too much of a point.

[papi]

Hello, now that I am getting a decent edge. I am learning on a perfectly straight edge with the tip going to a complete 90-degree. The tip at the 90 is very pointy and I have been nicked very slightly a couple of times.
Should I work on technique or is this a time to slightly bread knife a little at the end or should I start to curve the edge up and round off the sharp edge up slightly? Or is it a personal preference?

I would like to report the findings on my progress.
While honing at the 8000 level. If I keep the blade perfectly perpendicular to the length of the stone. I am getting a terrible edge even if I use light and delicate strokes.

If I angle the blade edge with the tip trailing the edge is coming out nice under magnification.

I also need to use two hands even if there is no pressure. If I use only one hand it is a mess keeping the blade flat.

I have seen a bunch of videos that are contrary to what I have just said on both counts.
I am getting a nice clean apex and my stropping is coming along well and that is what makes the shave much better.

Thank you for any feedback on this.

 

[Gamma]

Personal preference.
Hone however you want to. Whatever works best for you is all you need to do.
A lot of people use x strokes, I do. Works for me.
I also use heel leading x strokes.

 

[silverlifter]

If you are getting nicked and want to stop it, mute the point on a bottle. It's no biggie bringing it back at some point in the future if you want a point for detailing or whatever.

 

[Lightcs1776]

I can't use a French point SR without risking blood, which has a point. I find I really like a rounded or Spanish (I think) point, where it isn't so much of a point.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Yes, mute the point, just the very apex of it, and you can keep more of your blood on the inside where it belongs.

 

[alex1921]

Tip of razor at 45 degrees on a stone. It will mute the very tip and make it more user friendly.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

So, if you are cutting yourself, you are not paying attention.

A sharp, spike point comes in hand for shaving trouble spots as does a fully honed heel, at least a ¼ of the radius. A sharp spike point also allows you to shave individual hairs.

I know some guys intentionally do not hone heels and tips, but I use both with each shave.

If you do straight laps, you will not fully hone the heel and toe. I do heel leading strokes to hone the heel and X strokes to hone the toe and hone towards a smile.

If you are having issues with edge finish, ink is your friend, ink the bevels and do your finish laps to see exactly where the bevel is making contact and you are removing steel. With a slight rolling X finish stroke you slightly roll the pressure from the heel to the toe hone the edge fully.

If you hone the razor flat with straight strokes you can hone a frown, because that is where most of the pressure is, the middle.

If you do decide to mute the point, do so very slightly, it does not take much running the tip on a piece of wood. As your shaving technique evolves and you later decide you want the tip square and fully honed, you will need to remove steel from the top of the toe, 90 degrees to the edge, a bit of work or hone the tip round.

 

[Mr Kooby Shemayrew]

Yeah, I remember that day I went to work wearing tiger stripes.

 

[Gamma]

Might just be that the OP is paying attention but their motor skills aren't keeping up with the task. Takes time to learn the skill set. We call it muscle memory sometimes.
Paying attention is part of it, but not not all of it.

A blade can stay perpendicular to the edge and still execute an x stroke.

So to be clear - if the blade is perpendicular, but not moving in an x-stroke, that is a head-on stroke and not common for honing razors.
If the grind is even-steven, you will hit heel and toe that way, but most of us feel that striations on an angle develop the apex better.

'the tip trails the edge"
Not sure what you mean exactly, because the tip can't really trail the edge. I think you may mean heel leading.

Heel leading is when the toe is angled back from the heel. The edge is angled to the long edge of the stone.
Literally, the heel is forward during the stroke.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Muting the tip with a wine cork works well from my experience, as both sides of the tip are supported. 2-3 minute passes there should do the trick. Muting the tip on a harder surface risks to deflect it, leading to a rolled tip and a scratching cut which is worse than nicking oneself with a sharp tip.

 

[papi]

Might just be that the OP is paying attention but their motor skills aren't keeping up with the task. Takes time to learn the skill set. We call it muscle memory sometimes.
Paying attention is part of it, but not not all of it.

yeah, what I meant by tip trailing is heel leading. I have to work on all of this.
what you said: "hone the way I want to" means a lot. I have to say that some videos actually messed me up.

My findings are to concentrate on the feel of the stone, the feel of the blade moving on the stone, and then the feel and visual magnification of the edge. Finally, the feel and ease of the shave. Lastly, the feel of my skin when done.

I think you're the one who commented on my description of a sticky stone being the wrong word. I have learned that if I do not use the stone properly, it becomes really heavy on drag, or friction moving the blade on the stone. It can be really heavy on friction. The friction is what I meant by sticky.
I learned that it's all a matter of working up a little slurry with the perfect amount of water and the stone becomes slick. Not that I am using a slurry, but it's like prepping the stone before I begin and while I am honing. Not enough water or too much water and it is not good. It can be really bad.
I am not criticizing bout Shapton stones negatively, but the 3000 Naniwa Professional is easier to use than the Shapton 8000 and the 12000. I am inclined to get a supper stone 12000 to compare. I previously asked a lot of questions on that one.

I am learning everything at once. Stones, Honing, and shaving and stropping. You said don't make it complicated! Ok, I won't but it has not been 1,2,3 easy for me either. At the end of the day, we desire a good shave.

I am looking at the edge after stropping with 10 times magnification. It appears that the leather is putting a micro bevel on the edge, which is at a slightly different bevel angle from the honing bevel angle. The razor shaves better but I am wondering if the micro bevel should be at a different angle like it appears on my edge. I never knew how sensitive a straight razor edge can be. Touching the edge can cause a bad edge.

I definitely would like to start using the green compound and see where that brings me.

I know firsthand that metals vary in quality and right now I am working with razors that are not top-of-the-line.
Thanks for the help, same to all.

 

[Gamma]

You shouldn't be feeling friction at 12k.
At that point, the downward force should be quite minimal. The blade should glide.
If your blade won't glide on the 12k, maybe lighten up on pressure.
Stones do work best when the surface is prepped correctly.

I've owned and used the Naniwa 3k Pro, the Shapton 12k & 8k pro stones.
Sol far as ease of use goes, they're all sort of similar. If you are struggling with any of them, it's probably your technique.
The 3k, being coarsest might seem easier because using pressure will be less prone to causing drag.

Honing is simple. Simple isn't necessarily easy.
Honing is always 123 simple but getting the skills down pat can take time and effort.