Norton 4k replacement

[luv2shave]

I am extremely satisfied with the Chosera 400 and 1000 stones for bevel setting, which I got last month. They get lapped easily, do not need a soaking and most importantly don't choke up with swarf even after some aggressive bevel setting work.

I then move on to the Norton 4k/8k combo stone and finally on to a Naniwa specialty 12k. I am getting some extremely fine edges and couldn't be happier. The diamond pastes 0.5,0.25 and 0.1 have arrived last weekend. Will be using them for "the method"

However I am looking at replacing my Norton 4k/8k with something which doesn't require soaking.

I read a lot of threads and came to the following conclusions.

1) Shapton Glass HR are highly recommended.
2) Naniwa Super Stones S2 are great stones for straight razor, however my experience with swarf sticking to the specialty 12k stone makes me a bit wary. However the 12k removes all scratch marks and gives a fantastic edge.
3) Chosera / Professional 3000 is good for razors (I am leaning towards it due to my experience with the Chosera 400 and 1000 stones)
4) Naniwa Snow white is a top dog 8k stone.

Leaning towards a Chosera 3k and snowhite 8k or Superstone 4k/8k

Request views if this is a good choice.

I also read some posts stating that only the Chosera 3k and 10k are recommended for straight razors. Is this from experience of members or from Naniwa. Any insights appreciated.

 

[JPO]

"Leaning towards a Chosera 3k and snowhite 8k"
I would continue leaning in that direction. They are hard, fast and fine stones. Nice feedback. The naniwa super stones give good results, but they warp, load up, and feels like rubber.

 

[luv2shave]

"Leaning towards a Chosera 3k and snowhite 8k"
I would continue leaning in that direction. They are hard, fast and fine stones. Nice feedback. The naniwa super stones give good results, but they warp, load up, and feels like rubber.

Thank you. Much appreciate. Your feedback on the naniwa super stones is my experience with the Specialty 12k, hence like to stay away. It gives phenomenal edge after the Norton 8k, but since I want to move to less maintenance, defeats the purpose.

 

[rbscebu]

Thank you. Much appreciate. Your feedback on the naniwa super stones is my experience with the Specialty 12k, hence like to stay away. It gives phenomenal edge after the Norton 8k, but since I want to move to less maintenance, defeats the purpose.

I'm not sure what you mean by "less maintenance". I just maintain on 0.1μm pasted hanging balsa strop after each shave (a.k.a. the Method). That takes about two minutes per shave. No whetstone refreshing required.

 

[luv2shave]

I'm not sure what you mean by "less maintenance". I just maintain on 0.1μm pasted hanging balsa strop after each shave (a.k.a. the Method). That takes about two minutes per shave. No whetstone refreshing required.

Less maintenance of the stones.

This stone is for post bevel progression for new razors.

after a good edge is set on the 12K naniwa, I intend to apply the method with the diamond pasted progression on balsa. All the raw materials are in, i will make them ready this weekend.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Really the 8k Snow White is so aggressive, you can skip the 3-4k. But if you use a squirt bottle in place of a spray bottle, soaking is not an issue for the Norton. I used one for years.

I keep a 4k on my bench, (Nubatama) but have not use it in years. I go from the King 1k to Snow White 8k with out issue. Occasionally I will use the King 6k.

If you perfect the finish off each stone, a quick refresh lap and rinse, no slurry light finish strokes after stropping you can lessen the deep bevel setting stria and make large jumps much easier. It also builds a stronger cleaner edge that gets straighter faster.

Try a $3-4 squirt bottle before you buy another $60-80, 3-4k stone. You will not regret the Snow White, it will also polish higher than the Norton 8k, near mirror finish that will rival your 12k, and a with a wider range. Now that I think about it, haven’t use my Naniwa 12K, the old pink one, for years also.

 

[ables]

I am extremely satisfied with the Chosera 400 and 1000 stones for bevel setting, which I got last month. They get lapped easily, do not need a soaking and most importantly don't choke up with swarf even after some aggressive bevel setting work.

I then move on to the Norton 4k/8k combo stone and finally on to a Naniwa specialty 12k. I am getting some extremely fine edges and couldn't be happier. The diamond pastes 0.5,0.25 and 0.1 have arrived last weekend. Will be using them for "the method"

However I am looking at replacing my Norton 4k/8k with something which doesn't require soaking.

I read a lot of threads and came to the following conclusions.

1) Shapton Glass HR are highly recommended.
2) Naniwa Super Stones S2 are great stones for straight razor, however my experience with swarf sticking to the specialty 12k stone makes me a bit wary. However the 12k removes all scratch marks and gives a fantastic edge.
3) Chosera / Professional 3000 is good for razors (I am leaning towards it due to my experience with the Chosera 400 and 1000 stones)
4) Naniwa Snow white is a top dog 8k stone.

Leaning towards a Chosera 3k and snowhite 8k or Superstone 4k/8k

Request views if this is a good choice.

I also read some posts stating that only the Chosera 3k and 10k are recommended for straight razors. Is this from experience of members or from Naniwa. Any insights appreciated.

You could just skip the Norton 4k and go right to the norton 8k, then your 12k SS. This is exactly what I ended up doing years ago when I refused to buy anymore stones. Using the 4k Norton would dull my razor edge from self slurry I believed, once I stopped using it, I was much more successful.

My shapton 5k and Norton 8k are quite similar in polish and speed if that is helpful to you.

 

[Kyle89]

You could just skip the Norton 4k and go right to the norton 8k, then your 12k SS. This is exactly what I ended up doing years ago when I refused to buy anymore stones. Using the 4k Norton would dull my razor edge from self slurry I believed, once I stopped using it, I was much more successful.

My shapton 5k and Norton 8k are quite similar in polish and speed if that is helpful to you.

