What is your go-to honing kit?

[Kokak]

Started by using:
Naniwa 1k SS or Chosera 1k
Norton 4k/8k Combi Stone
Naniwa 12k Specialty

Now I am using:
Soft-Ark
Hard-Ark
Trans-Ark
Black-Ark
All with white food grade mineral oil and I am really enjoying my edges.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Started by using:
Naniwa 1k SS or Chosera 1k
Norton 4k/8k Combi Stone
Naniwa 12k Specialty

Now I am using:
Soft-Ark
Hard-Ark
Trans-Ark
Black-Ark
All with white food grade mineral oil and I am really enjoying my edges.

These sound like good progressions to me. With the latter, have you tried a soft Ark followed by a trans Ark or a hard Ark followed by a black hard Ark? It might simplify things. Medium and fine Indias are also good if more aggression is needed...

 

[Kokak]

I just got the Hard Ark this week.
I was going:
Soft-Trans-Black
But now it will be:
Soft-Hard-Trans-Black or Medium-Fine-Extra Fine-Ultra Fine

I may end up selling off my Whetstones soon.

 

[alpster]

Bevel setters = Shapton Pro 1K, 1.5K and 2k depending on the condition of the blade. From there usually Shapton Pro 5K, 8K, 15k and finish on SG20. I have jnats, escher, coticules, ceramics and Arks and they all work fine, but I love the keeness from the Suehiro G20.

 

[Alum of Potash]

I just got the Hard Ark this week.
I was going:
Soft-Trans-Black
But now it will be:
Soft-Hard-Trans-Black or Medium-Fine-Extra Fine-Ultra Fine

I may end up selling off my Whetstones soon.

I would suggest saving the water-stones for a rainy day, as with extended wear, the Arkansas line will change their character from what they were out of the box. That said, if one uses each side of a given Arkansas stone differently, one side being allowed to smooth over (sometimes called "burnished" here) and the other repeatedly lapped coarse to maintain cutting effectiveness (sometimes called "dressed" here) their individual functions can become more versatile. Thus, a soft Ark maintained differently on each side can dovetail nicely with a translucent Ark maintained in the same way, or a hard Ark with a black hard Ark, etc. And even this is overkill...

 

[Kokak]

These sound like good progressions to me. With the latter, have you tried a soft Ark followed by a trans Ark or a hard Ark followed by a black hard Ark? It might simplify things. Medium and fine Indias are also good if more aggression is needed...

I would suggest saving the water-stones for a rainy day, as with extended wear, the Arkansas line will change their character from what they were out of the box. That said, if one uses each side of a given Arkansas stone differently, one side being allowed to smooth over (sometimes called "burnished" here) and the other repeatedly lapped coarse to maintain cutting effectiveness (sometimes called "dressed" here) their individual functions can become more versatile. Thus, a soft Ark maintained differently on each side can dovetail nicely with a translucent Ark maintained in the same way, or a hard Ark with a black hard Ark, etc. And even this is overkill...

Hmmm... more options...

 

[Christian1212]

I started norton 4/8 naniwa 12. That evolved into naniwa 1-3-5-8-12. Now though I just use 1-3-5-ozuku with tomo. My oozuku very fast and really nice finisher. Usually don't use 1-3-5 unless I am restoring/resetting a bevel for some odd reason. New kiita in collection as well so will swap it up between kiita and oozuku after 5k. For oozuku/kiita I have 2 tomos a suita like tomo first and ozuku tomo after, although there isn't to much difference the suita tomo is awesome (came with incredible oozuku from thejapanstone, awesome place)

 

[Andy77]

I just got the Hard Ark this week.
I was going:
Soft-Trans-Black
But now it will be:
Soft-Hard-Trans-Black or Medium-Fine-Extra Fine-Ultra Fine

I may end up selling off my Whetstones soon.

