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So you're new and you want to start honing? Here's what you need to know.

Thank you very much for the information my friend. Anything that is sturdy and flat can be used as a lapping plate? Apologies for the novice questioning.
 
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So glad someone started this thread and other gentlemen asked the same questions I was going to I love this site.
 
Here is a post by MikekiM advising someone new to honing regarding naturals vs synthetics. It's so well written that I had to add it to a sticky.


"A few years ago, when I decided to learn the craft of honing, I had a burning urge to learn on naturals.. There is a sensory rich romantic component of using a natural stone. Nature, simplicity in life and spirituality are all integral parts to what makes me tick and what charges my batteries. I prefer hand made over machines, natural over synthetic, old made new and new made to look old. I disliked the idea of what perceive as a forensic finish and disconnection from tradition when using synths. Natural stones and I are made for each other.

I started with a Coticule. I struggled. Got a few good edges, but to this day can't get a consistent good shave from a Coti. I love hand holding the stone, the smell and texture of slurry and idea of 'one stone honing'. There are so many variables to consider, recognize and adjust..

I recall the posts I made looking for help and how others failed to support my decision to 'go natural' so early in my honing tenure. I didn't understand and took offense to the lack or support. 'Learn on synthetics'. 'buy a Norton 4/8!'. 'Walk before you run'. These were the kind of responses I had rece'vd.

Then I got bit by the J-Nat bug.. and the unique [expensive] AD it brings with it. I amassed some cool Nagura, and a bunch of expensive rocks and though it was neat.. certainly sensory rich and romantic.. I got inconsistent edges and tons of frustration. After a long time, lots of discouraging honing and who knows how much steel wasted off my blades and skin off my face, I gravitated to a synthetic setup from one manufacturer. And in pretty quick order, things began to fall in place.

I am still using the synthetics today (Shapton Glass) and I finish on a natural to ease that clinical, forensic feel I think I get from the synthetic stone. My edges are very consistent. I wasted a lot of time struggling on the J-Nats and Cotis and I admire the fact that I tried, but remain disappointed in my arrogance in dismissing the advice of folks who came before me on this journey...Learn on a simple synthetic setup.. 1k + Norton 4/8 or the like. Some day I'll try J-Nats again, but today I need to shave everyday, not 'some day'.

So what's my point... Honing has many, many variables that need to be recognized and controlled. Pressure, angle, consistency, muscle-memory, stone selection & condition, arm position, stone position, water level, when to move to the next stone, form, recognizing when a bevel is set, when it isn't and what to do in either case, sharpness tests vs parlor tricks.. the list goes on and on. The naturals multiply this tenfold and are more of a nebulous experience than the science experiment that is synthetic stones. And any proper science experiment begins with identifying and controlling variables. I commend you for not quitting.. that is how this thread started. I support your efforts and encourage you to stay with the natural stones long term. However, since this craft is about producing an edge you can shave with, today, I strongly encourage you to stay with a simple synthetic setup so you can eliminate as many of those variable listed above, as quickly as possible, and master the rest, while easing into the naturals. It will make your journey with the naturals a whole lot easier and fun. Granted, you may be the exception who gets to enjoy the proverbial planetary alignment and becomes a natural-stone honing wiz overnight.. I wish you success. I wasn't.

And yes.. stropping is important. "
 
Bluesman 7, great article. I just moved up from shavette to full straight. For honing I began with the Norton 4k/8k. I have found this challenging enough. I didn't realize the tremendous skill upgrade that came along with the naturals. Thanks for the heads-up! I think that I will stick with the Norton for a good long while.
 
It's all new to me to, my intention is only to maintain the edge of my straights(keep them shave ready) so any help would be appreciated. Right now I have a Whipped Dog cut hone 12k(adverticed but I doubt it), it works but it takes lots of laps to get results. Of course since the hone is small 2"x4" it's probably why, time for me is a big thing I work long hours and I'm not much of a Manuel guy. So if anybody could recommend me a good hone. I know as a fact that pasted strop works but I think a good hone would be a better alternative. Thanks and let me know what are my best options. Gino
 

David

B&B’s Champion Corn Shucker
It's all new to me to, my intention is only to maintain the edge of my straights(keep them shave ready) so any help would be appreciated. Right now I have a Whipped Dog cut hone 12k(adverticed but I doubt it), it works but it takes lots of laps to get results. Of course since the hone is small 2"x4" it's probably why, time for me is a big thing I work long hours and I'm not much of a Manuel guy. So if anybody could recommend me a good hone. I know as a fact that pasted strop works but I think a good hone would be a better alternative. Thanks and let me know what are my best options. Gino
For maintenance, the Naniwa 12k is really hard to beat. It's a speedy stone that leaves a nice crisp edge. It won't come flat, but you can lap it and keep it flat using W/D sandpaper and a piece of glass, granite, etc. It's the only synthetic over 8k that I own.
 
