Thread: Matching hones to razors. Certain brands work better with certain hones?

I saw in another thread that when it comes to razors made by Case...Glen prefers using the shapton glass hones up to 30k because the steel can handle the edge.

Have you found any other combinations that work particularly well? I've learned, for example, that when finishing big sheffield wedges...I get better results with my CF than with my eschers.

Any combos that you've found work particularly well?

Good call jcsixx. I have heard others talk about this as well and would love to learn more. Unfortunately i am a rookie at honing and cant add to this great thread. But I will be watching for more posts intently.

Originally Posted by TrilliumLT

Good call jcsixx. I have heard others talk about this as well and would love to learn more. Unfortunately i am a rookie at honing and cant add to this great thread. But I will be watching for more posts intently.

I can't help out too much either. I have different finishers, but my base system is the norton combo hones.

Has anybody has problems with the softer steel on waterstones?

Originally Posted by jerrybyers

Has anybody has problems with the softer steel on waterstones?

Can you be more specific?

Originally Posted by jcsixx

I saw in another thread that when it comes to razors made by Case...Glen prefers using the shapton glass hones up to 30k because the steel can handle the edge.

Have you found any other combinations that work particularly well? I've learned, for example, that when finishing big sheffield wedges...I get better results with my CF than with my eschers.

Any combos that you've found work particularly well?

I believe the matching issues you are talking about are related to the type of finishing stone used mostly.
Any 1-8k progression will work on any steel AFAIK and to my experience.

I have preferences in hones for my various razors.

Razors in the harder end of the spectrum, like some American and Japanese products, seems to get the best edges from my JNats.
The softer steels, like my Sheffields seems to get wicked sharp from Eschers.
And a couple of the extremely hard steels seems to prefer the Charnley Forest or the Gokumyo 20K stone.

I've yet to come across steels that doesn't respond well to my Chosera's, so that's what I use for bevel setting, sharpening and polishing. Then it is on to one or more of the various finishers depending on what razor it is.

I'm sure others have other findings

Originally Posted by jcsixx

Can you be more specific?

I was just wondering if softer steel shows up more on waterstones, as opposed to hard steel or stainless. Are the steel particles different?

Kind of like not using aluminum or brass on a grinder.

Originally Posted by jerrybyers

I was just wondering if softer steel shows up more on waterstones, as opposed to hard steel or stainless. Are the steel particles different?

Kind of like not using aluminum or brass on a grinder.

You can harden a steel within a range of HRC, so the same steel at HRC 58 will hone easier and you would find it softer, than if it is at HRC 61.

I've got a chosera 1k for setting bevels if that is necessary, a norton 4k and and 8k single grit, and a variety of coticules, eschers and a nakayama asagi. When it comes to he finishers I mostly use one or another of my eschers. As far as matching steel to a type of hone, I haven't found any that needed more than what I currently have and use. YMMV.