Noobs dumb question

[FrankC]

I searched and couldnt find the answer (but I am sure its out there and i missed it), how often should a "good" blade be honed? I know good is debatable and subjective but realistically, how long/how many shaves between hones? There are many variables I know but wondering if its something you MUST learn to do or is it so spread out you could use a hone service X times per X. Does that make sense?

I think about my handplanes and the "abuse" they go through and how often they need honing but assume razors could go a great long time between but as always, I am sure I am incorrect.

 

[rickboone1]

Once.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Assuming you never ding it and don't use a pasted strop, then supposedly once it's honed you'll only ever need a few strokes on a finishing stone to bring it back to an edge when stropping is no longer enough. The frequency varies from every few shaves to every few dozen depending on the razor and who you ask.

 

[professorchaos]

No (such thing as) dumb questions!

The answer varies depending on who you ask. In my case, it will vary depending on when you ask me. I shave with razors until they don't shave well. Then I refreshen them on the hones. Sometimes that means the last two hones in a progression. Other times it means dropping all the way down to a bevel setter.
Some recommend dropping down to it every time. As I rehone more and more razors, it appeals to me more and more.

 

[mdunn]

depends what you mean by honing, my man.

It only needs a full service once, to get a good bevel on it. After that (assuming nothing drastic happens), you just touch it up on a barbers hone or similar as needed. We're only talking a half a dozen laps or so here. For a razor in use every day, you would probably want to touch it up two or three times a year.

 

[Alacrity59]

When the blade starts to pull there are some measures you can take

• Boost up the stropping . . . good 100 laps on linen and leather
• some strokes on a chromium oxide pasted strop or paddle
• Some work on a finishing hone or barbers hone. Some finishing hones work slow so 100 laps on some is a good start

The strange thing is though once you get to know sharp you begin to want sharp all the time so . . . if you are like me . . . you hone more frequently.

Mike