Suggestions for practice razors?

[JoeyZ]

Hello all,

I have ordered a set of lapping films and want to jump into learning the arcane art of honing. I have read a lot and think I am at a good starting point information wise. I only have 4 razors... Two are in good shaving condition and two are almost there. Any suggestions on sources for good practice razors so I don't have to mess with my decent shavers for want of more honing time? Hopefully cheaper so I don't have to worry about screwing it up.

Is a Gold Dollar or ZY a good place to learn or too many possible issues? What about the other ebay/amazon cheapies? Other suggestions?


Thanks

 

[Sdm84]

I contacted Larry at Whipped Dog and told him what I was doing. He sent me one of his "flawed sight unseen" razors unhoned. If you do it this way you are sure of quality steel and no major problems like frowning, etc. This is better than trying your luck on eBay. IMHO YMMV

The cheapest Gold Dollars 66 model can have significant issues- the guys who are honing these can accommodate. It is a crapshoot whether you get a good one or one with geometry issues or a warped blade, etc.

 

[buca3152]

Ive never had a gd that wouldnt take.an edge. They are easy to mod. Simple.trim of the heel with a dremel. Zys have no stabilizer and for the few bucks more i think your good to go. Gds 10 for 50 or.less. zys are around 80 bucks or less(make the guy an offer on ebay) . OR you can buy 10 dovo best for 1200 or so. Lol. No brainer imo.

 

[Legion]

I learned on a fairly inexpensive vintage, but if you want new I found the ZY I bought was way easier than any of the GD's I ever fixed up (and a couple of new European razors, for that matter).

 

[Steve56]

A Gold Dollar from Scott, lifetooshort1971

 

[JoeyZ]

Thanks everyone... And sorry for the delay in replying (getting used to the new site and not using Tapatalk). I will try to moderate my urges to purchase, start with what I have, and pick up a zy soon.

Does anyone know what the shave angle with the zy is like? Do you have to thin the spine like many do on the GDs?

 

[Legion]

Thanks everyone... And sorry for the delay in replying (getting used to the new site and not using Tapatalk). I will try to moderate my urges to purchase, start with what I have, and pick up a zy soon.

Does anyone know what the shave angle with the zy is like? Do you have to thin the spine like many do on the GDs?

I just killed the edge, re set the bevel, and honed mine up. Worked fine.

 

[Steve56]

The one ZY I had was about like the gold Dollars, arount 18.5 degrees. I wouldn't say it had to be thinned, but it is a little bit harder to bring up a great edge off the stones versus a razor that's ground thinner at the edge.

Cheers, Steve

 

[mtnredhed]

I bought 2 of the ZY's and was batting .500 on getting them honed right. The good one worked out great (assuming you like to shave with an ax). Certainly can be made shave ready, they just seem really big and heavy compared to my Gencos.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I would get a whipped dog flawed. That way, you are starting out with a razor that will already shave just fine. As you use it, it begins to get dull, and you can try your hand first at the most common task in honing, which is refreshing an edge that was recently shave ready. For this, you only need your finisher. In the case of lapping film, your 1u film. I suggest you get a handle on that, first. After bringing dullish edges back to life a dozen or so times, take your "practice" blade and glass it. This means drawing the edge over a glass bottle or some such, with hardly any pressure, as if you were trying to make a shallow cut in the glass. One good pass is enough. Go two or three if you are a glutton for punishment. Now, you can practice setting a bevel. I recommend the burr method and though it is IMHO the ideal method for a newbie, it is also the way I do it because it is fairly quick and absolutely certain. A site search will find references. A rather wordy topic so I won't clutter up this thread with it. The burr method both sets and PROVES the bevel at once. After setting and verifying the bevel by whatever means, run through your progression of films. Bevel setting takes a firm hand, at least in the initial stages. Refining the bevel requires a light touch, to avoid creating artifacts like a fin or wire edge, and to get the best out of your finishing media.

 

[SliceOfLife]

If you want a shave ready. Wtb on the forum. If you want honing practice, eBay. Ask experienced honers if ones you are looking at are good candidates. It's pretty easy to learn what to avoid, but not always intuitive. You can pick up nicer eBay specials than a gold dollar for very little more if you know which ones to avoid and aren't picky.... Also gd's will teach you how to deal with bad grinds and not much else. eBay specials teach you everything.

To give you an idea of cost. A gold dollar on eBay runs what... 12-15$ solo? I just got a razor I liked by fluke with a stone purchase.... Nothing fancy or famous.... So I went to eBay and within a week of throwing casual bids at good examples, I've gotten seven of this same razor for $15-20 each... All in good condition, little hone wear, unwarped scales, to see if the make/model is special or if the first one I got was just a great one-off or fluke.

