Greeting gents. Been SR shaving for over a year now but new to honing. Until the last couple months my shaving experience has been with my 3 razors that were professionally honed when I bought them. Just been maintaining with stropping for the last year, rotating what I use. What’s brought me here (to this forum and honing) is I feel like a couple of them have dropped off and need some refreshing. After I found this forum I’ve been reading old posts like I’m cramming for a college final.
Before attempting to hone what I’d previously call my good razors, I bought a few… well maybe more than a few… beaters off eBay to learn on. Got some unexpected gems! But that another story. I’m a knife guy and I’m using the stones that I already own with the recent addition of a black Arkansas. Been honing, stropping, shaving, reading, repeat, for many weeks. Trying different stones in my arsenal, water, oil, soap, pastes, etc. learning along the way. I’ve finally had some repeatable success. Do my bevel setting on a King 1k until its pretty darn sharp, which I’m now able to tell by the feel on my thumb. I move to a 6k, then a 10k under slurry, then water, then finish on my black Ark with oil. Recent shaves on 2 of my test razors have been very good. My beard is heavy and they cut smoothly through the hair and left my face feeling great. No discomfort whatsoever and I definitely know what that feels like over the last few weeks.
But I have to say it wasn’t as good my professionally honed Bismark. It has always been so smooth and effortless. After I started thinking my honing was good I went back and shaved with it again. Nope. The test razors definitely weren’t that good. That thing is buttery smooth. Not sure if it’s the grind, the blade width / heft, or the sharpening job put on it that makes it feel so good. But it’s better.
That made me think about all the variability that goes into producing a good shave and I ask you guys, can ANY razor do what my bismark does? Is there a lot of variability from one SR to another? And I guess I have to say I’m not talking about lower quality manufacturers, which I know is subjective. I don’t have enough experience to know how I gauge if I’m making progress on my honing skills. Todays shave was very good. Comfortable, close, but not buttery. I know I have a ways to go on honing but I’m trying to set the bar for myself on what I should expect out of my pool of eBay finds.
Before attempting to hone what I’d previously call my good razors, I bought a few… well maybe more than a few… beaters off eBay to learn on. Got some unexpected gems! But that another story. I’m a knife guy and I’m using the stones that I already own with the recent addition of a black Arkansas. Been honing, stropping, shaving, reading, repeat, for many weeks. Trying different stones in my arsenal, water, oil, soap, pastes, etc. learning along the way. I’ve finally had some repeatable success. Do my bevel setting on a King 1k until its pretty darn sharp, which I’m now able to tell by the feel on my thumb. I move to a 6k, then a 10k under slurry, then water, then finish on my black Ark with oil. Recent shaves on 2 of my test razors have been very good. My beard is heavy and they cut smoothly through the hair and left my face feeling great. No discomfort whatsoever and I definitely know what that feels like over the last few weeks.
But I have to say it wasn’t as good my professionally honed Bismark. It has always been so smooth and effortless. After I started thinking my honing was good I went back and shaved with it again. Nope. The test razors definitely weren’t that good. That thing is buttery smooth. Not sure if it’s the grind, the blade width / heft, or the sharpening job put on it that makes it feel so good. But it’s better.
That made me think about all the variability that goes into producing a good shave and I ask you guys, can ANY razor do what my bismark does? Is there a lot of variability from one SR to another? And I guess I have to say I’m not talking about lower quality manufacturers, which I know is subjective. I don’t have enough experience to know how I gauge if I’m making progress on my honing skills. Todays shave was very good. Comfortable, close, but not buttery. I know I have a ways to go on honing but I’m trying to set the bar for myself on what I should expect out of my pool of eBay finds.