Yeah I was never quite able to pinpoint why I was having issues with my norton 4k but I just outright skip it nowadays and haven't had a problem.

Regarding the shapton 5k and norton 8k- pretty sure they're the same micron (if not close). Haven't looked at the micron chart in a while though so someone correct me here if need be.

 

[ables]

Yeah I was never quite able to pinpoint why I was having issues with my norton 4k but I just outright skip it nowadays and haven't had a problem.

Regarding the shapton 5k and norton 8k- pretty sure they're the same micron (if not close). Haven't looked at the micron chart in a while though so someone correct me here if need be.

They are about the same on the micron chart. I'd still say my 10 years old Norton 8k is a touch finer and more uniform of grit than the shapton however. Maybe it just has a softer feel and is a bit wider that tricks me. Both will remove steel in a hurry. Any 4-6k synthetic stone likely will feel pretty redundant when compared to the norton 8k. That didn't stop me from buying shapton and naniwas for try for myself however haha.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

The Naniwa Hayabusa 4k is not expensive and would be similar to the Shapton 5k in your progression.

 

[luv2shave]

You could just skip the Norton 4k and go right to the norton 8k, then your 12k SS.

Wouldn't skipping the 4k need more time on the 8k.

My shapton 5k and Norton 8k are quite similar in polish and speed if that is helpful to you.

Is this the shapton glass hr or the shapton kuromaku?

 

[C FrankC]

I own a few of the stones mentioned, I would recommend the Naniwa Pro 3K and Snow white 8K, also a very good & cheaper option would be the Naniwa Hayabusa 4K & Fuji 8K.
I also like the Shapton HR 4K & 8K.

 

[luv2shave]

I own a few of the stones mentioned, I would recommend the Naniwa Pro 3K and Snow white 8K, also a very good & cheaper option would be the Naniwa Hayabusa 4K & Fuji 8K.
I also like the Shapton HR 4K & 8K.

The 4k Hayabusa and Fuji 8k are new to me.

A Google search popped up Tomo Nagura's review and he rates them higher than the other stones in the league.

 

[ables]

Wouldn't skipping the 4k need more time on the 8k.



Is this the shapton glass hr or the shapton kuromaku?

Kuromaku. Yes you might need to spend more time on the norton 8k. But more time in which way of looking at it? If your bevel is well set on the 400/1000 chosera stones then I doubt it would take that long. Maybe 5-15 minutes?Comparing the norton 8k time in this situation to say a 3k or 4k shapton/naniwa, you might spend a few more minutes but likely you can save some time on the next stone. A progression of Chosera 400, chosera 1000, norton 8k(like a 5k) and then SS12k 100% will work.

Now if you just want the best possible recommendation regardless of money then id stick with naniwa. Add in the chosera 3k or 4k Hayabusa and the 8k snow-white or fuji to your current stones. You'll have almost the top of the line synthetic progession.

 

[JPO]

The 4k Hayabusa and Fuji 8k are new to me.

A Google search popped up Tomo Nagura's review and he rates them higher than the other stones in the league.

The Hayabusa 4k is a soft stone. For me it is useless for kitchen knifes. The 3k pro is really nice for the final finish on knifes as well as for razors.
For some softer knifes 3k might be a little to fine. It is nice to have a stone that is useful for other tasks as well.
I think the Fuji 8k is finer then the snow white, but the speed and honing sensation on the snow hvite is better in my opinion.
A full sized pro stone is quite expensive if you are only planning to use it for razors. A shapton gs 3-4k is probably cheaper.

A large jump from 1k to 8k is probably OK, but it much easier to put in a midrange stone before the 8k.
I always get better results if I use smaller grit jumps. I am not sure why.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I have Shapton HR 4k and 8k. Very happy with both. I like the feel of these stones.

 

[Rosseforp]

Go with the chosera 3k and snow white 8k.

I can jump from my 800 chosera to my 2000 chosera then right to my snow white. I ended up epoxying my naniwa 12000 to a piece of ceramic tile to keep it from warping. I have the Norton 4k/8k also, but it requires to much maintenance and just collects dust.

~doug~

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Luv2shave, it all depends on what you are doing , which stones will work best for you.

If you are doing antique store and eBay restores you have a 1k, and you already have the Norton 4k, they don’t need that much soaking, if you use a squirt bottle.

If you are just maintaining a handful of razors, you rarely (large chip damage) need to drop down further than an 8k. The Naniwia Fuji or Snow White are capable of a 1k to 8k jump with slurry or even chip removal, they are that aggressive.

Spend your money on finishers, film and paste are fine, but you will get tired of those edges and find, there are better shaving edges out there with good Natural stones. If you are agonizing about 8k stones, you are already headed in that direction, don’t fight it.

I would buy the Snow White or Fuji and use your Norton’s if needed.

If you find later you are doing more restore work buy something else or use the Norton 4k.

I pulled my Norton 1/4k out of deep storage after a 10-15 year rest. Surprising how well it hones a razor and hand full of knives. Soaking was not an issue. In fact, had no issues.

 

[Gamma]

I also read some posts stating that only the Chosera 3k and 10k are recommended for straight razors. Is this from experience of members or from Naniwa. Any insights appreciated.

All Chosera work well with razors. All of them, each and every one of them.
Owned them all, used them all, extensively, for years, with all types of razors.
Only distraction with them, for me, was the crazing/cracking issues.
But, so far as actual razor honing goes, they all worked very well.

That said, the 3k C and then Jyunpaku is a good follow to the 1k C.
So is the 4k Falcon and 8k Fuji.
So are a lot of other options - Glass Stones, Pros, etc.. .

 

[JPO]

I think most of these options work really. For me it is important how they feel to hone on. The 4k Falcon is a little soft, and does have a different feel then the 3k C.