About ready to trade the Coti in for synths...

[rockviper]

Thanks folks. 30-40 minutes (I'm slow) on each of my two straights almost on pure water (2-3 slurry stone rubs) have them much keener now. I think I was putting too much pressure on the blades before (unless I have a kitchen scale, I don't think I'll figure out what 8-12oz of finger pressure is... hmm, maybe balance a coke on a fulcum ).

I'll see what one of the blades feels like in the morning.

 

[rockviper]

Well, my Wapi has a much sharper blade for sure. I have one or two little 1 inch lines/cuts on my face this morning from placing the razor on my skin at too steep an angle. This didn't happen over the last few weeks, so I guess my old edge was sharp enough to shave with but dull enough to forgive my sloppiness. I view this as a sign of honing success! Thanks!

 

[danjared]

Well, my Wapi has a much sharper blade for sure. I have one or two little 1 inch lines/cuts on my face this morning from placing the razor on my skin at too steep an angle. This didn't happen over the last few weeks, so I guess my old edge was sharp enough to shave with but dull enough to forgive my sloppiness. I view this as a sign of honing success! Thanks!

You're welcome for the cut!

 

[Munxcub]

I'm wondering what the major difference is between honing times. I don't understand what someone could possibly be doing to get a razor shave ready, popping HHT and rocking shaves, in <10 minutes, with 5 dilutions, etc...

I'll do like 30 dilutions, spend hours at it, and get an ok edge for my trouble, HHT 3+, but not a 4, 4+. It shaves OK but certainly isn't what I'd expect.

Just curious... is it pressure? Am I not keeping the spine and edge in perfect contact at every moment of every stroke? I really can't understand what the difference could be.

 

[gary haywood]

I'm wondering what the major difference is between honing times. I don't understand what someone could possibly be doing to get a razor shave ready, popping HHT and rocking shaves, in <10 minutes, with 5 dilutions, etc...

I'll do like 30 dilutions, spend hours at it, and get an ok edge for my trouble, HHT 3+, but not a 4, 4+. It shaves OK but certainly isn't what I'd expect.

Just curious... is it pressure? Am I not keeping the spine and edge in perfect contact at every moment of every stroke? I really can't understand what the difference could be.

Criss i it newster take me ages when i first started honing with a coticule. If you could do a little video . then we can see what your stroke is like . I was also doing 30 sets. why don't you try less sets and see what happens. When you set bevel and start diluting. you will feel and hear the slurry cutting. once the cutting sounds disapears and it feels and sounds like your honing on , say similar to water. stop , add a good splash of water and finish with 30x half strokes then rinse hone same agian . then normal 30 to 50 finishing laps , strokes. start out with a cofee cream slurry. It should only take 30x half strokes each way so 60 in total. the bevel will be set . just feel the bevel with your thumb. it should just grip the edge and not slide freely. As for pressure just use enough to keep the razor on the hone . Do your first stroke slow , then as you get the feel just speed it up slightly. You will get the rythm.

i spoke to ralfy and he is contacting me in 2 weeks . we will do some good videos . . that razor should be with you soon. i posted it last thursday .

gary

 

[Munxcub]

Thanks Gary. I will try the "less is more" approach. I'm thinking maybe because my strokes aren't perfect, I run the risk of screwing up the edge by doing more strokes than necessary.

I'll try shooting a little video and see if you guys can spot any glaring errors.

 

[gary haywood]

Thanks Gary. I will try the "less is more" approach. I'm thinking maybe because my strokes aren't perfect, I run the risk of screwing up the edge by doing more strokes than necessary.

I'll try shooting a little video and see if you guys can spot any glaring errors.

That is possible. just keep practising your stroke . watch the bart video .

 

[SliceOfLife]

Another possibility is that the blade has edge pitting that you can't see, as people often mention in the "microscope" discussions. Micropitting at the edge means microchips in the edge when you finish the razor. This will make a shave uncomfortable no matter how high a grit you hone to. I inspect almost every eBay special at 400x for edge/bevel pitting before I hone now. If I didn't have a good microscope, I'd spend maybe 5-10 minutes "beveling" on a low grit hone or thick slurry to remove a substantial amount of material to greatly increase my chances of having good metal for my edge.

 

[Munxcub]

Would a good 15x loupe suffice for looking for pitting on the edge? Or would I need more than that?

 

[global_dev]

Another possibility is that the blade has edge pitting that you can't see, as people often mention in the "microscope" discussions. Micropitting at the edge means microchips in the edge when you finish the razor. This will make a shave uncomfortable no matter how high a grit you hone to. I inspect almost every eBay special at 400x for edge/bevel pitting before I hone now. If I didn't have a good microscope, I'd spend maybe 5-10 minutes "beveling" on a low grit hone or thick slurry to remove a substantial amount of material to greatly increase my chances of having good metal for my edge.

i saw this happen to a nice blade of mine that looked great by eye, but miserable under the max of my usb scope.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Would a good 15x loupe suffice for looking for pitting on the edge? Or would I need more than that?

