I am finding myself in a position that I have more stones than razors. Which means I get more "pleasure" honing than edge retention. At this point in time, I want to re-hone every single time (fortunately I am not required to be clean shaven every day for work) and not worry about edge retention. Anyone else feel this way? Anyone else just considering a finishing stone rotation (I am sure this has come up lots of times...) once bevel is set?
Honing frequency: Modern outlook?
- Thread starter pravula
- Start date
I find honing to be very relaxing and have definitely honed plenty of razors before they needed it. What I like to do though is getting an easily replaceable razor to be honed whenever I get the itch. I still probably hone my other razors a bit earlier than needed but I'm not adding wear to a nice razor everytime I get the itch.
Just enjoying the hobby!
Just enjoying the hobby!
I also enjoy the stress relief of honing. As suggested, get a few razors that you don’t mind putting the wear and tear on. There are plenty of classics on eBay that are begging for new homes. When you get tired of them, pass them down the line.
The quality of a straight razor shave is directly related to the quality of the edge. You will never get a great shave from an OK edge. And the more you hone and shave, the better your edges. As has been said: hone, shave, repeat.
Therefore, it is nice to always have a couple of razors with great edges on hand. Get yourself a little stash of high-quality, user-grade vintage razors, and keep on honing.
Therefore, it is nice to always have a couple of razors with great edges on hand. Get yourself a little stash of high-quality, user-grade vintage razors, and keep on honing.
I usually hone an edge when it no longer feels 'fresh off the stones'.
I may just rehone something to 'see' what doing x, y, and Z does for an edge.
Then there are new razors and restorations to deal with.
And there are usually enough honing options on hand to keep me entertained.
I keep it simple.
I hone what I want, when I want, how I want, with what I want.
I don't put any more thought into it than that.
Lists, progressions, cycles, rotations, meh.... not interested.
I do this for fun so I just like to go where my mood takes me.
I get new razors and stones periodically to keep things fresh.
I may just rehone something to 'see' what doing x, y, and Z does for an edge.
Then there are new razors and restorations to deal with.
And there are usually enough honing options on hand to keep me entertained.
I keep it simple.
I hone what I want, when I want, how I want, with what I want.
I don't put any more thought into it than that.
Lists, progressions, cycles, rotations, meh.... not interested.
I do this for fun so I just like to go where my mood takes me.
I get new razors and stones periodically to keep things fresh.
I think honing is the most rewarding part of this hobby,even better than shaving.
Manage to put a crisp, keen and forgiving edge to a razor still gives me great pleasure after all this years.
Manage to put a crisp, keen and forgiving edge to a razor still gives me great pleasure after all this years.
The usual solution is to have addictively bought enough old rehab project razors that you have a box or drawer of the things, and can grab one whenever you want to spend time with the stones.
Naturally, I would never have such a box or drawer, because I'm better than that...I keep mine in a basket.
I don’t keep track of when a razor was honed or what it was finished on. If the mood strikes I break out the hone(s). Sometimes it’s a full progression but most times the razor hits a finisher.
I’m with the rest, I really like a fresh off the hone edge.
I’m with the rest, I really like a fresh off the hone edge.
I'm the opposite. Hate honing. Try to do as little as possible. Try to maintain my edge and do the bare minimum to keep it shaving comfortably. It's worked for 50+ years.
I'm more toward BobYourUncle's camp. I don't necessarily hate honing per se, but it is hard to find time to hone. So I tend to hone when something actually needs it. I have a couple dozen razors in rotation, so it's hard for me to really keep track. However, I usually do remember the less than good shaves. A few less than good shaves in a row from a razor, and that razor sees a hone. Usually I also remember something along the lines of "hey it's been more than 2 years since I've honed this thing it probably DOES need it" as i do it.
I have a large razor, stone and strop collection and like honing. I have about 50 razors in a “rotation” and currently 5 razors laid out that I am shaving with round robin.
If a razor feels “not right” for whatever reason, it goes in a cup and will get re honed at the next session.
I do a lot of experimenting with hones and strops, lately have been trying to build quality edges with a minimal of stones/honing and stropping. I put a piece of masking tape on the scale and document how it was finished.
To touch up, I drop down to a vintage King 6k that makes a near mirror finish. I have been on a Jnat kick for the past couple months, so all are Jnat edges.
Ironically, I don’t like shaving, I’m 15 minutes, start to finish. One pass WTG, one ATG.
If a razor feels “not right” for whatever reason, it goes in a cup and will get re honed at the next session.
I do a lot of experimenting with hones and strops, lately have been trying to build quality edges with a minimal of stones/honing and stropping. I put a piece of masking tape on the scale and document how it was finished.
To touch up, I drop down to a vintage King 6k that makes a near mirror finish. I have been on a Jnat kick for the past couple months, so all are Jnat edges.
Ironically, I don’t like shaving, I’m 15 minutes, start to finish. One pass WTG, one ATG.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
I hone more than I need to because it’s fun. Granted, my 2 razors in the rotation now haven’t touch led any rocks in over a month, but that will change soon. I don’t mind long-term wear. They are tools, not photo ops.
So would you say that your hobby is honing razors and that shaving with them is just an excuse to get them worn enough to need honing?
“So would you say that your hobby is honing razors and that shaving with them is just an excuse to get them worn enough to need honing?”
Yea, I do like a close shave, and especially a keen comfortable razor that shaves well, but shaving is for me just a chore.
I am more about the experimenting with honing and looking for the 2%. Still buying razors that interest me and will buy a stone because of how it looks or a black one, if I think there is potential there.
Recently bought a handful of pristine vintage Dovo’s, post war. Back when they made RAZORS.
Yea, I do like a close shave, and especially a keen comfortable razor that shaves well, but shaving is for me just a chore.
I am more about the experimenting with honing and looking for the 2%. Still buying razors that interest me and will buy a stone because of how it looks or a black one, if I think there is potential there.
Recently bought a handful of pristine vintage Dovo’s, post war. Back when they made RAZORS.
I feel the same way as you. I just really enjoy the process of honing a blade. So I decided to buy a cheap gold dollar and go to town with it whenever I feel like honing.
I also had to refresh my edges after every shave. Every two shaves tops...not because I love doing so, so much as there just being something about my beard/skin that dulls razors quickly. After one or two shaves the tugging became unbearable and absolutely no amount of stropping would bring the edge back to where I needed it to be.
I had this same experience, maybe 3-5 shaves and then I'd need to refresh the edge. Funny thing though, as I got better at honing and stropping, my edges lasted longer and longer. These skills improve over time and you don't realize that it's happening unless you look back at where you were a year ago.
Certainly, practice and technique are paramount, though I spent the whole of covid lockdown exploring this issue and am confident it's not a technique issue by and large. When I was in Rome recently I had a professional barber shave me with a straight (can't in the US) and even that wasn't particularly comfortable. It just felt tuggy. Great experience otherwise though. The towels were surprisingly relaxing. I even got to the point where my edges were more comfortable than the Roman barbers or any of the other edges i had commissioned on the forums, but that slightly painful tugging (especially around the goatee area) must never disappeared or matched my shavettes in sharpness and comfort.
A heavy grind seemed to help some, as did scything...but not enough to carry the experience and tedium of having to hone weekly. In hindsight I also should have tried a high carbon razor as it the only obvious factor. It is what it is.
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