If I just want to touch up my blades every few months to keep the edge and avoid paying for honing again and again, what grit should I be looking for?
Any other hints for getting a good hone?
Any other hints for getting a good hone?
What grit for a touch up hone?
- Thread starter mr. s
- Start date
You could look for a barber hone. Some barber hone are around 8k, other 12k...
It also depends on how much you want to invest in the stones as you might prefer a higher end stone.
I am no honer but that's what I would look for. The higher the grit, the better finish.
It also depends on how much you want to invest in the stones as you might prefer a higher end stone.
I am no honer but that's what I would look for. The higher the grit, the better finish.
- Thread starter
- #4
There is a 12k grit on the BST. Would this be a good stone to use?
Luc, when you say higher end stone, other than grit are there other things I should consider?
Luc, when you say higher end stone, other than grit are there other things I should consider?
About 12k would be a good bet. Another (and cheaper) alternative would be CrO on a paddle or bench strop.
- Thread starter
- #6
I think I just lost my chance for a 12k for $40 on the BST. I'll keep my eyes open.
Legion, the CrO on a paddle or a bench strop, is cheaper you say? Is everything else equal? Quality of honing, ease, possibility of error, etc?
Legion, the CrO on a paddle or a bench strop, is cheaper you say? Is everything else equal? Quality of honing, ease, possibility of error, etc?
Actually they are far easier to use (IMO) because you use them with a stropping (spine first) motion rather than a honing motion (edge first). The chance of most newbies getting it wrong and wiping out their edge is greatly reduced.
I find that the CrO gives a finer and sharper edge than my 12k finishing hone and I use it as my final polish before going to the plain leather strop. You may still need to re-hone eventually if you are using CrO to touch up, but it will put it off for a LONG time (potentially years, if you do it right.) Then you can send it off to a pro for the hone and start again with the CrO touch ups.
You can pick up a Chinese 12K on the bay for $25 shipped from Poland.
Just looking at modern synthetic whetstones, anything 10k+ (assuming it's not some BS made up rating system) should work fine. Frankly, I'd get the highest grit that isn't much more expensive (for instance Shapton Glass 16k or Pro 15k, since the 30k's are a huge jump in price. Naniwa superstone 12k since 10k is only a few bucks cheaper... you get the idea.)
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I would think that 10k would be good. I find that 8k is a little rough and although 12k will work it does take a while.
These are good value but will need to be lapped, despite what some sellers claim. They cut slow but could be used well for touch ups.
I would think that 10k-12k would be good.
This is correct. When I bought mine the add said it would be lapped. It wasn't but I didn't find it all the hard to do. It's still a good deal.
I also believe you will do best if you use CrO on balsa or leather before the final stropping. And, if this is done, then it makes much less important which finishing hone you select. Buy just about any hone between 8K and 12K and you will do just fine IF you use CrO.
What I mean by higher end stone is a natural stone. I don't want to start a debate but in my case, I find that a natural stone give a better finish than something like a Barber Hone. I currently use a Japanese finishing stone and those are more expensive than a barber hone or a Chinese 12k but I prefer the finish. There are a few Chinese 12k that give a very nice finish too... I just skipped and went for the Japanese...
YMMV!
A $50 barbers hone and good stropping technique will keep a razor shave ready for a very long time.
I just do 30 swipes on a Chinese 12k and then about 4 on CrOx. To hell with those overpriced dinky barber hones and their huge variability in grit size. For 50 bucks you get a huge honing surface and a CrOx balsa strop from Rayman and you'll be in shaving heaven.
+1. When honing properly I finish with about 80 laps on the C12k and then go to the CrO. I like the barber hones for travel but they are a bit fiddly to use. If you have a full sized option available I would choose it.
I also have a CrO bench strop that is about as big as the C12k. Most often I just do 15-20 laps on that by itself if I am just refreshing the edge.
If you know what you're doing, yes. Is it a vintage one?
