Don't worry! You are at the start of the rabbit hole where you think it is just a couple feet deep. Here's to enjoying naturals
I will say its a bit intimidating given my memory of the past false start and bad shaves. Additionally, I've never been more happy with my DE setup that the comparison of the great shaves I'm getting there might be stark for a newbie in straights. That being said, I'm selling off most of my DE hoard, and that will fund this (that is how I'm justifying this-lol). It seems so cool to be able to hone and shave with a straight successfully. Cheers to naturals!Don't worry! You are at the start of the rabbit hole where you think it is just a couple feet deep. Here's to enjoying naturals
I think you got lucky both in your coticules themselves, and in your having apparently come equipped with a perfect alignment to honing on coticules. I like coticules too, but it has been a far more complex road.I am in a similar situation. I have a Shapton 1.5, King 6K and Shapton 8K. I made the choice to live with the king 6K vs buying the Shapton 5K, the king does the job and I wanted some finishers. I have a small Jnat, A couple Coticules and a Dan’s 2x8 Black Ark. Of my finishers, the Coticules or by far the funnest, you can do so much with them. The shave off the Coticule is fantastic. Take that Coticule edge and put 8 to 10 passes on the Black Ark, that my friend will knock your socks off. To be fair to the Jnat, I have not put the time in.
I am sure there are just as fun, too many people can attest to that. I just took to the Coticule like a fish to water. If you’re looking go have a good time, that’s the direction I would head.
Broke out the Shapton 1500 that I just got and lapped it with my Atoma 400. Took out a Henkel that is one of my test razors and tried my first bevel set. Unfortunately, it was not successful. Scratch pattern goes to edge on both sides but the razor passes none of the sharpness tests. I'm assuming bevels are not meeting at perfect apex. Done for tonight but will try to give it a go tomorrow.
I tried again tonight for a little bit without tape - no luck. Added tape. Still no luck. Despite my reluctance to add tape, I can totally see where it will help not destroy the spine while I am learning. I have to say, it looks a lot easier to bevel set on youtube - LOL. I am not sure if its a technique or pressure thing as I was torqueing the blade to the edge and adjusting pressure. I will have to play with it some more. I did get it to "catch" on some arm hair and then when I continued with the bevel set, I either lost that or didn't gain anymore improvement.That sounds about right. The first time I tried to set a bevel, I generated a giant cloud of black swarf - like an octopus discharging ink - but no sharpness.
I would recommend you put one layer of electrical tape (like 3M Scotch Super 88) over the spine until you gain proficiency.
Do not overthink this one. There is a learning curve to setting bevels that takes time and practice. You are just removing steel on both sides to form an apex. After about an hour, take a break.
When the edge is sharp, you will know and say "Holy crap that is sharp!"
What sharpness tests are you referring to?Scratch pattern goes to edge on both sides but the razor passes none of the sharpness tests
This isn't surprising. Highly refined edges don't cut tomatoes well.On another note - I also test a brand new Gillette Silver Blue DE blade on a cherry tomato. It did not pass either. I have no idea what that means but I thought it was interesting.
After using a de blade a few times they will do much better on these types of 'tests'.This isn't surprising. Highly refined edges don't cut tomatoes well.
I tried a few. The razor did not cut a cherry tomato, it did not pass any HHT test from either root-in or tip-in, it did not get "grabby" on my thumb pad when I placed my thumb lightly on the edge and them moved it off the edge perpendicularly (i.e. to the right or left). It sometimes caught on very low tree topping on my arm hair but that was random and inconsistent. Those are the only tests I am aware of.What sharpness tests are you referring to?
The bevel set is important. However, it is also important to not be stuck in bevel set limbo because you are told that you need a 1k shaving edge.
You baugt a series of stones for a good reason.
The goal is just to get two planes to meet. Even if you "kill" the edge afterwards on the side of your stone, your next stone, if the jump is not too big will reestablish the edge quite fast.
A 3 to 4k stone cuts really fast. Some would even consider them bevel setting stones.