Hi Laz

[AFDavis11]

Wooops,

Sorry Laz, I didn't think that would generate so much interest. I ran it about 10 laps over my Carborundum (not sure what grit it is), then 6 laps over .5 this morning. I'll shave with it this morning and tell you what it feels like. This particular blade is old and feels soft. The very tip of the blade doesn't seem to make good contact with the hone. Sad, but it still shaves pretty well. I'll give you a report and then likely move to another blade. I have two that are not shaving well. My World Master 6/8 and that nasty stainless.....

I think I'm just going to keep practicing all this stuff to hone in (no pun intended) my understanding.

I consider the Swaty to be slow but obviously I don't understand the science behind it at all. To me if its smooth it should be slow and if its rough it should be fast. I consider my Carborundum to be "about" 6,000. But thats only because it is smoother than the 4,000 and rougher than the 8,000. I'm probably simplifying too much.

I did need to use pressure for the shave, maybe I'm still not pulling the skin right. I still want to know exactly how sharp I can consistently get a blade. I'm pretty certain I'm not getting it yet.

 

[AFDavis11]

Just got a fabulous shave...incredible. Soooo smooth and nice. I even shaved off a three day growth of goatee. I stropped once in the middle, and I do prefer using the right hand only. I ran the blade over the Swaty 3 laps in the middle and over the .5 just to see what it would do and it seems to be even a little better. Did the entire 3rd pass without cream and it was very smooth and comfy (one of my tests) Very exciting, I suppose I'll now put this one away and attack the stainless as I have gotten two great shaves with it so maybe I will allow it out of the closet...instead of into the trash bin.

So now I have a Fox razor shaving great...and a razor that I don't know the brand of (it has a bamboo style scale). Now on to the two Dovos, maybe the World Master first or maybe the stainless. mmmmmm. Any votes out there...lol

This thread is helping me out immensly, I thought I was going to be relegated to pasted strops forever...

 

[AFDavis11]

Well not that it is my turn to speak again but I went out looking for Goop to clean up my strop and couldn't find any. I purchased a product called GoJo that seems very similar. I applied it to my strop and it seems to have beautified and softened the strop up very nicely. I'll post my results of the shave tomorrow. The strop just feels soooooo much nicer now. I spent some time with the .5 balsa strop and smoothed the edges of the blades nicely.

 

[AFDavis11]

I was able to hone up that stainless in 10 min with the Carborundum, hit it with .5 paste on balsa wood and got the best shave of my life this morning. Woooo Hoooooo....on to the World Master next...

 

[Joe Lerch]

I was able to hone up that stainless in 10 min with the Carborundum, hit it with .5 paste on balsa wood and got the best shave of my life this morning. Woooo Hoooooo....on to the World Master next...

Nice going! Is the carborundum a barber hone? If so, what's the number on the side.

 

[AFDavis11]

I think it is a barber hone but there is no number on the side that I can find

 

[Joe Lerch]

I think it is a barber hone but there is no number on the side that I can find

I see. All the carborundum barber hones I've seen have a model number on one of the long edges.

 

[Laz in Tampa]

I have a Carborundum model 201 that is a combo hone. It is smaller than a Swaty sized hone, and has no markings on it. The box it came in says it is a model 201. It says it is a Carborundum-Aloxite combination razor hone.

 

[Joe Lerch]

I have a Carborundum model 201 that is a combo hone. It is smaller than a Swaty sized hone, and has no markings on it. The box it came in says it is a model 201. It says it is a Carborundum-Aloxite combination razor hone.

That one sounds interesting. I'm trying to get some coarseer barber hones. How would you describe the coarse side of this one?

 

[Laz in Tampa]

Coarser then the smooth side, but still overall a fine grit. I have searched for a "coarse" barber type hone for edge restoration, and I think that our forefathers probably didn't see the need to manufacture what could be had naturally and worked fine-- Arkansas stones.

 

[Joe Lerch]

Coarser then the smooth side, but still overall a fine grit. I have searched for a "coarse" barber type hone for edge restoration, and I think that our forefathers probably didn't see the need to manufacture what could be had naturally and worked fine-- Arkansas stones.

I'm looking for the same thing.

The problem with the Arkansas stone is that you need to use oil.

I have a frictionite two sided hone where the coarse side is still pretty fine, but can reastore but not create an edge. The finest diamond hone can create the edge, but it requires to much work with any barber hone to bring it to the point where I can use a finishing hone. The cushion strop hone is fast but still not fast or coarse enough.

I need something like a 3-4K stone, but so far, no luck.