 

[buca3152]

If you want a shave ready. Wtb on the forum. If you want honing practice, eBay. Ask experienced honers if ones you are looking at are good candidates. It's pretty easy to learn what to avoid, but not always intuitive. You can pick up nicer eBay specials than a gold dollar for very little more if you know which ones to avoid and aren't picky.... Also gd's will teach you how to deal with bad grinds and not much else. eBay specials teach you everything.

To give you an idea of cost. A gold dollar on eBay runs what... 12-15$ solo? I just got a razor I liked by fluke with a stone purchase.... Nothing fancy or famous.... So I went to eBay and within a week of throwing casual bids at good examples, I've gotten seven of this same razor for $15-20 each... All in good condition, little hone wear, unwarped scales, to see if the make/model is special or if the first one I got was just a great one-off or fluke.

Gds can be had for about 5 bucks for 1 shipped. Zys in the 8 bucks range or so. Multiples are cheaper obviously. I got gds as low as $3.51 shipped each. Been awhile and Im out of the loop. 35 bucks for 10 razors? Holy cow! Lol

 

[JoeyZ]

Thanks everyone.

I am working my way through the huge film thread and have read many technique descriptions from Slash and Seraphim. Lots of great information (and a lot more to read (think I have finished 800 posts so far).

I do have a whipped dog shave ready and bought someone else's first sight unseen as well. Mine isn't ready for a touch up yet so I attempted on the one I purchased... I have gotten a wicked sharp edge on most of it but a slight smile is keeping me from really getting the toe done.

I picked up a lot of three vintage razors from ebay to practice more with... They should be arriving today... We will see how it goes.

I think I will play with restoring the eBay razors (they were like $8 each) and stick with tuning up the better ones.

Question for Slash - can I raise a burr on 12 micron film?

 

[Slash McCoy]

Thanks everyone.

I am working my way through the huge film thread and have read many technique descriptions from Slash and Seraphim. Lots of great information (and a lot more to read (think I have finished 800 posts so far).

I do have a whipped dog shave ready and bought someone else's first sight unseen as well. Mine isn't ready for a touch up yet so I attempted on the one I purchased... I have gotten a wicked sharp edge on most of it but a slight smile is keeping me from really getting the toe done.

I picked up a lot of three vintage razors from ebay to practice more with... They should be arriving today... We will see how it goes.

I think I will play with restoring the eBay razors (they were like $8 each) and stick with tuning up the better ones.

Question for Slash - can I raise a burr on 12 micron film?

Sure. Only thing is, the amount of pressure you must use to raise a burr will wear out the film much quicker than normal. Also, something like 30u would cut a lot quicker. Me, I prefer sandpaper though sometimes I use a synthetic stone and yeah I use film if I have no sandpaper handy and don't feel like hassling with rocks.

As for the toe not getting sharp, if it is only 1/4" or less, don't worry about it. I don't. Eventually (years, maybe decades) the rest of the blade will catch up to the worn toe. You can do an exaggerated rolling X stroke, but this merely perpetuates the flaw or more usually, makes it worse. No need to deliberately "straighten out" a razor that was made as a smiley, but a lot of straight edge razors acquire a smile through sloppy honing practices and it is perfectly acceptable to gently and gradually lead them back into proper form. A worn toe, though, can often be ignored in the short term.

 

[SliceOfLife]

That is substantially cheaper than I remembered, but I bought mine nearly ten years ago, so eBay sellers surely have driven the price down. Good. Still, I would pay the extra 10-15$ for a vintage just for the much better scales, balance, and geometry that virtually all vintage razors have over a stock GD. GD compete well as a value against modern and popular maker razors... But I think they struggle to maintain their value with so many undesirable makers out there in good condition (tends to favor 20th century American razors, but not exclusively)... Even at $3.50.

 

[Kaas]

Any cheap and cheerful vintage off the bay. Gold Dollars & their likes are hit and miss.

 

[JoeyZ]

After a long pause, thank you everyone.

In the last month, in addition to the small cheap ebay lot and two from B/S/T, a relative picked up a few razors at a small town antique store in Kansas. Enough to keep me busy and practicing.

The eBay items were a little more miss than hit, but tge antique store razors have been fun. I just finished cleaning up and sharpening a D'Arcy Vulcan which is now looking great and will be my shave today.

I also removed the rust on another to find a Boker stamp hiden beneath. Unfortunately, I broke the scales on this, but that seems like a good excuse to learn another restoration skill.

Again, a belated thanks to you all... Now does anyone have a cure for my ever expanding AD?

 

[David]

Cure for AD? Easy- Acquisition!

 

[Slash McCoy]

Resistance is futile.

 

[SRNewb]

Cure for AD? Easy- Acquisition!

This is only treatment; there is no cure.