Sunday will be the day...
- Thread starter Chico
- Start date
I strop before every shave. I also strop after every shave too, but, I strop on linen after the shave to remove any bits of soap my towel did not get (using by hand to wipe the blade)...about 15 laps or so then I strop on leather 15 laps or so. The idea of stropping after shaving is to completely dry the edge before putting the razor up. Moisture left on the razor's edge will encourage micro chips of rust to form
Also, use no pressure while stropping...only the weight of the razor is needed
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
Also, use no pressure while stropping...only the weight of the razor is needed
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
I strop 30 linen/cotton and 60 leather before then 10 and 10 afterwards for the reasons Jake mentioned. I also place my razors in the silicone cloth sleeves from Superior Shave after use for a little added protection. I might consider getting a second less expensive vintage razor to work on stropping, honing, touch ups etc. because you will be drawn into this with time. it just happens.
Nice razor.
I strop before the shave 25/50, after the shave only 10-15 laps just to dry the blade.
"Sharp as h*ll", was it honed or is this the factory edge. My understanding is the factory edge can be improved.
Does the hair pops nicely if trying blade to your arm? If not, like Doc226 said, factory edge can be improved.
- Thread starter
- #6
yesterday I tried it out. Used the strop beforehand. It was not great. Felt really it was tugging/pulling a lot. I tried it with a few angels, no pressure at all. I did my cheeks. There was some trimming done, but then I grabbed my DE. Can not even compare it to the straight as it was immediately smooth shaving.
Maybe I should hone it? I have a 8000 grid honing stone. Arkansas oil stone, so have to get oil first.
Maybe I should hone it? I have a 8000 grid honing stone. Arkansas oil stone, so have to get oil first.
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- #7
The person who sold me, stated it as shave ready. it took off the hairs on my arm, when I tried it.
Willm this be the first razor you have ever sharpened?
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
- Thread starter
- #9
yes, it will be. There are no persons around who can help me with this. 0 angel and no pressure is what I will do. Already saw divers honing videos.
~~~just for reference, a razor that can remove arm hair is a test to let one know the bevel is suitable for further refinement and not a testament as to the razor's abilty to deliver a quality shave. The hanging hair test is what a lot of us use to determine if a razor is shave ready or not http://www.coticule.be/hanging-hair-test.html
that said, not everyone agrees this test is the be all end all for a razor's readiness. I was regularly getting HHT3 results after stropping on all of my coticule edges and they were quite fine for shaving myself IMNSHO but when I recently started using a certain j-nat to be used as a finisher, I've been getting consistent HHT4's after stropping, and the edges are up a notch or so
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
- Thread starter
- #11
~~~if this will be your honing debut, do be sure to familiarize yourself on the hows & whys of honing. So what brand /type of 8 K stone do you have?
I think for simplicities sake a total n00b to honing might be best off using lapping film for the first go around, since using it is nearly fool proof, and since you've stated your razor shaves arm hair...if you had access to lapping film, then 3 um and 1 um is all you really need. Perhaps thee is a member in your country here that can send you a strip of each
I don't think I would want to shave off an 8 K hone but there are members here that do regularly, and they like the results, and it could very well improve the edge you now have
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
~~~coticule.be has valuable reference to other types of honing stones...it's not just centered around the coticule
so if you're going to use your 8 k stone...when was the last time it was lapped? would be best to start out on a flat hone
and if we go back to the fact that you believe that your razor has a bevel ready to be refined, I would think it best if you go to a lower grit hone than an 8 K before jumping to an 8 K. Most that use synthetic hones go from bevel setting to a 4 k and then on to an 8 K
there's a chance you can be successful just using what you have (your 8 K hone). I mentioned using a 4 K hone before the 8 K as empirically, that's what users of synthetic hones use for their progression. For instance, a 1 K for bevel setting/correcting then a 4 k then an 8 k then something higher for a finisher (12K?), but again, there are more than few here that shave off an 8 k hone
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
I would not start honing on a nice razor, I dulled the heck out the first one I tried.
Also you can shave off 8K but you really have to max out the edge for a comfortable shave.
Also you can shave off 8K but you really have to max out the edge for a comfortable shave.
~~~he's gotta start somewhere...look at it this way, it's not a Philharmonic
~~~in an ideal world, it would be best for the OP not to begin his honing adventures with only an 8 K hone, that I would agree with. I'm starting to agree with the heavy breathers that for a lot of n00bs it's best to start out with lapping film, but I'd caution that statement that using a 1 K syn hone would be better for bevel correcting and could whet their teeth for real honing. IOW, using a 1 K syn stone hone then move to 3um then on to 1um (film), then finish with Cr0x pasted on some type of medium (linen belt, linen strop, balsa, etc.)
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
I agree Jake's comment that somewhere one's have to start the honing career. But... If OP has just one 8000 gt stone it will not going to work. Depends on many things but always when I tried to jump over some grits the results have been definately on the poor side. I have 20 straight razors on my normal rotation and usually use one until it feels to dull enough. So e.g if I use one razor a week I usually sharpen whole punch twice a year. Sharpness is always a subjective thing and I prefer to sharpen "sooner than later". Hanging hair test is not the holy grail for me because i have some razors what doesn't pass hh but still gives a better shave than one which pass. My steps goes like this 400, 1k, 3k, 5k, 10k, balsa+1µ, leather +Crox 0,5µm + plain leather.
If money is not an object I suggest that you order one real shave ready for excample in here. That gives you an good idea where to aim. Also if you are really interested to learn straight shaving you need more stones. Of course you can always use sharpening services from well known persons so you don't need stones. When I started I was curious to learn sharpening as much as shaving itself. Both of them are really enjoying things in life.
If money is not an object I suggest that you order one real shave ready for excample in here. That gives you an good idea where to aim. Also if you are really interested to learn straight shaving you need more stones. Of course you can always use sharpening services from well known persons so you don't need stones. When I started I was curious to learn sharpening as much as shaving itself. Both of them are really enjoying things in life.
- Thread starter
- #17
Great to hear that. Kudos to Doc
- Thread starter
- #19
nice blade
