Straight Razor Finishing Hone Recommendation

[pavhav]

I recently decided to start using straight razors. I restored some old European ones that had been my grandfather's; some German and Czech. I read through Badger & Blade articles and learned why badger is in the name. I watched @stringer 's videos for techniques. (Thank you).

The first time I shaved with one though, the result was like stuffing my face into a burlap sack filled with angry kittens. My edges off the stones are keen, but aggressive -- which I considered a good thing until this application. I bought a nice strop, and the subsequent attempts have improved with only a nick or two per shave.

Now I'd like to find a good finishing hone for said razors. I have plenty of stones already, some may even be suitable for this purpose, but I thought I'd ask people who have more experience.

First the contenders I already have:

A fairly soft, fine, Shoubudani. I'm guessing it is too muddy for this purpose.

A fairly hard Aiiwatani asagi. Probably too coarse around 6-8K.

Roszutec. Also only 6-8K (ostensibly), but such a hard stone. I've used it with some success on straight razors. I use this with food-grade propylene glycol.

6x2 Select Coticule from AC. Pre-finisher?

Translucent Ark from Dan's. Has mostly been my go to for this. I also use this with food-grade propylene glycol.

Morihei karasu 9K. Haven't tried it yet for this application.

Shapton Pro 12K. Haven't tried it yet for this application.



Now here are the ones I've been considering:

Ozuku Asagi from the site which cannot be named.

https://imperialaroccia.com/shop-te...INE-w-Walnut-Hardwood-Keepsafe-Box-p588244780

https://www.griffithshavinggoods.co...iant=39964800811102&currency=USD&gad_source=1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/177622...ick_sum=73819902&ref=shop_home_active_2&frs=1

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1266270493...gW+7jRWEYOcxBlMUHVn5MkLZg=|tkp:Bk9SR8bOqb-rZA

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1669103768...Utj6SbjRZpq3zDjQbGwLeO+w==|tkp:Bk9SR76v_r-rZA

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2669265873.../90cTNxv0UHJohDokUgkf3yg==|tkp:Bk9SR6DV8cCrZA


Any suggestions are appreciated.
Be well,

P.

 

[Benuser]

Don't know anything about razors, but use the Shapton Pro 12k quite often with my carbons. Would be surprised if the real grit where above 8k, but more important: there's some mix in it of different abrasives. Offers a very nice refined bite, but I don't think that's what you're looking for.

 

[pavhav]

I like it for the same reason(s): surprisingly bitey edge, and a good core steel polisher. It does feel somewhat less than 12K in some ways, and I am looking for that burnished finish that yields a smooth shave.

 

[deltaplex]

I recently decided to start using straight razors. I restored some old European ones that had been my grandfather's; some German and Czech. I read through Badger & Blade articles and learned why badger is in the name. I watched @stringer 's videos for techniques. (Thank you).

The first time I shaved with one though, the result was like stuffing my face into a burlap sack filled with angry kittens. My edges off the stones are keen, but aggressive -- which I considered a good thing until this application. I bought a nice strop, and the subsequent attempts have improved with only a nick or two per shave.

Now I'd like to find a good finishing hone for said razors. I have plenty of stones already, some may even be suitable for this purpose, but I thought I'd ask people who have more experience.

First the contenders I already have:

A fairly soft, fine, Shoubudani. I'm guessing it is too muddy for this purpose.

A fairly hard Aiiwatani asagi. Probably too coarse around 6-8K.

Roszutec. Also only 6-8K (ostensibly), but such a hard stone. I've used it with some success on straight razors. I use this with food-grade propylene glycol.

6x2 Select Coticule from AC. Pre-finisher?

Translucent Ark from Dan's. Has mostly been my go to for this. I also use this with food-grade propylene glycol.

Morihei karasu 9K. Haven't tried it yet for this application.

Shapton Pro 12K. Haven't tried it yet for this application.



Now here are the ones I've been considering:

Ozuku Asagi from the site which cannot be named.

