Starting the Honing Journey ...

[RumpleBearskin]

Having started my SR Journey a few weeks ago, and having not followed all the advice to start with two shave-ready razors, I decided to take the plunge and buy the basics for honing and do it myself. I watched the videos. I scoured the forums. My Norton 220/1000, 4000/8000, and lapping stone came in the weekend before last. My Ebay "honing practice" razor came in a couple of days later with my 60x loupe, and last weekend I set about my first attempt.

It was an Unmitigated Disaster!

I flattened the hones. I watched the pressure. I went slow. I was careful. I dutifully progressed from 1000 to 4000 and then to 8000. And to my unpracticed eye (and thumb pad), everything seemed to be going well. But the old Griffin XX just wouldn't cut hair! It actually sounded like the hair on my arm was laughing (at the razor, not at me)! So I put everything away and started looking for a second shave-ready razor since my new Dovo Forester was starting to feel less dangerous than when I first got it.

Fast forward a couple days and I decided it was worth another attempt before crying uncle. Same set up. Same careful progression. But this time I paid more attention to the visuals and found some significant chips and one area of visible pitting right on the edge. Not surprising for a $10 vintage razor. So I did about 40,000 laps on the 1000 (ok, maybe it was more like 100 or 150) and slowly, slowly the chips disappeared and the pitting smoothed out. (Maybe I should have started with the 220, but I was worried it might be too aggressive and I wouldn't ever recover.) So, on to the 4000 for about 70 laps and then the 8000 for about 50 laps. And, surprisingly, success! I was able to remove hair from my arm easily. I'm not sure I'm ready to put this bad boy to my face, but an infinite improvement from my prior results.

I may get the hang of this yet ...

-- Alan

 

[seattleshaver]

Congrats! Trying shaving your cheeks. If you get smooth skin with one pass, you've done a good job with the honing.

 

[Dick peck]

Some blades have taken a lot more than others. Keep that in mind as you do lapping sets. I've had some do well with fifty laps on each stone . Others I've lapped a few hundred times. Good luck.

 

[Rugger007]

Great job! Remember, it’s all about getting the bevel set. You can hone and refine to 100,000k if you like, bit if the bevel was not set correctly, all you have is a 100,000k blade that won’t shave. Don’t think of things in terms of “laps” either. Use that 60x loupe and ensure all of the scratches from the previous stone are removed prior to moving to the next stone. I’m not sure about finishing on an 8k stone, give it a shave and see how it feels. You may need to invest in a true finisher, but pasted balsa could also work very well following the 8k to bring the edge to where you need it. There are many more experienced guys at honing here than me so listen to all the advice and keep at it, your definitely in the right track.

 

[Mr.Tee]

Cool. Glad to hear your making progress! The are a lot of knowledgeable guys here. Just remember with honing, the devil is in the subtle details. Small changes here or there can make for drastically diffrent outcomes. I would advise to stay off that 220 completely. That scratch pattern will be a pita to remove, not to mention the apex will be almost like a serrated edge.

 

[bluesman 7]

Congrats Alan!

 

[RumpleBearskin]

Thanks to all. At the suggestion of @seattleshaver, I used the razor on my cheeks this morning. Darned thing shaved. Not as well as my professionally honed Dovo, but it shaved. WTG and XTG on my cheeks and WTG on my neck (that's all I'm doing with the SR in my 4th week of SR shaving).

Today my eBay "Quick Cutter" came in. Between the three, I should be able to keep one sharp enough to shave. This is gonna work out just fine ...

Will definitely look at getting a true finisher when I get a bit more experience under my belt ...

-- Alan

 

[Alum of Potash]

All the best in your honing journey. Sounds like you've jumped into the deep end from the start, which is to be applauded. I haven't used the Norton line with razors, but I would say that a good bevel-setter in the 1k range should be shaving arm-hair when all the stars are aligned. Aim for that, either at 1000 or 4000 with the Nortons, perhaps more towards tree-topping with the latter, to determine that the bevel is indeed set, and the rest should fall into place. Also, in seeking to set the bevel with the coarser stones, it might be good to put a little bit of spine-leading back stroke into the pass at the start, before moving forward with the edge-leading pass, to knock off any burr that might accumulate otherwise.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

I would say that a good bevel-setter in the 1k range should be shaving arm-hair when all the stars are aligned

Sound like a good goal to work toward. Thanks.

-- Alan

 

[seattleshaver]

You'll have to figure out a test for yourself. Shaving is really the only test that matters. I have thinner hair and my arm hair isn't thick and doesn't stand up enough for arm hair tests. I can find areas of my leg hair to get some feedback while honing but you'll have to find tests for yourself.

It is quite possible for you to have your razor honed correctly and for it to still not "tree top" hair on your arms depending on your arm hair.

 

[steveclarkus]

I’m pretty new at honing as well but after frustrating hours in the stones, I follow @Slash McCoy’s advice and started using lapping film and shaved with a razor I honed this morning. Really sharp and got a very good shave.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

After two less-than-stellar attempts, the third time was the charm. This time I decided to risk the 220 in order to "erase what came before". I wanted to really set my bevel with my own stroke and style. Lo and behold, I have now shaved with each of my "honing practice" razors. No, they aren't the perfect edge, but they both shave with good results and no problems. I now have the confidence that I didn't throw my money away and didn't get in over my head.