I have a 30x loupe that is almost useless for me, but I've never really learned to use it since I have such a nice microscope. I will say that oftentimes I'll have a blade look clean under 100x, but still show damage under 400x, so I doubt 15x will show everything... maybe enough to greatly improve the shave if cleaned up, but not everything.


You said earlier that it was honed to shaving sharp 2 months ago. Was it by a skilled honer? If so he would have probably dealt with this if it was a problem.

 

[Munxcub]

Oh that blade (Emil Jansen) is shaving just fine. I hit it with TI paste and CrOx and it's good to go. I do have my graet grandpa's old razor that I think might have this pitting issue, as it had a number of chips to work out on the DMT, and despite being sharp, still feels rougher than others I've done.

 

[Munxcub]

Took a w&b hollow ground to town on the DMT to make damn sure the bevel was set good and proper. Took about 20 minutes or better. After that I did a quick dilucot (for me) at about 25-35 minutes. After that it was a few extra sets of 50-60 x-strokes under running water, with stropping in between and I'm rocking an HHT4 with my wife's fine hair.

Before the last stropping it was hitting an HHT3 off the stone, which is by far the best result I've had thus far. Can't wait to shave with it tomorrow.

 

[bluemantra]

Took a w&b hollow ground to town on the DMT to make damn sure the bevel was set good and proper. Took about 20 minutes or better. After that I did a quick dilucot (for me) at about 25-35 minutes. After that it was a few extra sets of 50-60 x-strokes under running water, with stropping in between and I'm rocking an HHT4 with my wife's fine hair.

Before the last stropping it was hitting an HHT3 off the stone, which is by far the best result I've had thus far. Can't wait to shave with it tomorrow.

Were there huge chips in that W&B? I just started and I was able to cut arm hair after 20 laps on the 600 and then I did 25 laps on the 1200 side then I moved to the Dilucot and did 7 to 8 dilutions and 50 laps on plain water. Stropped 60 linen 60 leather and it was passing the HHT. Not sure what all these numbers after HHT mean so I can't comment on that. I finished the whole thing in 30 to 40 minutes or so bevel to leather.

How do you know when a bevel is set? I was using my 30x jewelers loop. Maybe I'm doing things wrong? I'll see how it shaves tomorrow.

 

[Munxcub]

I was gauging the bevel set based on how well it shaved arm hair along the entire length of the blade. the heel and middle were easy, but towards the point was giving me grief. Might have been some micro-pits there.

As for the HHT scores look here.

I have my great grandpa's Joseph Elliot and Sons that had some major chips, I think it needs to go all the way back to the DMT 600 and get the bevel started off right. It shaved but was kinda rough.

 

[bluemantra]

I was gauging the bevel set based on how well it shaved arm hair along the entire length of the blade. the heel and middle were easy, but towards the point was giving me grief. Might have been some micro-pits there.

As for the HHT scores look here.

I have my great grandpa's Joseph Elliot and Sons that had some major chips, I think it needs to go all the way back to the DMT 600 and get the bevel started off right. It shaved but was kinda rough.

Thanks for the link Chris!

 

[gary haywood]

Were there huge chips in that W&B? I just started and I was able to cut arm hair after 20 laps on the 600 and then I did 25 laps on the 1200 side then I moved to the Dilucot and did 7 to 8 dilutions and 50 laps on plain water. Stropped 60 linen 60 leather and it was passing the HHT. Not sure what all these numbers after HHT mean so I can't comment on that. I finished the whole thing in 30 to 40 minutes or so bevel to leather.

How do you know when a bevel is set? I was using my 30x jewelers loop. Maybe I'm doing things wrong? I'll see how it shaves tomorrow.

You answerd that one your self. The blade was cutting arm hair of 600dmt. If you can do that your bevel is set.

 

[bluemantra]

Well I shaved with my first ever honed razor tonight. I set the bevel on my DMT 600/1200, I was able to cut arm hair and then I moved onto my La Grise coticule and used the dilucot method. I stropped 60/60 on my Ambrose Soft Horse Hide and was passing the HHT mildly. I have to say it wasn't the sharpest razor, but it was a smoooooooth shave. I've definitely got some room for improvement, but there is something about honing and shaving a razor yourself that is very fulfilling. I don't have a thick beard and so I think I can get away with a sub-par sharp razor for now, but I like knowing that I still have some work to do. I don't know if this is the coticule finish coming through, but there times where I normally would have knicked/cut myself and no such thing happened.

 

[gary haywood]

That razor is a real beauty. I

 

[Drybonz]

there is something about honing and shaving a razor yourself that is very fulfilling.

Man, that is the truth. It is a great feeling.