I know I've been asking alot of questions lately and I have a few more then I'm done for a while until I get ready for winter. So I got a few blades off of ebay and I'll need scales for them. I don't really want to fabricate my own but I also don't want to spend a bunch of money putting scales on honeing practice razors so on to the questions. 1. Where could I get cheap scales and pinning supplies? I have put scales on knives and pinned them so I think I can do this part without messing up too much but I'm having a hard time finding everything. 2. I have decided on getting the Norton 3 piece set but also getting a DMT 325 and a chinese 12k. The question here is where is the least expensive place to get them from? I don't want to buy anything just to find out that I could have gotten it somewhere else at a significant savings. 3.The blades I have coming in and the small razor lot I have coming in have problems, chips, frowning blades and some pitting. I have been watching @gssixgun videos on youtube and "breadknifing" seems like something I may end up doing to take out the chips and frown. I'm not worried about how much steel I'll have to take off to 'fix' the blades. I don't really have a question about it yet since I have neither the stones nor the blades. Maybe just any recommendations on where to learn more in the next month or so before I order. I'm going thru the stickies and reading but I'm sticking with 2 people when it comes to videos because everyone seems to do things differently and I don't want conflicting images in my head when I start doing instead of watching. Thank you to everyone who has already answered my questions and to anyone else who responds. Without the information in you guy's heads and your willingness to share it I would still be shaving with cheap dollar store disposables or I would have given up and grown a beard to match my area (The mountains up here were where Deliverance was filmed).
I hope that helps,,, The Naniwa Professional /Chosera 1k is even better then the Specialty /Super stone 1k but more expensive... Their "Traditional" 1k is getting some good reviews but I have NOT tried it myself yet
Glen has you well-covered so I'll simply sit back and post this: I've also noticed that while my Naniwa SS 1k (the thinner lt blue version fastened to the brown plastic base) has developed a slight warp (seems to be a problem that occurs sometimes with the plastic-based thinner stones; often when one 'soaks' the stones—a no-no!), the Chosera Pro has been rock solid. Im remounting the naniwa to a flat metal plate.
I was mostly interested in the norton set for the cost to start then If I end up doing well I can upgrade slowly one stone at a time. I'll keep looking in the next month. If the quality is noticable and the price isn't too drastic I may end up getting better hones right off the bat. Then norton and the chinese 12k added up to just under $200. I'll look into Naniwa hones tonight in my downtime at work to price them. I'm guessing the set you said plus the DMT 325 as a truing stone and a slurry stone? Any suggestions on where the best priced venders would be? I may end up with wood for the scales since I have so many smaller hobby sized pieces of hardwoods from turning and scaling knives. if the blades clean up well I may even break out the exotics. I was going to find some cheap premade scales for the crummiest ones but wood would only cost me labor so I could put my savings into the stones themselves. When I get everything here and ready to start I will be asking so many questions that you guys will be sick of me. I'll probably lightly sand the blades and remove the scales if they are badly damaged during this next month. I have alot of downtime with my 3rd shift job so by the time the hones get here they may all be sanded and as pretty as I can make them without repairing the chips and such.
Now that I have looked, is SS for specialty stone or sharpening stone? or is the difference in thickness?
I've seen all three of these terms used by various vendors... Specialty Stone Sharpening Stone Super Stone Silly Stone However they are not interchangeable per the Naniwa site: Naniwa stones Its my understanding —which may be flawed — that the SS (Stones) use the same abrasive as the Choseras but smaller concentrations and different binder. This Specialty stone (SS) is fine for razors; thinner than the next (10mm vs 20mm) the 'Sharpening Stone' This is the Pro line (Chosera), with the P310 (1k) being the star bevel setter. Twice the cost.
So I would be fine ordering the les expensive specialty stones? Glen's suggestions cost $232 before shipping and without the DMT. I'm looking at the straight razor designs page now. Does anyone else sell them cheaper? And the DMT, there are multiple DMT325s Is the D8C the one I'm looking for?
SRD's prices are very competitive. There was another vendor in the UK who sold the Chosera a good deal cheaper. I think you'll be just as happy with the Naniwa SS 1k as you would with the Chosera pro...and save yourself some money. The DMT dia-sharp 325 ($54) is the plate. Everyone has lots of questions when buying stones. Plus there's always new stones coming out to keep people asking!
I'm less worried about what I'm buying because I trust the recommendations and more worried about paying too much because I didn't see an obscure site that offered them at XX% less then everyone else.
Looks like if I go with the Naniwa stones the least expensive option is getting a 3k-8k combo stone then the specialty stone version of the 1k and 12k. ends up at $219 plus shipping only saves $23 from getting them all separate but money saved adds up in the end. I'm pricing the DMT for $53 on Amazon. Thats a total of $272. That price gos up by $27 if I get the thicker stones and keep the combo. They don't sell the 3k in the thicker on this site so I can't compare that price. are the stands worth the $18? I see that Glen uses them in every one of his videos and they aren't very pricey. I'm looking around to see if ebay or Amazon can beat these prices.
I can't seem to find any other vendor who has all of these so I guess when I order I'll get them from SRD. looks like $273 plus shipping and maybe the stands if they are worth it.
Ok a question for @gssixgun, On your videos for progressive honing using the naniwa hones you used a different stone for lapping and cleaning the surfaces of the stones. Would the DMT work or should I get something else? I know everyone is probably asleep but I'm posting questions as they come up because if I wait I'll forget them and be disappointed in myself later when they come up again.
I also have a rolls razor that will need restored and honed so my log of stuff to hone is growing I can hardly wait for November.
the Lapping Plate I use for the Naniwa SS is the Stupidly expensive ($300+) Shapton DGLP It does NOT do a better job on the surface both are 325 Grit it does however have less "Sticktion" when lapping the Naniwa SS because of the surface cutouts.. basically it is easier to use on those hones, but the DMT will do fine you just have to be more conscious of the water... Lets put it this way, if that DGLP wears out I will not be spending the money to replace it
Are the hone stands worth it? I noticed that everytime you use a new stone in the videos you clamp it in a stand except for the naniwa hones because they were mounted to stands already.
I find the stands very useful. Not essential but they do make navigating the fingers around the stones easier ( less knuckle bumping).
I started making my own I like the Cedar wood bridge styles even better then the plastic ones, but I always use some type of stand when honing, the Naniwa stands have worked just fine for me
I likey! Glen, how are you adhering the stones to your cedar platforms? Brush-on sealer/poly for the wood? Did you patent your design?
