- Thread starter
- #21
Even more so since i cant find the exact number. It jumps around
Did i screw up already? Cheap stones.
- Thread starter FairlySlow
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
That’s hilarious. You had me for a minute thereNot stupid, just a fool for taking up SR shaving.
Don't Waste Your Time Even Thinking About Getting Into Straight Razor Shaving!
So, you have been thinking about trying out this SR shaving thing. Let me tell you, you are a fool for doing so. Here is why: It is the most dangerous way to shave. The population was much less when only SRs were available to shave with. You can guess the reason. It takes what seems like...www.badgerandblade.com
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
@FairlySlow, Instructions on putting together a lapping films setup can be found in the Instructions (rev. G) here.
A set of 7 x A4 size sheets of suitable lapping films (30μm, 12μm, 9μm, 5μm, 3μm, 1μm and 0.3μm) can be found on AliExpress for well under US$20 including free worldwide shipping.
If you don't mind putting together your own film substrate, the whole setup could cost you under US$40 including shipping.
Developing your honing skills on lapping films is a good foundation for later learning to finish your SRs on synthetic or natural whetstones. It worked well for me.
A set of 7 x A4 size sheets of suitable lapping films (30μm, 12μm, 9μm, 5μm, 3μm, 1μm and 0.3μm) can be found on AliExpress for well under US$20 including free worldwide shipping.
If you don't mind putting together your own film substrate, the whole setup could cost you under US$40 including shipping.
Developing your honing skills on lapping films is a good foundation for later learning to finish your SRs on synthetic or natural whetstones. It worked well for me.
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“A set of 7 x A4 size sheets of suitable lapping films (30μm, 12μm, 9μm, 5μm, 3μm, 1μm and 0.3μm) can be found on AliExpress for well under US$20 including free worldwide shipping.”
Or, buy the 1/6k for $27 and some 1um film to finish on for super shaving edges. If you set the bevel on 1k, refine at 6k and finish on 1um you have a 16k edge and you film will last a long time.
Learning to hone and bevel setting eBay beaters, you can burn through a lot of film in a hurry, that’s where it starts costing you money. You will never wear out a stone.
Or, buy the 1/6k for $27 and some 1um film to finish on for super shaving edges. If you set the bevel on 1k, refine at 6k and finish on 1um you have a 16k edge and you film will last a long time.
Learning to hone and bevel setting eBay beaters, you can burn through a lot of film in a hurry, that’s where it starts costing you money. You will never wear out a stone.
- Thread starter
- #26
Aliexpress has some that are actually worth it? I figured they would be cheap but i may give them a go
Welcome!
I’m brand new to Straight Razors (1 month of every day shaving) and I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy it and the maintenance aspects, such as honing.
So I read a bunch of B&B posts and bought the King 1K/6K combo and a King Gold 8K. These were inexpensive, yet a brand name that many experienced people have familiarity with in case I got in trouble.
Are the better synthetic stones…I’m sure there are but, the King 1K/6K combo is inexpensive and not the fastest stone, so I don’t do a lot of damage right away when I make a mistake.
The other key aspect is to have a “Shave Ready” razor so you know what a good edge feels like. When I say Shave Ready, I mean from someone here, a recognized vendor that hones razors, and/or a Custom/Semi-Custom Razor maker that has known great grinds and honing.
With the King stones and a reference edge or two, I was able to attempt to hone, shave test, fail, finish shave with the good razor and learn from mistakes.
I learn every time I shave, strop, and hone…that’s what makes it fun. Yup, I mess up, learn from it, and keep going.
One last hint…my first honing failures were all because I didn’t have a fully set bevel. Take your time on the bevel it is the foundation of sharpness and smoothness.
Good luck!
I’m brand new to Straight Razors (1 month of every day shaving) and I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy it and the maintenance aspects, such as honing.
So I read a bunch of B&B posts and bought the King 1K/6K combo and a King Gold 8K. These were inexpensive, yet a brand name that many experienced people have familiarity with in case I got in trouble.
Are the better synthetic stones…I’m sure there are but, the King 1K/6K combo is inexpensive and not the fastest stone, so I don’t do a lot of damage right away when I make a mistake.
The other key aspect is to have a “Shave Ready” razor so you know what a good edge feels like. When I say Shave Ready, I mean from someone here, a recognized vendor that hones razors, and/or a Custom/Semi-Custom Razor maker that has known great grinds and honing.
With the King stones and a reference edge or two, I was able to attempt to hone, shave test, fail, finish shave with the good razor and learn from mistakes.
I learn every time I shave, strop, and hone…that’s what makes it fun. Yup, I mess up, learn from it, and keep going.
One last hint…my first honing failures were all because I didn’t have a fully set bevel. Take your time on the bevel it is the foundation of sharpness and smoothness.
Good luck!
I sharpened knives for years before starting into razors. I’m pretty confident with my setup, and know fairly well what to expect. I have dumped far too much money into nice knife stones. Yet I struggled to get a really good edge on a razor. I could get close, but not quite there. Even really good knife stones aren’t necessarily good for razors.
My own experience (
) was that harder stones that focus on really consistent grit, lower toothiness and higher polishing power were winners. This meant mostly naniwa and king.
Since I don't have experience with your stones, I won't comment on that. But in general, if you feel like you're hitting a wall, consider if you have budget for slightly different stones.
