Stone Set Recommendations

[keith]

I have the Pro Pack I and also the 1200/1600 stones. I prefer stones over strops as I seem to get better results. I finish my blades on a felt strop with white compound and then on clean leather.

I had considered adding a 0.6/1.4 micron ceramic stone but that seems like an awful large jump from 1600. Have you had any experience with the 0.6/1.4 and what are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Keith

[Lukas Pop]

Welcome, it is not big jump, search this forum. It is possible to jump from 600 diamonds to micro 1.4/0.6 ceramics with good result.

[keith]

I use bench stones for straight razors. Grits 220-1,000-4,000-8,000-12,000.

I also use a belt grinder for convex edges. Grits 400-900-1,200-2,000-2,500-3,000-4,500.

To go from 1,600 to over 10,000 seemed extreme. However, if you say others have had good results then I will go with your experience. That’s why I asked. Thanks for the quick reply.

[Eamon Mc Gowan]

Kahowell,
What I have read and tryed is using the 1.4 then go to 1200>1600 then the .6 I have used them in different ways but I like this best. It makes a very nice edge and leaves it very polished as well. Curtis does it a little different and loves his results? If you research it a little, you will find people are pretty happy with them. Have fun.

[Lukas Pop]

Comparison of the grits from different manufacturer is very tricky. It is not problem that 1.4 are too much finer than 1600, actually many people conversely claim it is coarser. I have both ceramics, and mostly use only one set. Grit differences between 1200, 1600 and 1.4 seem very small to me.

Stone set recommendation depends on your technique and goals. You have quite stones yet, and if you can’t consistently and comfortably shave hair on your hand, you should improve your skill before you get finer stones. For me, 0.6 microceramics can produce slightly finer edges than 1600 superceramics.

I don’t understand if you do your stropping on WE or by freehand. For me stropping with WE is indispensable after stones, so I don’t know what you mean by favoring stones over strops?

[keith]

I use strops with the micron paste with the WE but use traditional hand strops freehand.

I agree that stropping is necessary. My preference of stones over strops is for material removal not the final polish.

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