Advice for a proposed Set Up

I've been shaving now (about twice a week) with the same razor I had professionally honed over four months ago. I've just been stropping on a red Latigo with fine results. However, it's time to learn to hone. I have an antique store-bought shaver that I want to work with. Also, I went to Joel's demo in Alameda at Woodline and think I know what to do. I'd like to see if my set up is sound. Any feedback or suggestions are more than welcome.

I have the leather strop as mentioned. Also, a natural stone I bought in Alameda, known to be between 4K and 6K.

I'm getting a four sided paddle to use with diamond pastes (3, 1, .25) and a chomium oxide paste (.5). I'm thinking I'll also need a diamond whetstone (doubled sided, perhaps--Fine, Extra Fine).

In other words, the diamond stone(s) would set the bevel. The natural stone would begin the edge, and the paddle would finish and polish the edge.

Finally, I went on Woodline's website to see if they have diamond pastes. The finest seemed to be 3 micron. Does a hardware/specialty store typically sell diamond pastes and/or chromium oxide? I'd like to try and buy that stuff locally.

Salud,
Lear

Quick answer. Not in my experience. Crox is cheap, you can buy some for $5 over at SRP classifieds. Shipped too I think. Or straight razor designs.

You already have a 4k, so you just need to get an 8k. I would go with the Chosera or Naniwa stones over at straightrazordesigns.com. And thats it. You should not be using a 1k stone on anything other than an ebay special. Unless you chip your blade or something horrible like that. Or if you want to go into restoration/honemeister work. But theres no money in that, we do it for the love. And to keep our hands busy.

I was certainly thinking about going without a diamond whetsone, to start--if later on I wanted to do work on old razors in bad shape.

The grit you want to end up with is 13k or better. Crox will get you there, and so will certain stones. You just need an 8k IMHO. I'd say buy the Norton, but you already have a 4k so the Naniwa is my recommendation.

What would happen if I didn't go to an 8K, but just from the 4-6K natural stone straight to the 4 sided paddle? I maybe should have gotten a Norton in the first place, but now I'm having second thoughts. Not that his word is the gospel, but at the honing demo Joel seemed to say how a 4/8K is not completely essential. I showed him my razor I want to work on and, IIRC, he didn't mention a 8K or equivalent stone.

I'm not opposed to buying a Norton. In fact, I'm inclined to sell this Japanese stone (I'll take offers) and just get a 4/8K for simplicity sake.

Sorry, can't give you any info about what to expect. I wouldn't do it. 8k gives "acceptable" shaves. Any lower and I would expect going ATG would be impossible.

Theoretically though, its entirely possible to go from a 4k to crox. May not work due to the incredibly high number of laps it would require though. The high number of laps would round out the edge.

Long story short, stick with what works IMO.

jinenjo said:

I maybe should have gotten a Norton in the first place, but now I'm having second thoughts.

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I think this would've been better. Of course there are a lot of possibilities, but for the money the norton 4k/8k is pretty much impossible to beat. It most certainly has disadvantages, but the advantages (feedback, consistency and the amount of expertise when you have questions) should make you think really hard before going with something alternate.

BTW I recently replaced mine with the naniwa superstones because I hated the porousness of the Norton and it was most certainly worth to me.

Thanks. I may just put my Japanese stone up for sale.

How about this, I was thinking of going with a Belgian Coticule yellow (8K). There's one for a reasonable price online. I'm just hesitant about the size. It's only 1.5" x 4".

Think it's too small?

Check out the naniwa super stones at SRD (straight razor designs)

jinenjo said:

Thanks. I may just put my Japanese stone up for sale.

How about this, I was thinking of going with a Belgian Coticule yellow (8K). There's one for a reasonable price online. I'm just hesitant about the size. It's only 1.5" x 4".

Think it's too small?

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There is enough expertise to go with these, esp. over at straightrazorplace, but honing razors from scratch will take you many hours on such small stone.
The one I'm normally using is 2.5"x10" and it's not a fast process either - I do it because I enjoy using the stone, but if I want efficiency and consistency my choice is the norton (now the naniwa supers).

But this size would be more than enough for touchups. I would not recommend that coticule for learning to hone on ebay razor, but i think it's a great choice to learn to do touchups.

You want to make sure the stone is suitable for razors, so don't be purchasing based on price, but based on the credibility of the seller.