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Maintenance Honing

D

daverojo77

I have about 5 razors in my rotation and it's time to touch them up a bit. They all have set bevels, one of my favorite's is a Torrey I got from WD.
I have the Balsa strop WD sells and used it. Didn't like the shave I got after using it.
I thought this was the key to maintain the razor's edge.

I took it to a 3um and 1um film. I haven't shaved with it yet but will tomorrow. Just wanted to get a little further advice.
 
rockviper

rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
Quick question: Did you try to shave with the blade after using the pasted balsa, or did you strop abound 50x or so on your normal strop afterwards?
 
B

buca3152

Stropping has a lot to do with shave quality. I can go by feel on the razor but if you learn how to do the hht that is a big help IMO. Bad stropping can do a lot of damage. I rolled the edge on my first 2 straights. I used a paddle strop for a month til I got the hang of it. 3 and 1 micron film is great. A hanging pasted linen strop is very helpful IMO. I have film, nortons and naniwa 12 k. There are lots of ways to skin a cat. I use 1 micron film on wet paper for the finish and pasted hanging strop with crox.
 
D

daverojo77

What do you mean wet paper? and with the crox what are you using 1 micron? I think you are right though I started to strop on a flat surface.
 
B

buca3152

I use 1 micron film on a granite surface plate with a sheet of wet copy paper under it. It gives a very smooth edge. See seraphims posts on it. Im only repeating what I have read. The crox is .5 micron on a linen hanging strop. Wet the plate or tile or whatever you use as the base for it. Make sure its clean. Put the paper on , wet it and wet the film and flatten it out gently with a credit card to squeegee it. You don't want torn paper or wrinkles. The wet the film. I do 40 laps. Then 15 laps on crox, then 75 on leather.
 
D

daverojo77

Did the paper trick and got a real nice polished edge. Took it to the balsa 0.1 micron 15 laps then 75 laps on the leather but laid out on the table worked better than what I was doing before. Shaved pretty good. I have a feeling when I do this on one of my German razors I'm going to like it even better.
 
inspiringK

inspiringK

The balsa is pretty handy and easy to use. Larry pastes it with Crox (green) on the one side and Feox (red) on the other side. I think the Crox is 0.3 micron and the Feox is 0.1. If you find that you don't like the edge from the balsa, try cutting out the Feox, it may be making the edge unstable. So, just use the 1 micron lapping film on a sheet of paper, then go to the green side of the balsa, then go straight to the strop.
 
B

buca3152

I have found thru experimenting that super fine edges dont last. I stop at 1 micron then .5 micron paste. When i finished on .1 micron, my edges didnt last 3 shaves before dulling.
 
Slash McCoy

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
I strop on balsa pasted with .1u diamond after every shave and then the Big Daddy strop before each shave. It is working good so far. I was using .25u diamond and then the .1u diamond but I thought I would try just the fine stuff for a few months. I am going 3 dozen laps on the diamond n balsa. I go four dozen on the Big Daddy. I have not had to re hone any of my razors in two years knock on wood.
 
D

daverojo77

Slash McCoy said:
I strop on balsa pasted with .1u diamond after every shave and then the Big Daddy strop before each shave. It is working good so far. I was using .25u diamond and then the .1u diamond but I thought I would try just the fine stuff for a few months. I am going 3 dozen laps on the diamond n balsa. I go four dozen on the Big Daddy. I have not had to re hone any of my razors in two years knock on wood.
Click to expand...

like this?
http://www.amazon.com/DMT-DP1-Dia-P...55025&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=.1u+diamond+paste
 
Gamma

Gamma

Pastes, paddles, balsa, granite/films, paco paper! Go here do this try that - way too much clutter, mess, gymnastics and effort for me.
Some people are into complex stuff though I guess.
I try to keep it simple.
Touch ups? Quick run on the stone and the edge is back. Done.
 
Slash McCoy

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Gamma said:
Pastes, paddles, balsa, granite/films, paco paper! Go here do this try that - way too much clutter, mess, gymnastics and effort for me.
Some people are into complex stuff though I guess.
I try to keep it simple.
Touch ups? Quick run on the stone and the edge is back. Done.
Click to expand...

I don't need a stone. Or a touchup. My normal routine stropping on the balsa keeps my razors sharp. The only time I hone these days is when I buy yet another razor, or finish another Gold Dollar conversion. My entire honing kit disappears in my briefcase anyway. I don't try to keep it simple. I do keep it simple.
 
Gamma

Gamma

From where I stand - Those maintenance, sharpening, touch-up, or whatever you want to call those gyrations are so not simple.
But - whatever floats yer boat I guess. Perspective is key, everyone is entitled to their POV. I see bottles of slurries, sticks of pastes, and multiple strops/substrates as being a royal complex PITA.
I see a small stone and tap water being very simple and easy.

Fitting a sharpening kit into a briefcase isn't really all that impressive to be honest. It's kind of average actually.
I do very well with a small Bout and a little Cotigura. It would fit in my shirt pocket. No big deal. I can pretty much do the same with a small Jnat and a few mini Nagura. My Joey strop nearly fits into a Marlboro box.
Yes, I have larger hones too.

Honestly though - I don't remember the last time one of my razors 'needed' a touch-up, or anything else after honing.
I refresh edges all the time, because I want to try another finishing technique or whatever.
For the most part - any razor here is shave ready, I just strop on leather and shave.
Cant beat that for simplicity.
 
Attila

Attila

Speaking as a third party and a new honer, I have found that when something is simple for an experienced honer, it is not always easy for a beginner. I think the method Slash is talking about may not be "simple" as in not having as few parts as owning a stone or two or three (most can't get by with just one stone unless they are VERY good at honing.) The single stone solutions often require a good amount of technique and knowledge about how the stone works and how honing is done.

Often, beginners don't have the skill and knowledge to be able to use a stone to it's full potential. Granted they can learn, but it is a fairly steep learning curve. I know you are really good at honing Gamma and really understand the proper technique to be used from what I have seen of your posts. I think the method Slash was getting at was much easier for a beginner to grasp and be able to get their razor back up and running. In that sense, it might be simpler for a beginner.

But if we are talking pure lack of equipment, I suppose a single stone would be best. The trouble is in learning how to use that stone properly...I'm going through that myself right now.
 
Attila

Attila

Gamma said:
Was merely sharing my opinon on the complex vs simple issue at face value without reading into it.
Click to expand...

No worries! It's always great to get the input of guys that are really experienced. With your comment you opened up the idea of honing with a single stone. It's good to know that method exists also. Gives us something to shoot for if we want to. The idea certainly appeals to me...

What blows my mind is when guys use a single barber hone for years to maintain the edge on their razor!! Madness!
 
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