton when I just want to get an edge easily. Use the 325 fairly often as well. I'd go that route myself to get things down pat, then start dabbling in naturals. It's nice to know you have "old reliable" in the wings if things just aren't working with the other. I just don't like the lapping and soaking it needs, otherwise that worked fine for me.

Or you could go the films route...very nice, very sharp edges relatively cheap and easy, just like Serap ...never mind

 

[AjaxLepinski]

Although, I've only been honing for a few months, I still like my Norton 4K/8K. Nortons are soft, they lap quickly and do a nice job.
+1 to Krodor's film suggestion... While I'm learning to finish on my coticule and jnat, I've been finishing on 3um and 1um film.
Film has a shorter learning curve and you'll be able to keep shaving without sending your razors out for sharpening.
I'm only able to hone on weekends which is hampering the growth of my rock honing skills and film is helpful to have around.

 

[Lomez]

Thanks everyone... I have to admit, I am intrigued by honing on a rock (vs film)... But I think maybe I am jumping the gun a bit by thinking coticule.

But at the end of day I just want the quickest easiest edge for my time and money- so maybe I should reconsider film.

 

[AjaxLepinski]

Get both!

 

[Lomez]

haha, done!