 

[AFDavis11]

Mine came with the original box and says No. 103 inside the box...that help? Any idea what grit that makes this one?

 

[Joe Lerch]

Mine came with the original box and says No. 103 inside the box...that help? Any idea what grit that makes this one?

I have no idea what the numbers mean. I just wanted see if it was one of the hones I have.

 

[AFDavis11]

Is it?

 

[Joe Lerch]

No. My carborundums seem to be a little coarser than other barber hones. How about yours?

 

[AFDavis11]

Yes, absolutely I like its size and grit and speed, seems to be a great all around hone to me. A little gritty and yet very smooth.

 

[AFDavis11]

My razors are all shaving really well now...perhaps they are at the best possible or perhaps not

98. Is it possible to overhone a razor using just .5 paste and is this the most sensible approach to attempting to get the razor really, really sharp?

97. Should I consider .25 paste?

96. What is an inexpensive hone I can buy new or new old stock to take a razor from shaving great to shaving wow...like 12,000 grit and above or higher? I'm looking for a specific name...

95. Do you strop in the middle of a shave?

94. Do you stretch the skin around your chin? I can't decide if thats helping or hurting and whether I should keep doing that. Or just stretch it a little...am I trying to make a flat surface or raise the whiskers a little.

93. That neck area isn't getting very close, any suggestions? I can live with it but thought Id ask

92. Whats your favorite shaving soap?


Ok, thats it for now, the stainless is shaving great btw and so are all the others.

I'm considering a 1/2 hollow razor next, any thoughts?

Now with very sharp blades each shave is getting better and better just due to practice...pretty cool.

 

[Laz in Tampa]

My razors are all shaving really well now...perhaps they are at the best possible or perhaps not

98. Is it possible to overhone a razor using just .5 paste and is this the most sensible approach to attempting to get the razor really, really sharp?

Pastes are a preference, like using a certain brand of hone. I encourage experimentation. I did a whole lot of it when starting out. Nothing works on everything all the time, IMHO. I have some razors that shave at a 100% satisfaction level with nothing more than a hone, but some need that extra "oomph" that paste can give. I won't say it is the most sensible approach, but it certainly should be tried if you feel like experimenting with it. Can you overhone with it? I really don't have the answer to that one. I don't use pastes exclusively, or even half the time. Just when a hone don't seem to get a certain razor to my satisfaction. You might consider some "Black Diamond" paste from www.handamerican.com It comes in 6 and 1.8 micron grit sizes, which are about the 4000 and 14,000 grit range.

97. Should I consider .25 paste?

Yes, why not. Get some .5 and .25 in the same shipment, save on shipping.

96. What is an inexpensive hone I can buy new or new old stock to take a razor from shaving great to shaving wow...like 12,000 grit and above or higher? I'm looking for a specific name...

Get with Tilly, Redtrader99 at yahoo dotcom, or www.redtrader99.com, for a good finishing hone. She bought out the American Hone Company inventory a few years back, she has a lot of good stuff. Tell her Laz sent ya.... A Norton 4000/8000 waterstone combo for about 60 bucks is a good setup, too.

95. Do you strop in the middle of a shave?

Not in the middle, but between the with and against the grain shavings.

94. Do you stretch the skin around your chin? I can't decide if thats helping or hurting and whether I should keep doing that. Or just stretch it a little...am I trying to make a flat surface or raise the whiskers a little.

I stretch my chin skin with funny mouth contortions.

93. That neck area isn't getting very close, any suggestions? I can live with it but thought Id ask

My neck, especially on the right side of my Adams Apple, has always given me problems. Try shaving E-W as best you can.

92. Whats your favorite shaving soap?

I like creams. like Colgate Later (in a tube). A friend sent me some samples of some creams, but I can't remember what they are. Ask in the Shaving Soap room here. You will get a lot of answers to chew on.

Ok, thats it for now, the stainless is shaving great btw and so are all the others.

I'm considering a 1/2 hollow razor next, any thoughts?

Now with very sharp blades each shave is getting better and better just due to practice...pretty cool.

What did you do to get the SS shaving well?

1/2 hollows are great, nice solid feel, but they may take a bit more honing due to the thicker blade.

Glad to hear your shaves are getting better and better, practice makes perfect!

 

[AFDavis11]

On the stainless I think it was your suggestion to add laps that finally got it but if I recall after the Norton I attacked it with the Carborundum and then the pastes. I let the Carborundum soak a little in the lather, cleaned it off really well and then heated the stainless blade up with hot water. My rational at the time was that a heated blade might hone easier and might cool sharper, silly, but results are results...

 

[Laz in Tampa]

Hey, whatever works, use!