https://imperialaroccia.com/shop-te...INE-w-Walnut-Hardwood-Keepsafe-Box-p588244780

https://www.griffithshavinggoods.co...iant=39964800811102&currency=USD&gad_source=1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1776229623/shobudani-asagi-awasedo-jnat-straight?click_key=951b939f1ab4bb7817d8c8814fad9da4a2552ed5:1776229623&click_sum=73819902&ref=shop_home_active_2&frs=1

https://www.ebay.com/itm/126627049327?_nkw=razor+hone&itmmeta=01J5DZACWQ4JD0CKJA85N89N7Z&hash=item1d7b8f6f6f:g:h5MAAOSw21ZmveL2&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAA0HoV3kP08IDx+KZ9MfhVJKmHsqj2o2xs5mEmbqouroDmHpRR/BH0k1L7mVQFize3ncxTRf4RPEX2frVukidFbDZ0HnMzHuS90XIRbixfv9FLxA/HErIN41nu7oTnB0n5zUss8GGSQ3l517xCu9AJ0Cz5c7qhGCH0M3GpdwIZVKpStgDgthrBdmDITEMNsnbUP5VhVo8SjceuY3zF1LBMwjDR67Vg8semlvkOzgRITSwOrldKr9fU97RO7VaZ1NgW+7jRWEYOcxBlMUHVn5MkLZg=|tkp:Bk9SR8bOqb-rZA

https://www.ebay.com/itm/166910376802?_nkw=charnley+forest+stone&itmmeta=01J5DZZJYTVJ54GJ5VPWX1P5S7&hash=item26dca23b62:g:UO8AAOSw~Plmtclc&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx+KZ9MfhVJKmS+GqMnRDos13WyR5OcieyT+g/biPfTHFg+FKaOQ1CKvs2M6Q3wVl/TS++G5CiGvnmC/r08LLyGFiYWF9vMaReLFICgcsPkZ/bHdsEC7YAiPHf7QXuOyXD4f4tOfUlc0sRgQ7F0mAdyXdr4vxuay3Aw+np21r1NZhbW5S9Veq9rISnpJbtE22rAyifakgPJk/bzm8cpI4Qr2E1czOIlDdOOEoSj9wEaKCuUXyfLtu/Bm4UPzWpEjZDyjoZBHkoaYXWGrCU3a2JKVUXqUDoh+Utj6SbjRZpq3zDjQbGwLeO+w==|tkp:Bk9SR76v_r-rZA

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266926587308?_nkw=yellow+lake+stone&itmmeta=01J5E0WDACFRXNPMXP96PGKZRS&hash=item3e26107dac:g:~roAAOSwstZml7j5&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx+KZ9MfhVJKlvz0IRq1PLMEhOHNCPaWj+mpuE+rcvkL5S3VKUIut8eolKZNxV1dco/AulA3wrNMvhvl2XAq7LxvuT4VIQ2zdzYb5HFnR3cxiqh5/pBP1vswu1lfNAhk1kSWfOfHgyPtKvI7CMcMdYWz6bOu/GtedC45mxC5dlC+2uikRTqA8aXB2Cdbfh/vUY6cI0LiNLmSYeVAiK+xGTrzAZ3Ky/AHDXhyzRdGK5nB9gCQ1fNWJVoiHPe2lzlThAJvMXkFkKNBq4AJ2y85ucJrVodMpFDJ/90cTNxv0UHJohDokUgkf3yg==|tkp:Bk9SR6DV8cCrZA


Any suggestions are appreciated.
Be well,

P.

I have some fine european slates that have been part of some mixed stone lots sitting around (pretty sure two or three of them are thuris) but all of them should be real good finishers for a straight. I can probably can spare a trans ark slip, too.

 

[pavhav]

I already have a Translucent Ark, but potentially interested in the other slates. Have you tried them on razors before? I've mostly avoided such fine, hard stones until now, as I didn't see the need for such edges on knives.

 

[deltaplex]

I already have a Translucent Ark, but potentially interested in the other slates. Have you tried them on razors before? I've mostly avoided such fine, hard stones until now, as I didn't see the need for such edges on knives.

I have tried stones similar to these on razors, but not these particular ones, and it was a (very) long time ago. That said, a widely shared opinion is that thuris form wonderful razor edgesm and they're they're very easy to get those good edges (compared to a hard ark or full dilucot with a finish level coti, as two quick examples).

 

[stringer]

SP12k works okay. Naniwa SS 12k is much better.

Coticules may or may not work for you as a finisher. I have tried 8-10 and haven't found any to be fine enough for my tastes.

Thuringian slate is the easiest way to get a really impressive edge.

I have tried lots of other slates and they all work to one degree or another. The softer extremely fine material is nice and forgiving for razors.

Translucent/surgical black Arks are excellent finishers, probably my all time favorites. Since they are really hard they are less forgiving. Until you develop good technique you might think that they are really slow or that they don't work well for knives. Neither of these things is true.

There are lots and lots and lots of other suitable natural and synthetic stones and all of the lapping paper and diamond balsa and other techniques. They all work. You just have to figure them out. And remember, stropping technique is probably more important than the choice of finishing technique. So don't neglect that bit either.