7 Day Set Honing

[TreeHugger]

I know this question will depend on a couple of factors and differ from beard to beard, but on average, could you give me a rough idea of how often would one need to hone a 7 day set which is being using as intended -- 7 days a week with correct stropping technique?

Would once per year be considered nothing out of the ordinary (52 shave days per razor)? Is this reasonable?


(I have purchased five razors so far, but haven't had them honed yet, and have yet to try straight shaving: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=168762)

 

[professorchaos]

I get about 20 good shaves out of a razor. So ... 140 days, 7 razors, you'll have to hone it 2.5 times a year.

 

[ouch]

It depends on toughness of beard, stropping technique, inherent edge retention of blade, shaving technique, and above all how sharp of an edge you demand.

One things for sure- it's harder for a newbie to squeeze out more shaves between honings than a veteran.

 

[heirkb]

The honing involved would likely be fairly easy, though. If you maintain them well, you won't have to do a bevel reset or anything like that and will only need fairly high grit hones

 

[ouch]

The honing involved would likely be fairly easy, though. If you maintain them well, you won't have to do a bevel reset or anything like that and will only need fairly high grit hones

Good point.

If they start off in good shape, I'd think you can go a pretty long time before any major work is required.

 

[TreeHugger]

Thanks crew.

I guess I will have to get them done and proceed to see when they start to pull. If it takes 2 hones a year, I would be comfortable with that.


EDIT: On second thought, let's say another half century of straight shaving:

7 Straights X 2 hones yr = $210 for the first yr. Let's assume the price of honing increases at half a point a year (0.5% yr). The price of honing by year 50 is $268.14. The total amount of money spent over the course of 50 years on honing is $11895.48.

Let's discount those 50 years at a rate of inflation of 2% to put that value into present day dollars (I will forego any investment analysis, let's say this is hobby money and will be spent regardless). The amount invested in honing in 2010 dollars is $7,325.44.

Let me rewind a little bit here. My time is worth something. Rather than calculating the value of the my time over the years and subtract it from the above value, I will say my time is worth: 7 straights X 2 times a yr, 15 minutes per razor to include prep and the age factor as I get older, totalling 210 minutes or 3.5 hours. My time is worth 3.5 hrs X $20 (random average of now, my prime, and the downfall) = $70 yr. If I enjoyed honing, we wouldn't include this but I generally do not enjoy repetitive work, even though I agree that there likely would be some satisfaction in keeping it all primal.

Since my time's worth is an average over 50 years, I will subtract the constant $70 from each year as they multiply at a rate of 1.005 to reflect the increase in the cost of honing. So the new total amount of money spent over the course of 50 years on honing less my $70 of time if $8395.48

Again discounting that those 50 years at a rate of inflation of 2% gives you in 2010 dollars a grand total of $5,125.79.

These are life's decisions.

 

[Granaura]

You see? This is why I try not to think in math!!!

 

[huracan]

Wow, I'm thinking I am going to give myself an advance and go to Vegas.

 

[dakotaev]

I think you're putting too much thought into this lol.

 

[kg4ghn]

Or you could have them pro-honed once and just get a barbers hone or high grit finishing hone and touch them up yourself for free and fairly quickly.

Then the only time you would have to actually have a straight honed is if you drop one or ding it against the sink or something.

 

[johnmrson]

Luckily I learnt how to hone otherwise I'd be up for a fortune.

 

[SliceOfLife]

A touch up honing on a 7 day set should only take 10-20 minutes total.

 

[TenorClef]

Eeeek Those figures make this sound like rich mans hobby. I've just bought a 7 day roll for my nice collection of varied razors, and yeah if i get them honed once a year i'd be looking at about £175.

I'm about 40 years old now, lets assume (fingers crossed) i live to the national average age and round it up to 80 that would be-

£7000 and thats not taking into account inflation.

 

[ouch]

Eeeek Those figures make this sound like rich mans hobby. I've just bought a 7 day roll for my nice collection of varied razors, and yeah if i get them honed once a year i'd be looking at about £175.

I'm about 40 years old now, lets assume (fingers crossed) i live to the national average age and round it up to 80 that would be-

£7000 and thats not taking into account inflation.

That's a silly way to look at it. First off, if you're paying £25 per blade for honing, somebody saw you coming. More importantly, if you're not honing them yourself, you really shouldn't be using a straight, let alone be in possession of a seven day set.

 

[professorchaos]

Thanks crew.

I guess I will have to get them done and proceed to see when they start to pull. If it takes 2 hones a year, I would be comfortable with that.


EDIT: On second thought, let's say another half century of straight shaving:

7 Straights X 2 hones yr = $210 for the first yr. Let's assume the price of honing increases at half a point a year (0.5% yr). The price of honing by year 50 is $268.14. The total amount of money spent over the course of 50 years on honing is $11895.48.

Let's discount those 50 years at a rate of inflation of 2% to put that value into present day dollars (I will forego any investment analysis, let's say this is hobby money and will be spent regardless). The amount invested in honing in 2010 dollars is $7,325.44.

Let me rewind a little bit here. My time is worth something. Rather than calculating the value of the my time over the years and subtract it from the above value, I will say my time is worth: 7 straights X 2 times a yr, 15 minutes per razor to include prep and the age factor as I get older, totalling 210 minutes or 3.5 hours. My time is worth 3.5 hrs X $20 (random average of now, my prime, and the downfall) = $70 yr. If I enjoyed honing, we wouldn't include this but I generally do not enjoy repetitive work, even though I agree that there likely would be some satisfaction in keeping it all primal.

