How to Choose A Honing Stone
In deciding which hone to choose the first question is what type of honing are you seeking to perform, but budget and personal preference will also play a part. Honing stones are either synthetic, such as the Naniwa stones we stock, or natural such as the Belgian Blue Stones and Coticules. Personal preference is key here. While there are many fans of the natural stones, I would say that the synthetic stones tend to produce a more consistent result and may therefore be a better choice for a beginner.
Honing stones are graded according to grit size, where the larger the number, the finer the grit. We stock stones from 1k (1,000) through to 12k (12,000).
If your razor has just gone beyond the ability of the strop to sharpen it, so you are just “touching up” the edge, you really need a 10k or 12k stone. In this category we have synthetic Naniwa Specialty Stones (in 10k and 12k) and also the excellent Chosera stones (10k) while in natural stones we have Coticule stones and a Chinese 12k stone. The Coticules and Belgian Blue Stones do not have a grading as such but should probably be considered about 10k in the case of the Coticule and perhaps 5-8k for the Belgian Blue. Much depends on the pressure applied though. In the right hands a Belgian Blue stone can produce a fine edge. For a first stone I think it safest to go with a Naniwa, probably a 10k.
If the honing work you are doing is more restorative in nature then there are Naniwa stones down to 1k grit, or perhaps a Belgian Blue Stone and Coticule combination.
For more information about the honing stones, I make some specific comments about the various hones we stock.
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We have always used the term "straight razor" but in truth most people know this type of razor as a "cut-throat razor" or, less frequently, as an "open razor". It really doesn't matter, all these terms relate to the same implement.
We have a variety of razor starter kits which include everything necessary to start your venture into straight razor shaving. They also make an ideal shaving gift. This section also includes some entry level razors which are good choices for a beginner. Alternatively you can put together your own choices and perhaps upgrade the razor or strop. Please just ask if you need help.
We ship Worldwide, and shipping is free to all countries for orders over £125, but there is a charge for orders of a lower value. Full details may be found in our Delivery and Returns Policy. Prices are determined in GBP. For your convenience you are able to see indicative prices in U.S. Dollars and Euros but payment will be taken in GBP and there will inevitably be some variation to the U.S. Dollar and Euro prices shown. We accept payment by all major credit and debit cards as well as through Paypal.
If you are just starting out with a straight razor then we have a wealth of information on the website for beginners. Please visit our Information section which includes advice about choosing a cut-throat razor, how to strop a razor and much more. We are also always happy to offer advice and assistance where we can. Please just ask.
Our aim is to help our customers keep their razors in use. Now and again every razor will benefit from being honed. As not all our customers wish to learn how to hone we offer a straight razor honing and stropping service where we will sharpen your cut-throat razor on our premises and return it to you. This service is available for all razors we sell, vintage razors and some other brands of new razor but there are brands of new razor that we will not accept. Please see our Sharpening Service section for more details. We also offer a service to fit scales (razor handles) purchased from us.
This term relates to the fact that once unfolded from the scales (i.e. the handle) the razor's edge is open or unprotected, as opposed to a safety razor where the edge is shielded to some extent.
