Is honing as Zen as it looks?

[thrown.clear]

I know myself pretty well. I usually know what's going to make me happy. And the idea of sitting down with a nice collection of hones, some clean towels, a tub of water and a badly neglected straight; and then spending several hours turning that razor into a shave-ready tool - well, that just sounds like heaven.

I've been toying with the idea of straight-razor-shaving for some time, but now that I see what can be done with hones, I think I'm ready to take the plunge. Does this make me weird? Do any of the rest of you love the process of taking metal from dull to sharp?

 

[jendeindustries]

Weird? Why would that be weird here?

It is every bit as rewarding as you think it may be, IMO, but only when you start getting good results. The path to success is littered with failure, but don't give up. There's plenty of help to be found here.

 

[RF1963]

I haven't tried to hone a dud to shave ready but I do maintain my razors with a combination of stone and pastes and that is very therapeutic.

On a connected note since starting all this I decided to attend to our kitchen knives, various pen knives etc we had around. That was a very satisfactory afternoon - a bit like the criminal in Layer Cake explaining how he stripped and reassembled guns whilst meditating.

 

[grump]

I know myself pretty well. I usually know what's going to make me happy. And the idea of sitting down with a nice collection of hones, some clean towels, a tub of water and a badly neglected straight; and then spending several hours turning that razor into a shave-ready tool - well, that just sounds like heaven.

I've been toying with the idea of straight-razor-shaving for some time, but now that I see what can be done with hones, I think I'm ready to take the plunge. Does this make me weird? Do any of the rest of you love the process of taking metal from dull to sharp?

No and Yes

 

[Chimensch]

That's pretty much the way it is... although for me, the center of the experience is the shave itself and everything else is peripheral. I do find honing my razors relaxing and it makes them "mine" in a way far beyond the fact that I bought them.

 

[honed]

Honing is pure pleasure!
And having a great shave with a razor you honed from eBay-special to super sharp is really something else!

Weird?
Depends on who you ask I think.

100 years ago it was a skill that many men could do well, just like taking down a big tree with an axe or put shoes on a horse.

Today most men can drive a car or install a new DVD player.

I like the "old" skills more.

In some circles that is considered weird.
Do I care?

Nah, I just rub my utterly smooth face & walk away

 

[Legion]

I think it can be. I spent yesterday honing razors from totally blunt and towards the end it just seemed to click. Muscle memory took over and my brain kind of switched off. I shaved with that razor today and it is my sharpest and smoothest ever.

 

[mdunn]

im still learning to get a good edge - so no, not zen for me. im at the stage of wanting to throw my hones out the window.

 

[johnmrson]

I quite enjoy it. Ocassionally you get a real #$&% of a razor and that can be a pain but generally honing is relaxing.

 

[Wid]

I too just started. I've been lucky and have honed two razors from taking chips out to finish and have ended up with a pretty nice edge on both.

I have also tried one with a pronounced smile and failed miserably. So any razor I buy to hone will for now on, at least until I acquire some skills, will be one with a really straight blade.

 

[Woodash]

I know myself pretty well. I usually know what's going to make me happy. And the idea of sitting down with a nice collection of hones, some clean towels, a tub of water and a badly neglected straight; and then spending several hours turning that razor into a shave-ready tool - well, that just sounds like heaven.

Actually, I think that 'Zen' is every bit how you hold your mind when it's NOT going so well, or according to plan....

 

[LarryAndro]

You are starting to hone. Here's the advice I wished had been given to me when I started. Or, more likely, the advice that was given that I didn't comprehend...

When I started honing, there was so much talk about setting the bevel on the 1K that I focused on the 1K too much. And, I wasted many hours!

In my opinion, the 1K hone is not the best hone for setting the bevel. It is the best hone for finishing the setting of the bevel. In my opinion, usually you should set the bevel, create the bevel shape, on a coarser hone and a very flat hone. I use the DMT 220, 325, and 600. (I might not start on the 220. It depends on how much reconstruction is needed.)

The DMTs are for roughing in the shape of the statue. The 1K hone is for the fine work, giving definition to the face and features. (Forgive the analogy.)

That is why I believe the 1K hone is best for finishing the setting of the bevel.

When I started, I might spend an hour on the 1K. Or, more! Now, I average just a few minutes on the 1K. When you use a sequence of DMTs (or equivalent), you move up thru them in an efficient way, not spending much time on any of the hones.

There are many ways to hone. I believe I use DMTs more aggressively than most. Some use the 1K more than I do. You have to find your own way. There is no such thing as wrong if the edge shaves!

