If a shave-ready straight was purchased, how long (approximately) would the blade stay sharp for before it would need to be re-honed?
Re-honing
- Thread starter gse123
- Start date
Normally 2-3 months depending on your beard and technique. Normal stropping before shaving should be sufficient.
Have fun.
Lynn
Have fun.
Lynn
It depends...
1. On who you ask
2. Your stropping ability or lack of
3. How often you use the razor
4. Your beard type
5. The razor itself
6. etc.
From what I've read, many touch up their razors on pastes or very fine hones every 5-10 shaves. I'm in this category. The razors are still shaving at this point, but perhaps not at their peak.
Others seem to be able to go 6 months or the better part of a year without doing this - I don't know how many shaves that is given a multi razor rotation.
I don't know if you classify a few swipes on an 8K or other finishing hone as "re-honing". Most of my razors only see more serious honing once a year or so- if that.
I'm sure others with more experience can help you better than I can.
Jordan
EDIT: Thanks Lynn. There you go.
1. On who you ask
2. Your stropping ability or lack of
3. How often you use the razor
4. Your beard type
5. The razor itself
6. etc.
From what I've read, many touch up their razors on pastes or very fine hones every 5-10 shaves. I'm in this category. The razors are still shaving at this point, but perhaps not at their peak.
Others seem to be able to go 6 months or the better part of a year without doing this - I don't know how many shaves that is given a multi razor rotation.
I don't know if you classify a few swipes on an 8K or other finishing hone as "re-honing". Most of my razors only see more serious honing once a year or so- if that.
I'm sure others with more experience can help you better than I can.
Jordan
EDIT: Thanks Lynn. There you go.
When it can not any longer be brought to comfortable a shave ready state with a light touch up. The time will vary as stated..
Shave and Repent
Joe
Shave and Repent
Joe
If you start to notice a bit of pulling get a pasted strop and give it a few laps. This will also help increase the time before you have to re hone.
Some where I saw a great quote can't remember where right now but it works for straights as well as knifes
"It is much easier to keep an edge sharp than to sharpen one"
Love that
Glen
"It is much easier to keep an edge sharp than to sharpen one"
Love that
Glen
Some where I saw a great quote can't remember where right now but it works for straights as well as knifes
"It is much easier to keep an edge sharp than to sharpen one"
Love that
Glen
I like that!!
I believe that quote is from Howard Schechter at theperfectedge.com. He is a really sharp guy! lol
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Many here maintain with the infamous pasted balsa and literally never rehone. Of course because of the diamond abrasive it could certainly be said that use of the balsa actually IS honing on a nano-pico level.
A lot depends on your original edge quality and your expected ongoing level of sharpness. A normal professional grade edge in the hands of a newbie should be good for a month of shaves with good stropping and shaving. With experience 100 shaves is not unheard of at all. An extremely sharp edge because it is sharper will noticeably deteriorate more quickly from that level but will still be at professional level for about the same time. Doesn't have to be hyper sharp to shave if u do your part. Once you are spoiled like me your expectations are too high for that, though.
If you start with a good 12k pro quality edge and run the balsa progression once or twice it will be much sharper first of all, probably more comfortable, and you call maintain with just the .1u balsa after every shave and never need to take it to the stones again unless you damage the edge. Due to Ida complications I am on my phone right now so not posting link but look for the pasted balsa thread if u are interested.
A lot depends on your original edge quality and your expected ongoing level of sharpness. A normal professional grade edge in the hands of a newbie should be good for a month of shaves with good stropping and shaving. With experience 100 shaves is not unheard of at all. An extremely sharp edge because it is sharper will noticeably deteriorate more quickly from that level but will still be at professional level for about the same time. Doesn't have to be hyper sharp to shave if u do your part. Once you are spoiled like me your expectations are too high for that, though.
If you start with a good 12k pro quality edge and run the balsa progression once or twice it will be much sharper first of all, probably more comfortable, and you call maintain with just the .1u balsa after every shave and never need to take it to the stones again unless you damage the edge. Due to Ida complications I am on my phone right now so not posting link but look for the pasted balsa thread if u are interested.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
There is a certain amount of satisfactory enjoyment in refreshing a blade's edge on a whetstone. This enjoyment is lost when you maintain your SR's on a 0.1μm diamond pasted hanging balsa strop after each shave.
My workaround for this loss is to purchase more SR's that I can hone up to my shave-ready standard.
My workaround for this loss is to purchase more SR's that I can hone up to my shave-ready standard.
We're all travelling back in time atm eh!
(I can tell this is quite old you see, because Danny Dyer hasn't updated his profile picture in a while).
(I can tell this is quite old you see, because Danny Dyer hasn't updated his profile picture in a while).
I’m learning balsa strops and actually have 3 nice edges that I Stropped on 0.5 micron. I enjoy the extra keenness and the smoothness didn’t lack either.
I think it's fun. It makes you think back and note the amount of progress you've made!
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
When you go the whole progression to .1u, you will be amazed at the improvement. Comparing the two, the .5u edge is horrible. The .1u edge is heavenly.
2007 
. I shaved with a Mach3 back then.
. I shaved with a Mach3 back then.Sensor Excel here. Twice a week on a good week. I don't remember too many of those weeks back then.2007
Never rehone or hone every shave? I guess that depends on your definition of honing. If you take honing to mean rubbing your razor on an abrasive material to remove steel and create a new edge then I’d say it’s honing ever shave. Not that it’s much of an inconvenience but let’s get real about the never hone again thing.
Never honing again sounds horrible, why would I ever want that! I like my stones more than my blades and most of the time when I buy new blades of stone kind its mostly to have something else to hone. Heaven knows we got all the blades and rocks we NEED, but...
