Quick honing before every shave

[Tomo]

There is no point touching up after every shave. It’s a bit like putting your dinner in the microwave for three seconds after every bite to maintain the perfect temperature. You wouldn’t do it.

When you’re new you obsess about perfection. After a while you realize that high performance is possible in a rather large window of products. I’ll touch up once a week if I need it or not. Even that is bordering on obsessive compulsive. What can I say? I find it relaxing and I never experience what it’s like to shave with a dull blade.

If you want to touch up every shave, knock yourself out. I don’t think you will get a better shave from it.

 

[Empire straights]

There is no point touching up after every shave. It’s a bit like putting your dinner in the microwave for three seconds after every bite to maintain the perfect temperature. You wouldn’t do it.

When you’re new you obsess about perfection. After a while you realize that high performance is possible in a rather large window of products. I’ll touch up once a week if I need it or not. Even that is bordering on obsessive compulsive. What can I say? I find it relaxing and I never experience what it’s like to shave with a dull blade.

If you want to touch up every shave, knock yourself out. I don’t think you will get a better shave from it.

Re-honing is a little much 10-20 lapss on a hard ark or good coticule before each shave to restraighten and lightly polish the bevel isn't unreasonable, I don't feel. The microwave analogy is a very good one. I feel like the quick 10-20 laps is more akin to reheating a cup of coffee you walked away from for half an hour, but to bevel set it or go back a couple stones between each shave on a well finished razor is solely an exercise in eating steel.

 

[Tomo]

Re-honing is a little much 10-20 lapss on a hard ark or good coticule before each shave to restraighten and lightly polish the bevel isn't unreasonable, I don't feel. The microwave analogy is a very good one. I feel like the quick 10-20 laps is more akin to reheating a cup of coffee you walked away from for half an hour, but to bevel set it or go back a couple stones between each shave on a well finished razor is solely an exercise in eating steel.

Everyone has different requirements. Some find it beneficial to hone before every shave. Some people like to strop between passes. You could even hone before every stroke if you wanted to. Whatever makes you happy. There are no rules and there will never be a consensus. Just try it and see what happens. If someone is particularly rough with their edges they may find some benefit in super frequent touchups. If you know how to handle it, a good edge on a quality razor will continue to deliver excellent results for more than a few shaves.

 

[Empire straights]

Everyone has different requirements. Some find it beneficial to hone before every shave. Some people like to strop between passes. You could even hone before every stroke if you wanted to. Whatever makes you happy. There are no rules and there will never be a consensus. Just try it and see what happens. If someone is particularly rough with their edges they may find some benefit in super frequent touchups. If you know how to handle it, a good edge on a quality razor will continue to deliver excellent results for more than a few shaves.

The testing is my favorite part, it's like making booze, just try stuff. I'm very bad at stropping a lot. I usually never do more than 15 laps before and after. If I did better stropping I probably would focus on some touch ups as much....