 

[azmark]

Honing is indeed soothing for me. Sometimes while my wife reads I'll set along side her and hone a razor and usually a razor that doesn't even need it. My wife thinks it's crazy to sit there staring at something so intently and quietly....all this while she reads intently and quietly.

Everyone has their outlet. I prefer using a bandsaw, drill press, sander, honing and stropping to sooth this savage beast

 

[TstebinsB]

Is honing as Zen as it looks?

If you know what you're doing, then . If you don't know, then .

 

[Woodash]

Is honing as Zen as it looks?

If you know what you're doing, then . If you don't know, then .

I will take a different view, Telly. I have been told more than once that in order to be fully engaged (e.g., honing or whatever...), you actually need to 'not know'.

But that's another can of worms....

 

[BladeRunner001]

You're not weird. Well...at least, not as far as wanting to hone

It is very therapeutic to me. More so than I had initially thought

 

[dakotaev]

As many of the others said, when you're getting good results its awesome. When you run into a @#$#$ blade it can be frustrating. Although I'm finding as I go along I've started to solve some of the razors that gave me problems before. Now THAT is Zen to me.

 

[Walker]

Larry makes a great point here. I started with a Noton 1K and could never get good results. I now start with a Norton 220 (when i'm not using my Coticules) and get a lot better results. Honing can be frustrating at times. When you feel yourself not having fun anymore put them away and come back to it later. When you finally get that shave ready edge it is a great feeling.

You are starting to hone. Here's the advice I wished had been given to me when I started. Or, more likely, the advice that was given that I didn't comprehend...

When I started honing, there was so much talk about setting the bevel on the 1K that I focused on the 1K too much. And, I wasted many hours!

In my opinion, the 1K hone is not the best hone for setting the bevel. It is the best hone for finishing the setting of the bevel. In my opinion, usually you should set the bevel, create the bevel shape, on a coarser hone and a very flat hone. I use the DMT 220, 325, and 600. (I might not start on the 220. It depends on how much reconstruction is needed.)

The DMTs are for roughing in the shape of the statue. The 1K hone is for the fine work, giving definition to the face and features. (Forgive the analogy.)

That is why I believe the 1K hone is best for finishing the setting of the bevel.

When I started, I might spend an hour on the 1K. Or, more! Now, I average just a few minutes on the 1K. When you use a sequence of DMTs (or equivalent), you move up thru them in an efficient way, not spending much time on any of the hones.

There are many ways to hone. I believe I use DMTs more aggressively than most. Some use the 1K more than I do. You have to find your own way. There is no such thing as wrong if the edge shaves!

 

[SliceOfLife]

You are starting to hone. Here's the advice I wished had been given to me when I started. Or, more likely, the advice that was given that I didn't comprehend...

When I started honing, there was so much talk about setting the bevel on the 1K that I focused on the 1K too much. And, I wasted many hours!

In my opinion, the 1K hone is not the best hone for setting the bevel. It is the best hone for finishing the setting of the bevel. In my opinion, usually you should set the bevel, create the bevel shape, on a coarser hone and a very flat hone. I use the DMT 220, 325, and 600. (I might not start on the 220. It depends on how much reconstruction is needed.)

The DMTs are for roughing in the shape of the statue. The 1K hone is for the fine work, giving definition to the face and features. (Forgive the analogy.)

That is why I believe the 1K hone is best for finishing the setting of the bevel.

When I started, I might spend an hour on the 1K. Or, more! Now, I average just a few minutes on the 1K. When you use a sequence of DMTs (or equivalent), you move up thru them in an efficient way, not spending much time on any of the hones.

There are many ways to hone. I believe I use DMTs more aggressively than most. Some use the 1K more than I do. You have to find your own way. There is no such thing as wrong if the edge shaves!

Is your 220 grit dmt an interrupted surface? I have continuous surface and I don't much care for the feel of it when beveling, so I usually bevel on my 600 then 1200 and only break out the 220 if I need to remove big chips.

That said, I agree that the extra bite I get from the 600 is NICE when beveling. I don't feel the need to go lower than it to start, but it couldn't hurt. If I have a blade I've completely wiped the edge out on, the 600 can take a bit of time and I think a 120/220/300 interrupted surface DMT would be nice. My 220 works faster, but It feels like it's always clogged up, so I spend more time flushing it than honing when I try to bevel on it. (when removing chips I just splash water on it and use pressure, so it isn't a problem).

 

[taffy]

I agree with a lot of what others have said, it is a relaxing hobby, its a great feeling when you shave with a self honed razor, some drive you nuts, when this happens, put it away for a day or two, what I find the real problem is finding the time, honing is not something that needs a spare 5 minites!