Since my time's worth is an average over 50 years, I will subtract the constant $70 from each year as they multiply at a rate of 1.005 to reflect the increase in the cost of honing. So the new total amount of money spent over the course of 50 years on honing less my $70 of time if $8395.48

Again discounting that those 50 years at a rate of inflation of 2% gives you in 2010 dollars a grand total of $5,125.79.

These are life's decisions.

Here is the thing: chances are pretty good that if you stick with straights, you'll want to learn to hone. You should, edges are pretty personal things. One man's velvet squeegee is another rasp. Once you get the hang of it, touching up 7 razors twice a year should take no where near 2.5 hours. If you are diligent, a touch up could take a couple of minutes per razor.

 

[ouch]

I think you already spent more time analyzing this than it would take to hone those razors.

 

[natchez]

Thanks crew.

I guess I will have to get them done and proceed to see when they start to pull. If it takes 2 hones a year, I would be comfortable with that.


EDIT: On second thought, let's say another half century of straight shaving:

7 Straights X 2 hones yr = $210 for the first yr. Let's assume the price of honing increases at half a point a year (0.5% yr). The price of honing by year 50 is $268.14. The total amount of money spent over the course of 50 years on honing is $11895.48.

Let's discount those 50 years at a rate of inflation of 2% to put that value into present day dollars (I will forego any investment analysis, let's say this is hobby money and will be spent regardless). The amount invested in honing in 2010 dollars is $7,325.44.

Let me rewind a little bit here. My time is worth something. Rather than calculating the value of the my time over the years and subtract it from the above value, I will say my time is worth: 7 straights X 2 times a yr, 15 minutes per razor to include prep and the age factor as I get older, totalling 210 minutes or 3.5 hours. My time is worth 3.5 hrs X $20 (random average of now, my prime, and the downfall) = $70 yr. If I enjoyed honing, we wouldn't include this but I generally do not enjoy repetitive work, even though I agree that there likely would be some satisfaction in keeping it all primal.

Since my time's worth is an average over 50 years, I will subtract the constant $70 from each year as they multiply at a rate of 1.005 to reflect the increase in the cost of honing. So the new total amount of money spent over the course of 50 years on honing less my $70 of time if $8395.48

Again discounting that those 50 years at a rate of inflation of 2% gives you in 2010 dollars a grand total of $5,125.79.

These are life's decisions.

But, IMO your analysis needs to be adjusted. Let's see: Is it a given that you will have to shave? Your analysis starts from the point that that is an option, not a given. If shaving of some sort is a given, then you actually have some fixed expense over time no matter what alternative you choose. If this is the case, what you need to do to make the best decision is to measure the cost of the straight set versus the alternatives and see what the difference is. Not total the full cost of the expense. For example, you cannot live without food, but living on noodles would be cheaper than fillet. The key in making a good decision, when you start with an inherent requirement to consume something, is to measure the relative cost of the alternatives and weigh them against each other. Not, to measure the full cost.

Have fun!

 

[TreeHugger]

But, IMO your analysis needs to be adjusted. Let's see: Is it a given that you will have to shave? Your analysis starts from the point that that is an option, not a given. If shaving of some sort is a given, then you actually have some fixed expense over time no matter what alternative you choose. If this is the case, what you need to do to make the best decision is to measure the cost of the straight set versus the alternatives and see what the difference is. Not total the full cost of the expense. For example, you cannot live without food, but living on noodles would be cheaper than fillet. The key in making a good decision, when you start with an inherent requirement to consume something, is to measure the relative cost of the alternatives and weigh them against each other. Not, to measure the full cost.

Have fun!

Good point. Completely missed that!

I could base my results off of what would likely replace it -- a DE. Let's say 3 shaves per blade, 121 a yr, costing $35/yr. Let's flatline the $35 as one could buy bulk and generally avoid any price increases. So the ascending honing $210 at 0.5%, less $70 labour, less $35 for blades, for 50 years totals $5905.50. In 2010 dollars this amounts to an $3,647.10.

Some fun numbers, but I agree with you guys, I think honing on your own terms and not having to depend on someone will be the way to go. That way I can pass this on to future generations.

Thanks crew.

 

[TreeHugger]

You see? This is why I try not to think in math!!!

Math is good for you! Keeps the mind going.

Wow, I'm thinking I am going to give myself an advance and go to Vegas.

Do it and never look back. Life's too short!

Or you could have them pro-honed once and just get a barbers hone or high grit finishing hone and touch them up yourself for free and fairly quickly.

Then the only time you would have to actually have a straight honed is if you drop one or ding it against the sink or something.

That sounds like a plan.

Luckily I learnt how to hone otherwise I'd be up for a fortune.

Yes sir.

A touch up honing on a 7 day set should only take 10-20 minutes total.

Excellent! Thank you.

I think you already spent more time analyzing this than it would take to hone those razors.

Well then I'll have to add the value of my time in this thread to the total cost of honing for 50 years.

 

[ouch]

I recently had to explain the notion of significant digits to my kid. Without getting too technical, I described it thusly- you can't multiply an estimated number by another estimated number, extropolate over fifty years, and obtain an answer to within a penny. She gets it now.