Newbie question

[Youngblood]

I just tried my brothers straight for the first time 2 days ago and immediately was hooked. So I ordered the sight unseen deal from Larry and I also ordered a not honed razor to try to hone myself. Unfortunately my brother doesn't hone his own razors so he couldn't help me. I hope you experts can. My question is. What is a good basic set up for hone progression?
I have no ideal what I am doing. I have sharpened pocket and hunting knives on Arkansas Stones and that is it. So where do I start? And is the strop in the sight unseen deal from whipped dog all I need as far as a Strop? Thanks in advance for you help.

 

[Gamma]

Welcome!

Heres a good place to start;

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/149664-Hones-What-do-I-need-to-know

 

[jred]

For just getting started honing, I'd recommend lapping film. Inexpensive, relatively easy, and once you're sure you're going to keep with it, you can spend more cash on actual rocks. It just kinda takes the pressure off on making hone decisions.

 

[Proinsias]

Larry's strop should do the job fine.

To keep your existing razor shaving something in the 8K+ range should be good, to put an edge on a blunt razor you'll probably want something coarser.

Have you got an idea of budget?

 

[Youngblood]

Thanks for the responses guys. As far as a price range for now I would say the least expensive route. Just to see how I do. I'm thinking maybe lapping film, I really would like to get actual rocks though. Any idea what a basic progression of rocks would cost? And what rocks I should be looking into? Thanks again.

 

[Proinsias]

A bevel setter around 1k is very handy to have. The cheap option is a King 1k but there are plenty other options, 4 years on and I still don't feel the need to upgrade my King - just shaved straight off the 1K this morning and got a decent shave.

My personal cheap *** routine is a King 1K/6K combo followed by a natural finisher - Chinese 12k, Coticule, Muller stone, Welsh slate etc.

I'm a coticule fan and find that a 1K stone and a coticule covers most of my honing needs.

The Naniwas 3K/8K or Norton 4K/8K combo stones might also be worth a look.

 

[jred]

You can start with lapping film for around $20. I think there's a set on B/S/T right now.
For bevel setting, I'm currently using 1000 wet/dry sandpaper on a $5 granite tile.
Coticules are probably the least expensive natural stone to get into (under $100), and not too horribly difficult to master.

 

[Youngblood]

I should mention that I have a progressive set of Arkansas stones Soft, Hard, Surgical black and Translucent. But I can seem to find anyone using them. Can I use the Arkansas stones I already have or will they not work?

 

[jred]

I think paco was saying he can get results out of arkies. IIRC, the key is using more pressure than you would normally use.

 

[Wid]

I should mention that I have a progressive set of Arkansas stones Soft, Hard, Surgical black and Translucent. But I can seem to find anyone using them. Can I use the Arkansas stones I already have or will they not work?

I don't have a soft or medium but I do use a trans arkie to finish on with real nice results. If I were you I'd give it a try and see how well they work.

 

[Youngblood]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I think I will give the arkies a try before I buy anything.