Getting to Shave Ready on Your Own

[Twelvefret]

In no way is this meant to be a definitive process for making a razor shave ready on your own, but an attempt to explain what I have done 5 times to produce a comfortable and effective shave on a variety of styles and razor conditions that superbly compare to those shave ready razors I have received from online vendors.

You will see all my shave ready equipment. I keep it all in a plastic case which includes wet/dry sand up to 2500, 0000 steel wool , Mothers metal polish. This case includes micro fiber cloths, pastes, and tools.

You will notice I use a 12x12 white marble tile and a full sheet of lapping film. This is not necessary, but it is what works for me. You can cut the lapping film into strips and use a more narrow tile.

You need to spray water on the tile once it has been cleaned. You then take the credit card and squeegee so no water is underneath the film. You then spray water on the film. You simply move forward and back keeping the blade and not the shoulder on the film/tile for 30-40 laps before moving to the next lower numbered grit. Take your time, so slow, count, relax, have a beer. listen to relaxing music. More than anything learn and feel how the blade evolved between films.

I hold the razor near the edge, but you get the idea the razor goes forward and then backward using the "burr method".

If the razor is really is bad shape I make 40 laps in each direction using the burr method. 30 if in good condition.

My films are 30, 12, 9, 5, 3, 1, .3, .5 microns. I do 30-40 in one direction and 30-40 in the other. I leave the razor on the film as I move back to the starting blade forward position.

After I have gone through the films I dry off the blade and strop with Chromium Oxide on the rough out side of the paddle strop then on the smooth side. Depending on my mood I will wipe off the blade and strop on horse hide and linen Illinois strop or pasted diamond paste using the balsa shown. Don't contaminate your hanging strop with diamond or CrO2 paste.

I've learned the feel that I know will shave. It's very very smooth and the blade could easily bury in my thumbs epidermis. The feel is not a bite, but a slow dive. It's a bit disconcerting.

Please understand I am only into using a SR for 4-6 weeks and other here have forgotten more than I will ever know. It is just that so many new members are interested in using a SR and trying to learn can be overwhelming as it was with me. I applaud @steveclarkus for getting me to this point.

 

[steveclarkus]

Yep - just follow the yellow brick road:

Newbie Honing Compendium

 

[AimlessWanderer]

That's far more systemised than my approach, Twelvefret. I just winged it, and its not an approach I'd recommend. I got there in the end, but I'd certainly advise anyone less experimental follow the wisdom of posts like this, than just dive in and see what happens, like I'm prone to doing

Particularly noteworthy is this bit in my opinion...

More than anything learn and feel how the blade evolved between films.

What should happen, and what is happening, is not necessarily the same. Personally, I didn't count, I just waited till I could feel change, and the water on the film was being pushed because the edge was right down on the film surface. As I was less consistent in my approach than Twelvefret, the number of passes to achieve positive change varied.

I will add that I have even less experience, only getting one straight back to shaving condition, and nearly but not quite getting some single edge hollow ground blades restored - I need to do a little more refining on those. Maybe I'll pay more attention to sage advise this time. Maybe.

Nah, who am I kidding, I'll probably just fudge it again even though I'd never recommend that to others

 

[Twelvefret]

That's far more systemised than my approach, Twelvefret. I just winged it, and its not an approach I'd recommend. I got there in the end, but I'd certainly advise anyone less experimental follow the wisdom of posts like this, than just dive in and see what happens, like I'm prone to doing

Particularly noteworthy is this bit in my opinion...



What should happen, and what is happening, is not necessarily the same. Personally, I didn't count, I just waited till I could feel change, and the water on the film was being pushed because the edge was right down on the film surface. As I was less consistent in my approach than Twelvefret, the number of passes to achieve positive change varied.

I will add that I have even less experience, only getting one straight back to shaving condition, and nearly but not quite getting some single edge hollow ground blades restored - I need to do a little more refining on those. Maybe I'll pay more attention to sage advise this time. Maybe.

Nah, who am I kidding, I'll probably just fudge it again even though I'd never recommend that to others

Maybe counting laps takes one element of variation out of the equation. I am sure the pressure I impose on the blade varies as much as I try not to.

After the 30 micro film I got the magnifying glasses out and saw and felt the burr. I did 10 more laps in case I had damaged the burr formation.

Yes, feeling the blade evolve from rough to smooth is fun.

 

[steveclarkus]

I count primarily to keep a rhythm and to keep my mind from wandering. This is especially important for me when stropping on leather. When I quit counting, I start thinking and when I start thinking, disaster awaits.

 

[Twelvefret]

I count primarily to keep a rhythm and to keep my mind from wandering. This is especially important for me when stropping on leather. When I quit counting, I start thinking and when I start thinking, disaster awaits.

So if you had 30 laps on one side and 45 on the other, would it matter?

 

[steveclarkus]

Practically speaking, possibly not but I always try to keep them as even as I can so the bevel will be consistent from side to side - especially setting the bevel where you remove the most steel.

 

[Twelvefret]

Practically speaking, possibly not but I always try to keep them as even as I can so the bevel will be consistent from side to side - especially setting the bevel where you remove the most steel.

My thought as well and why I count.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Ah, so you guys do one side then the other? Whether honing or stropping, every pass on one side, is followed by a pass on the other, so while the number of passes may vary, they will be equal.

 

[Twelvefret]

Ah, so you guys do one side then the other? Whether honing or stropping, every pass on one side, is followed by a pass on the other, so while the number of passes may vary, they will be equal.