Every stone's best finish is the foundation for the next one. Deep and inconsistent scratches just make the next stone so much harder and more tedious. +1 to any comments about properly set 1k bevel.
Try em, you may be happy! But keep a little voice in the back of your head if they don't work great. Might not be you. Sometimes you're allowed to blame the tools.
My own experience (
) was that harder stones that focus on really consistent grit, lower toothiness and higher polishing power were winners. This meant mostly naniwa and king.Since I don't have experience with your stones, I won't comment on that. But in general, if you feel like you're hitting a wall, consider if you have budget for slightly different stones.
Every stone's best finish is the foundation for the next one. Deep and inconsistent scratches just make the next stone so much harder and more tedious. +1 to any comments about properly set 1k bevel.
Try em, you may be happy! But keep a little voice in the back of your head if they don't work great. Might not be you. Sometimes you're allowed to blame the tools.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I have been sourcing my lapping films from China through AliExpress ever since I started almost 4 years ago. I have no complaints. Of course, if you are so inclined, you can source your films from the US and support their local vendors.
- Thread starter
- #30
Im honestly more interested whatever works thats cheapest. id rather make sure i get something that works than whats most expensive in the end
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I was and still am the same as you. It sounds like you don't have access to someone experienced in honing SRs (not a knife sharpener), again like me. I had to teach myself honing and SR shaving at the same time. Not recommend if you can avoid it.
Fortunately I put the effort and time into reading and learning the Method.
Newbie Honing Compendium
I find myself often linking just a few threads rather than give a long winded explanation that takes me 15 minutes to type on my phone. So, here are my favorite threads to suggest that newbies read if they are interested in making their razors sharp. Lapping film, try it. Setting the Bevel...
www.badgerandblade.com
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
BTW, where are you located? Knowing your location will help us in advising you.
- Thread starter
- #33
Thatz my exact situation. I found it on my own and dove in. Thats what im scared of is screwing up a razor honestlyI was and still am the same as you. It sounds like you don't have access to someone experienced in honing SRs (not a knife sharpener), again like me. I had to teach myself honing and SR shaving at the same time. Not recommend if you can avoid it.
Fortunately I put the effort and time into reading and learning the Method.
By my second attempt (I'm a slow learner), I was getting a good shave-ready edge on my SR. From there my honing and SR shaving just kept on improving.Newbie Honing Compendium
I find myself often linking just a few threads rather than give a long winded explanation that takes me 15 minutes to type on my phone. So, here are my favorite threads to suggest that newbies read if they are interested in making their razors sharp. Lapping film, try it. Setting the Bevel...
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
It is extremely difficult to badly screw up a razor by honing, stropping or shaving. Most errors can be easily rectified by just resett the bevel if needed and going through the honing progression again, this time without the mistake(s) you made the previous time.
You may greatly reduce the lifetime of a razor, but short of cracking it or breaking a chunk out, you won't ruin one.
The King 1k is quite soft, but this shouldn't be a problem with razors, you don't need much pressure. Never raise a burr, you want a clean apex at 1k. Alternate strokes on both sides, or if you want to do circles, do 5 and flip the razor and do 5 on the other side. Ideally you will never form enough burr to tear it off later.
Keep the 6k side wet, they cut very fast and you and end up with dry swarf stuck on the stone and it won't hone until you get it off. Took me a long time to figure that out, my big King 6k gets used for everything.
The King 1k is quite soft, but this shouldn't be a problem with razors, you don't need much pressure. Never raise a burr, you want a clean apex at 1k. Alternate strokes on both sides, or if you want to do circles, do 5 and flip the razor and do 5 on the other side. Ideally you will never form enough burr to tear it off later.
Keep the 6k side wet, they cut very fast and you and end up with dry swarf stuck on the stone and it won't hone until you get it off. Took me a long time to figure that out, my big King 6k gets used for everything.
Yea, try a lab rinse squirt bottle and plastic food tray, rather than a spray bottle. A lab bottle allows you to add a drop or flood the stone.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
If you read a lot of cheap hone threads in various forums, the buyers of cheap hones always end up with something better. So the cost of the cheap stones are in addition to the better ones that inevitably follow.
Good whetstones have always cost more. Maybe it would be useful to think about how to make a cheap whetstone.
- grit is expensive. The first thing to do is use less grit. A half or a third. Hitting the price point is the goal.
- well graded grit is even more expensive. After cutting the amount, use grit from 100 to 800 in my 1k stone. This is called ‘marketing’.
- use a cheap binder that doesn’t require high tech manufacturing. These are usually soft.
- quality control. They’ve heard of that but they’re not throwing anything out.
Buy a good bevel setter at least. A King will work and is not expensive.
I like the part about aliens at 11:30.
Good whetstones have always cost more. Maybe it would be useful to think about how to make a cheap whetstone.
- grit is expensive. The first thing to do is use less grit. A half or a third. Hitting the price point is the goal.
- well graded grit is even more expensive. After cutting the amount, use grit from 100 to 800 in my 1k stone. This is called ‘marketing’.
- use a cheap binder that doesn’t require high tech manufacturing. These are usually soft.
- quality control. They’ve heard of that but they’re not throwing anything out.
Buy a good bevel setter at least. A King will work and is not expensive.
I like the part about aliens at 11:30.