Have you tried Soft-hard—Black? If all the 4 arkies you have the SB and the trans are most alike, IMO.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Sometimes a Naniwa progression to 12k. Sometimes a film progression to 1u. Either way, I finish on .5u, .25u, and .1u diamond paste on lapped balsa and maintain the edge by stropping on the .1u balsa after every shave. Really, right now that is all I got, other than a few barber hones, and sandpaper. I dont have the money to put into a basket full of exotic rocks that won't do anything for me that my Nannys or my films can't do.

 

[PunkZilla103]

I've been shaving with a Gold Dollar and honing razors for lil over a year now and I've never had the pleasure of shaving with a professionally honed razor but I hope to send 1 to Lynn Abrams soon so I can see if I'm anywhere even close to having them shave ready but I normally get a pretty ok shave tho. Currently I'm using DMT 220, 325, 600, 1200 6×2's and then DMT 8k 8×3 and as my finishing stone I currently use Spyderco 302UF 8×2. I jus spray them with a lil soapy water during honing sometimes. Afterwards I strip on Chromium oxide then strop on leather. So far I've spent maybe $150-$200 on honing supplies but at income tax time I plan on getting all the DMT DIA-SHARP 8×3 stones and the Spyderco 306UF and a Roo Strop from Straight Razors Designs!

 

[Slash McCoy]

You might check with him before sending a GD. He used to be pretty scornful of them, and it is a fact that they can often be a handful of work to hone, from scratch, if you are afraid of coarse grit. Meanwhile, try a Naniwa 12k or else some 1u lapping film for a finisher. You should get good treetopping from either of those finishers, if your prior stages do their job well. Once you are getting great results and know you got your technique nailed, consider adding a progression of diamond pasted lapped balsa for a post finish, and for daily maintenance. Here is the thread for that. Soon you could be scaring yourself with your edges.

I like wide stones, don't get me wrong. But if you are quite used to the 2" rocks, no real need to upgrade to the same stones in 3" size. Maybe there are other things to spend your dough on that will give you better bang for the buck.

 

[PunkZilla103]

Thanks for the tips and I might be use to the smaller stones but I don't like them! I only bought them cuz I was starting off learning to sharpen my pocket knives but then I started collecting razors!

 

[Disburden]

A pair of coticules, one fast, one slow.

Always wanted to see those two stones you use!

 

[Jayber Crow]

Dressed soft Ark, "burnished" hard Ark, Dan's black or Natural Whetstone trans black to finish; all used with Dan's or WD-40.

For heavy work fine India with Norton's food grade mineral oil. (I use this for all kitchen knives.)

 

[Legion]

Always wanted to see those two stones you use!

No worries. A LPB and a LV.

 

[Disburden]

Ah ha! Thank you sir. I had a la verte like that a few years ago. Miss that one.

 

[Pit Viper]

I use:

• Shapton Kuromaku (Pro) 320, 1500, 5K, 12K
• Suehiro Gokumyo 20k

for honing prior to stropping.

I also have:

• A smallish coticule
• DMT D8C and Science Purchase 400 lapping plates
• Various diamond films

but the Shapton/G20K are my "core" tech.

 

[gary haywood]

Just lately I have been using my 3 k chosera 8 k naniwas Snow White then 12 k naniwas speciality. Followed by ten or so strokes on cotton whestholme strop coated lightly with ti chromium oxide .

I have to say I love the ease and simplicity of honing with these hones and the results are equally as good as it gets.

 

[O.G.]

I still only use coticules after almost 8 years of wet shaving. My go to is a La Petit Blanche. I may finish on a large La Verte if I want the edge to cook a bit longer or a small La Nouvelle. I always wanted a 1 simple hone system that could bring an edge through all the phases. I have taken some beaten up razors and only used a coti.

 

[SRNewb]

I set a bevel with anything from 1k to 1200.
After that I can go to whatever options I choose, from synthetic to coti, or Shobu, with either dmt card, diamond lapping plate or nagura. Or I might go synth to 8k, then finish on my Escher, or Black Arkansas. Or lapping film. Or.... you get the picture.
I don't really have a "go to" progression; I like honing on different things too much. Although my Escher quickly became my favorite finisher.