No, honing only. I am following @steveclarkus and he is following @Slash McCoy using: Setting the Bevel with the Burr Method

 

[AimlessWanderer]

No, honing only. I am following @steveclarkus and he is following @Slash McCoy using: Setting the Bevel with the Burr Method

Thanks for the clarification. I've done similar when sharpening knives in the past, but these days I prefer to swap between the two on each swipe.

 

[Twelvefret]

Thanks for the clarification. I've done similar when sharpening knives in the past, but these days I prefer to swap between the two on each swipe.

What do you do with knives to maintain the bevel angle when honing?

 

[AimlessWanderer]

What do you do with knives to maintain the bevel angle when honing?

If it's a reprofile, or major damage removal, I'll use a Worksharp. Otherwise, I don't seek to maintain an angle with any form of guide, I go freehand. This can lead to a convexed edge due to inconsistencies between swipes, but I'm happy with that

 

[Twelvefret]

If it's a reprofile, or major damage removal, I'll use a Worksharp. Otherwise, I don't seek to maintain an angle with any form of guide, I go freehand. This can lead to a convexed edge due to inconsistencies between swipes, but I'm happy with that

Well, that's what I have done, but I did get some of those x shaped steels.

 

[Jim99]

My method is simple and works well for me. I use a set of Norton stones; a 1k for bevel setting, 5k, 8k and a 12k for finishing. The stones are costly compared to pastes and lapping films, but they quickly get my razors shave ready with no complications.

 

[steveclarkus]

Ah, so you guys do one side then the other? Whether honing or stropping, every pass on one side, is followed by a pass on the other, so while the number of passes may vary, they will be equal.

Yes except for setting the bevel. For example maybe 40 laps on one side then flip and do 40 laps on the other. Then same with 20 laps then half it again and so on. I had been rubbing one side until I got a burr and then the other side but I could end up with bevels not quite matching side to side because I didn't know how many laps it had taken to raise the first burr and ended up honing away too much steel. The way I'm doing it now is easier to keep up with. After the bevel is confirmed set, I do alternating laps on up the progression. Basically it is just whatever you are comfortable with and find to be most efficient.

 

[steveclarkus]

If it's a reprofile, or major damage removal, I'll use a Worksharp. Otherwise, I don't seek to maintain an angle with any form of guide, I go freehand. This can lead to a convexed edge due to inconsistencies between swipes, but I'm happy with that

I use a Workshop for knives as well and know one person that uses one to set bevels on wedges - freehand since the guide doesn't have a "wedge" setting. Very good tool for people like me who have never had success sharpening knives freehand.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

Yes except for setting the bevel. For example maybe 40 laps on one side then flip and do 40 laps on the other. Then same with 20 laps then half it again and so on.

But if the burr hasn't become well defined on one side after the initial 40, wouldn't you be reducing it before it's fully formed when you flip the razor? I thought the whole idea of the burr method was to get a detectable burr along the entire edge before flipping and "moving" the burr to the other side. After that you do an even reduction stepwise down to alternating passes. I'm not sure that the initial burr phases necessarily align well with lap counting.

So while I agree that you could wind up with a slightly off-center edge, I think that may be the price you pay (that and a bit more steel) for a foolproof way of ensuring a good bevel.

 

[steveclarkus]

But if the burr hasn't become well defined on one side after the initial 40, wouldn't you be reducing it before it's fully formed when you flip the razor? I thought the whole idea of the burr method was to get a detectable burr along the entire edge before flipping and "moving" the burr to the other side. After that you do an even reduction stepwise down to alternating passes. I'm not sure that the initial burr phases necessarily align well with lap counting.

So while I agree that you could wind up with a slightly off-center edge, I think that may be the price you pay (that and a bit more steel) for a foolproof way of ensuring a good bevel.

As the bevel develops toward an apex, there will be a point where the burr comes up and will also do so quickly once the razor is flipped. I can visualize what is happening but unfortunately can't describe it verbally. The way I was doing it initially, I had gotten unbalanced bevels from side to side and it doesn't seem to happen with the way I'm doing it now. I don't believe this way removes more steel though. To be certain, I would need to buy more razors (and you know we don't like having to do that) because once a bevel is set, it won't be necessary to do it again. When I am using this method, I check every few laps for a burr and if I feel one, I flip the blade. I don't know if I am making a bit of sense but what I'm trying to do is become a bit more efficient. I may be wrong but it is just an idea. Honing isn't something that I find amusing so I just use The Method, get incredible edges and really have no interest in experimenting with stones and such.

 

[Dzaw]

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve been using burr method to set bevel angles on knives for decades. It isn’t rocket science;

Swipe on one side until there is a burr along the entire opposite edge. This may take 20 swipes, or maybe 50, or maybe 100. Commonly less than 50, but I’ve had a few blades that were stubborn enough to last to nearly 100.

Once you’ve raised a burr all along the edge on one side, flip the blade over so the burr hits the stone. Swipe on this side for however many swipes the first side took. This is almost always sufficient to raise the burr on the opposite side.

Then progressively fewer one sided swipes are used to evenly grind the burr down and away. If it took me 50 swipes to achieve the burr, then 50 on side “b” to raise it on the other side, I will proceed to do 40 on one side, then 35 on the other, then back over to do 30, etc. when I hit 10, I then go down to 9, 8, etc.

The point to a diminishing number of one sided swipes like this is to grind down the burr, removing from both sides, and leaving an apex as sharp and even as this level of abrasive can do.

When I get down to 1, I begin back and forth alternating laps. A lap is a swipe on side “a”, followed by a swipe on side “b”.

I will end the rough, bevel setting abrasive with a number of back and fort laps equal to how many swipes it took to raise the first burr.