no simple answer

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by neiasden, Nov 25, 2022.

  1. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    I know that there are many questions that have many different answers. I just want a simple answer. which way is better. synthetic stones, or natural stones?. is it worth all the trouble to use slurries and slurry stones and all the different materials and equipment needed for different methods. removing the expense. if you can buy whatever you want but that is all you can ever have which one would you use and why. why would anybody choose to use the less Sharp harder method? good luck with simple answers LOL I can already see the types of responses I just want to know if I had 200 bucks and I needed everything to sharpen razors with what would I get. what I got was to Norton's 220, 1000, 4000, 8000 and a 12,000 shapton
     
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  2. brit

    brit in a box

    one can get shapton stones up to 30,000 or maybe more.sounds like you have the basics needed.do you want to shave or filet..
     
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  3. SterFry

    SterFry Well-Known Member

    If you insist on a simple, non "YMMV" answer then I have to suggest synthetic. They're consistent, reliable and you know what you're getting and which part of a progression it's appropriate for, as opposed to buying a Coti and hoping it'll make a good finisher. They're also simple in that you soak/get them wet and go.... no dealing with slurry or having to experiment to get specific results. Welcome to the 21st century, you know? I don't personally find most natural edges to be superior or worth the headache.


    If not sure if you're saying those are the stones you currently have and want to know what to get in addition to those... or if you are meaning to say that you do not have any stones and want our opinions on that progression as a whole. If the former, then that progression will work fine. However, I'd get a 30k rather than a 220 for the other end of the progression. You can set a bevel on a 1k and, once it's set, you shouldn't ever need to set it again unless you somehow really screw up your edge. If it were me I'd definitely get some pasted balsa/strops, as well.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2022
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  4. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    I want to filave lol. I get your point. I'm just trying to figure out where the general, shave ready, is. I understand it very for everybody and the different levels people are into
     
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  5. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    those
    those are the stones I have. and you answered it perfectly. my goal is just to get one that, in general, would be shave ready
     
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  6. brit

    brit in a box

    very cool.i have access to shapton stones through work.folks buy them for many applications.as a mechanic i have used many to put an edge on scrapers,knives and chisels,you name it,but not sharpened a straight razor.i use norton stuff.there are many talented folks here who can help you along.:):eatdrink047:
     
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  7. gssixgun

    gssixgun At this point in time...

    Supporting Vendor
    at the $200 level the Shapton Kuromaku set on Amazon is the best bang for the buck right now

    1-5-8-12k

    If I were fishing in that pond that would be the fish I was after
     
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  8. jdwhitak

    jdwhitak New Member

    The eternal question :)

    I used to do woodworking and the same debate rages in that world. I'll pass along some great advice I received on the matter from an extremely talented woodworker. Pick a system. They all sharpen and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Stick with it for at least a year before deciding you don't like it want to switch to something else. And I did.

    I had a mix of Arkansas and Norton oil stones. I actually used those for a year and a half before selling those and getting Naniwa Professional Japanese water stones. The Arkansas and Norton stones worked. However, for modern, harder tool steels they were slow. The Naniwa stones worked much faster. The other trade off was that the Naniwas stones needed to be flattened regularly. Whereas the Arkansas/Norton didn't need to flattening.

    It really depends on your application. If you are just using these for razors (carbon steel, maybe a low grade stainless) something like an Arkansas or cheaper water stone will work fine. If you're wanting to use these for razors and other things like knives then you need to factor in what steels those are made of. Some of the higher end Japanese water stones are formulated specifically for harder steels like A2, High Speed, etc. A straight razor is never going to be made out of that stuff. So, buying stones like that would be overkill.
     
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  9. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    all="jdwhitak, post: 2059308, member: 23515"]The eternal question :)

    I used to do woodworking and the same debate rages in that world. I'll pass along some great advice I received on the matter from an extremely talented woodworker. Pick a system. They all sharpen and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Stick with it for at least a year before deciding you don't like it want to switch to something else. And I did.

    I had a mix of Arkansas and Norton oil stones. I actually used those for a year and a half before selling those and getting Naniwa Professional Japanese water stones. The Arkansas and Norton stones worked. However, for modern, harder tool steels they were slow. The Naniwa stones worked much faster. The other trade off was that the Naniwas stones needed to be flattened regularly. Whereas the Arkansas/Norton didn't need to flattening.

    It really depends on your application. If you are just using these for razors (carbon steel, maybe a low grade stainless) something like an Arkansas or cheaper water stone will work fine. If you're wanting to use these for razors and other things like knives then you need to factor in what steels those are made of. Some of the higher end Japanese water stones are formulated specifically for harder steels like A2, High Speed, etc. A straight razor is never going to be made out of that stuff. So, buying stones like that would be overkill.[/QUOTE]
    all I will be doing is straight razors. from what I've seen on YouTube videos and read in forums and talk to with different people, a Norton 1k, 4k, 8K and a shapton 12K seem to be the most straightforward path to shave ready lol. so that's what I was going for and am going for
     
  10. gssixgun

    gssixgun At this point in time...

    Supporting Vendor
    I just re-read your post, I thought you were shopping still and asking advice on where to spend $200

    You already bought ,,

    The only issue you are going to run into is that the 4k Norton has changed since we did all those posts and vids

    Sometime around 2009 or 2010 they moved production from the US to Mexico and the quality dropped, about a year later they moved it to Italy, and it came back a bit but hasn't ever been as good as the old US ones

    Since then, the Naniwa SS and Shapton Kuromaku have gained a great rep
    The Naniwa Chosera/Pros are probably the best made right now but unless you are honing more than 20 razors a week they just are not worth the money
    The Shapton GS series is another that smokes through SRs but again the price is stupid high especially if you go to the 30k level
    Another High end hone that is really a sweet one is the Suehiro Gokumyo 20k
    These all are way above the $200 range but there you have it
     
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  11. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    The Best & Simplest Answer I Would Come Up with from Experiential Knowledge Ova Many Years is...A Complete Set of Naniwa Super Stones will Serve Ya Well..The Latest Genre of Synthetic Super Stones are Easy to Use & the Latest 12 K Super Stone Can Zip Out a 15 K Edge Easy..They have a Far Higher Finishing Capacity then their Grit Rating..You Can Slurry Em to get Em to Work Faster But Always Finish on Each Stone with Pure Water as Ya Go through the Progression & to Finally Finish..Hard to Beat Em for Value for Money & Ease of Use..:p

    As Someone Mentioned Above Synthetics are Great..I Personally Only Use Natural Stones as Final Finishers After Coming Off a Higher Grit Synthetic Finisher ( 15 K + )...Mostly Fine Escher Thuringians or a Fine Arkansas Surgical Black.. Best of Both Worlds Maybe..But there is Nothing Wrong with a Synthetic Edge.:D

    Just a Further Note..A Good 0.5 K Chromium Oxide Paste on a Pasted Strop to Finally Finish Works Well..I Usually Use 0,2 K Red Rhodium Jeweler Paste to Finish as Well.Dont Need to Know Much More..I Would Avoid Diamond Paste or Sprays..:)

    The Naniwa 1 k Professional Stone is a Good Bevel Setter..Its a Fantastic Stone..The Naniwa 1 k Super Stone I Would Suggest is Perhaps Easier for the Beginner to Learn On..They Can Cut a Deeper Bevel and More Forgiving Due to Being Softer & are Very User Friendly..As I Mentioned ..A Complete Set of Naniwa Super Stones are Very Hard to Beat & t a Great Bang for the Buck..:happy088:

    There Ya Go..:angelic007:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2022
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