Hey Guys, thought I'd just share my experience. I've been straight shaving for about 4 years but only recently found the shave forums, go figure.
I have a stainless solingen (dovo?) blade, it says Renaissance in black etch.
Anyway, I've been using leather stretched over wood with a jewelers rouge polishing paste the entire 4 years without honing at all. I did start to favor the tip and heel as they were sharper so progressively I started shaving with quite a blunt blade.
Reading the sections on honing (thanks to everybody) I decided it's time to try. I have a Lansky sharpening system for my knives but the stones are way too narrow for this. With no access to anything else and with a blunt razor, I decided on fine sandpaper. I figured I couldn't make it worse.
Starting with 1200 grit, I stretched it over some plate glass (round the edges with a diamond thingy first) taped it underneath to keep it taught and wet it slightly with water and a little liquid hand soap. All went well, I thought, after using a piece of 4/0 polishing paper and my strop it shaved hairs off my arm but still pulled a little and the middle section of the blade was still not cutting as well as the tip and heel. Reading more on the forum I came across the section on edge uniformity, deciding my bevels were not uniform. Back to the plate glass but starting with 1000 this time and not moving on until I could see the edge was uniform. On to 1200 and then the 4/0 and paddle strop. Viola!! It's shaving better than when I first got it.
I wouldn't recommend sandpaper if you actually have hones and I'm ordering my coticule from my brother who lives in Belgium but if you're stuck with no resources and a blunt blade, you can make a plan. Just be careful, I have a steady hand and good eye from making jewelery all day every day, I'm not sure if this will work for everyone.
ps. About the Belgian stones, do I need the blue as well as the yellow? I also see the yellow come in narrow sizes, should I get bout and hope it's wide enough for my blade, or use the narrow with an x motion?
I have a stainless solingen (dovo?) blade, it says Renaissance in black etch.
Anyway, I've been using leather stretched over wood with a jewelers rouge polishing paste the entire 4 years without honing at all. I did start to favor the tip and heel as they were sharper so progressively I started shaving with quite a blunt blade.
Reading the sections on honing (thanks to everybody) I decided it's time to try. I have a Lansky sharpening system for my knives but the stones are way too narrow for this. With no access to anything else and with a blunt razor, I decided on fine sandpaper. I figured I couldn't make it worse.
Starting with 1200 grit, I stretched it over some plate glass (round the edges with a diamond thingy first) taped it underneath to keep it taught and wet it slightly with water and a little liquid hand soap. All went well, I thought, after using a piece of 4/0 polishing paper and my strop it shaved hairs off my arm but still pulled a little and the middle section of the blade was still not cutting as well as the tip and heel. Reading more on the forum I came across the section on edge uniformity, deciding my bevels were not uniform. Back to the plate glass but starting with 1000 this time and not moving on until I could see the edge was uniform. On to 1200 and then the 4/0 and paddle strop. Viola!! It's shaving better than when I first got it.
I wouldn't recommend sandpaper if you actually have hones and I'm ordering my coticule from my brother who lives in Belgium but if you're stuck with no resources and a blunt blade, you can make a plan. Just be careful, I have a steady hand and good eye from making jewelery all day every day, I'm not sure if this will work for everyone.
ps. About the Belgian stones, do I need the blue as well as the yellow? I also see the yellow come in narrow sizes, should I get bout and hope it's wide enough for my blade, or use the narrow with an x motion?