For maintenance, the Naniwa 12k is really hard to beat. It's a speedy stone that leaves a nice crisp edge. It won't come flat, but you can lap it and keep it flat using W/D sandpaper and a piece of glass, granite, etc. It's the only synthetic over 8k that I own.
Ok that's an other thing how do you lap a hone?? Sound stupid but like I said I'm new in that honing stuff.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
For maintenance, the Naniwa 12k is really hard to beat. It's a speedy stone that leaves a nice crisp edge. It won't come flat, but you can lap it and keep it flat using W/D sandpaper and a piece of glass, granite, etc. It's the only synthetic over 8k that I own.

+1.

The 12k Nanny is probably the easiest 12k finisher stone to use. For a newbie I definitely have no problem recommending it. That is, if you are not interested in lapping film, which is easier IMHO to get consistently good results with early in the game, and waaaay cheaper.

Practically all stones must be lapped when hew, and periodically thereafter. Simple way is to stick a whole sheet of wet/dry sandpaper (I suggest 1k or maybe 2k grit for a finisher such as the N12k) to a plate of heavy glass or tile or maybe a polished granite sink cutout from a countertop. There are also finely finished and calibrated granite lapping plates available from various woodworking and tool sharpening supply sites that are excellent for this. The sandpaper must be stuck carefully, kept perfectly tight and flat, with zero zero zero lint, dust, hair, etc underneath, and zero zero zero wrinkles or bubbles. This gives you a controlled grit surface that is perfectly flat, a necessity. Next, draw a grid patern on the face of the stone. Lay it face down on the lapping plate and carefully rub it back and forth, corner to corner, with minimal over run. Keep going until the grid pattern is completely gone. Then you know your stone is perfectly flat. Hone a knife on it, to smooth the surface. Your 12k stone has now a 1k or 2k surface texture! Hone a big stainless kitchen knife or something on it, and the surface will be 12k smooth again. Or rub it with another lapped stone in the 8k to 12k range. The first time you do this, you will probably have to remove a lot of material. The next time, maybe hardly any. On subsequent lappings, once the grid is gone, you are done, and if the rock is still pretty flat, this might be only a couple dozen laps. The first time is the most important. Afterwards, I would say lapping more often than every 10th use is probably overkill. Assuming you are only honing razors on it and not abusing the stone in any way.

There are "lapping stones" that are supposed to do this, and some guys use DMT or other diamond plates, but I feel that the larger area of a sheet of sandpaper is in every respect superior. Over running the ends or edges compromises the absolute flatness. So, you need a surface significantly bigger than the rock, not the same size or smaller. I won't say YMMV here because I don't believe for a minute that it is so, in this instance. You can smooth a lapped surface with another fine stone, but the all important flattening part must be done on a large flat surface for best results. Best results are of course the only results worth pursuing. And a sheet of sandpaper is pretty darn cheap. So save your money. Use sandpaper. Get the best results, not second best.

The adhesive used to stick the sandpaper can itself cause the surface to be uneven. I suggest using 3M or Loctite brand spray adhesive. LIGHTLY spray the back of the sandpaper. Stick one corner, then while stretching it out by the opposite corner, roll the edge of your hand away from the stuck corner to gradually stick the whole sheet without bubbles or wrinkles. This is dreadfully important for best results, which as I said before are the only results worth pursuing. The adhesive residue must be entirely removed before changing sandpaper or using the plate for lapping film. Acetone works great for cleaning up adhesive residue.

There are other popular lapping methods such as using three identical stones and doing sort of a round robin rubdown but I say again, a large verifiably flat surface properly used is the best way to ensure perfect flatness. All other methods are a compromise, and COST MORE. If you pay more, it should work better, not worse. Sure, other methods are used successfully, but I say again, only the best results are worth pursuing. Just my dos centavos. Your razor, your stone, do it like you feel it.
 
Great thread. Very helpful, however; do you have any information on the vintage/antique hones offered on the likes of -Bay? See these very old stones, usually terra-cotta colour or deep blue. Problem is, they have no numbers to gauge the grit by. Does red mean one grit and blue mean another? I'd like to know about these.
 
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Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Great thread. Very helpful, however; do you have any information on the vintage/antique hones offered on the likes of -Bay? See these very old stones, usually terra-cotta colour or deep blue. Problem is, they have no numbers to gauge the grit by. Does red mean one grit and blue mean another? I'd like to know about these.

No hard and fast universal rules. Often the grit of an old synthetic is all over the place, poorly graded, finer and coarser in the matrix. It is a guessing game, sometimes. You pays your $ and takes your chances. Mystery hones are fun that way. Best to save your money and get better hones, or go with lapping film. But mystery hones can be entertaining and once in a long, long while, you get something unexpectedly nice. Big fat coticules, translucent arks big as any you have ever seen, etc. Barber Hones are a more known quality but still kinda hit or miss even within a brand, but most are still sort of useful. I have shaved off my three line Swaty barber hones. Meh, but doable.

99% of the time, buying a mystery hone on fleabay is a waste of money, for practical purposes. If you are bored, want some adventure and risk, go for it.
 
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