Maybe another practice round on the cheapies, then attempt a refresh my Dovo Forestall...

-- Alan

 

[Mr.Tee]

Glad to hear things are moving along for you. I’m not sure what your “cheapie” practice razors are, but do keep in mind that lesser quality softer steels won’t take the same refinement that a higher quality harder steel will. While Dovo’s aren’t the hardest razors out there, they are great razors and the ones I’ve honed have taken great edges. I think once you feel confident to refresh your Dovo, you may just pleasantly surprise yourself with your resulting edge.

 

[Slash McCoy]

What are your cheapo razors? Pics? They may not be hone-able to a decent edge. If you decide to try the Forrestal, please don't start with 220 grit. It probably only needs a refresh on a 12k or on 1u lapping film.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

What are your cheapo razors? Pics?

My "Cheapie"razors ... both from eBay.

Griffin XX and "Quick Cutter". Total of $27 including shipping. Bought exclusively to practice honing. but of course, you have to shave with it to see if you've honed it correctly (or so I've been told). Both seem to take an edge and I've now shaved quite successfully with both.

If you decide to try the Forrestal, please don't start with 220 grit.

Wasn't planning on going down to 220 with that razor. I don't yet have a 12k and am hoping to stay a bit more "old school" than films. Was assuming I'd refresh the Forestal off the Norton 4k/8k. Is that a mistake?

-- Alan

 

[Slash McCoy]

My "Cheapie"razors ... both from eBay.

View attachment 883109

Griffin XX and "Quick Cutter". Total of $27 including shipping. Bought exclusively to practice honing. but of course, you have to shave with it to see if you've honed it correctly (or so I've been told). Both seem to take an edge and I've now shaved quite successfully with both.


Wasn't planning on going down to 220 with that razor. I don't yet have a 12k and am hoping to stay a bit more "old school" than films. Was assuming I'd refresh the Forestal off the Norton 4k/8k. Is that a mistake?

-- Alan

If it was sharp before and now it is starting to shave poorly, you don't need to go down to 4k. The fact of the matter is, 8k is sort of a marginal grit and many folks don't regard it as a finisher at all. So it is possible that your 8k has nothing to offer you. You might already have an 8k equivelant edge on the Forrestal. But there are ways to tweak an 8k Norton edge to make it perform a notch better. Honing with lather, for instance. First, lap your Norton. BEST way and for me the only way worth consideration is on sandpaper carefully glued to a polished marble floor tile, (usually flat enough) or a thick mirror or glass plate (even more usually flat enough). Usually we draw a grid on the stone with a pencil but a doodle, cartoon, or copy of whistlers mother works just as good. Lap until its gone. Then do it again, because slurry can cause the process to give imperfect results, and the second go will go quickly and make little slurry. Then hone. When you have felt the stiction max out and not improve any more, rinse stone and add lather. Hone with gradually diminishing pressure until it seems like the razor is not even in contact with the stone. Takes a few hundred laps because it actually barely does make contact with the hone. You MUST hone in hand for this to work well on your first few outings because pressure regulation is so critical. We had a guy on here a couple years ago shaved off a 1k using this method. I wouldn't do it on a bet, but the method actually does work.

Pity you don't want to try film. Its not traditional but its all that and the bowl of chitlins too. Really works great especially for a newbie. And its cheap as chips.

 

[seattleshaver]

At least get a cheap paddle strop off Ebay ($10) and some chromium oxide paste/crayon and use that as a finisher after the 8k.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

At least get a cheap paddle strop off Ebay ($10) and some chromium oxide paste/crayon and use that as a finisher after the 8k.

I was thinking of pasting the linen on my strop, but got scared off by information overload. Green, red, CrOx, Diamond, etc. Would you recommend a paddle stop over pasting the linen on my (one and only) hanging strop? What are the advantages/disadvantages for a neophyte?

Thanks to all for your advice and support.

-- Alan

 

[seattleshaver]

I was thinking of pasting the linen on my strop, but got scared off by information overload. Green, red, CrOx, Diamond, etc. Would you recommend a paddle stop over pasting the linen on my (one and only) hanging strop? What are the advantages/disadvantages for a neophyte?

Thanks to all for your advice and support.

-- Alan

Cheap, easier to use as a pasted strop, no chance of contaminating your other strop or rolling the edge. Green is usually chrome oxide (CrOx). You can get a $6 green CrOx crayon on Ebay for about $6 that will last forever.

You can use the linen on your regular strop. It's just easy to get a cheap paddle strop for this purpose.

 

[Slash McCoy]

How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop

Start with 1u diamond which is roughly equivelant to a 12k Naniwa. It will take a considerable number of laps and there isn't much feedback. Then do a progression to .1u diamond. Follow the directions precisely and the edge will blow your N8k edge out of the water.