My favorite edge is a vintage Le Grelot P. hospital on an Oozuku Asagi with Atoma slurry. HHT sharp and very smooth. Someone else honed it for me; I am not that good yet.
Your favorite razor edge?
- Thread starter R7photo
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Random methods yield random results. The more closely you emulate one single style of honing, the closer you will come to achieving the results that the chosen style can give.There are literally thousands of variables and possible permutations thereof. And compromises are made, throwing best possible results right out the window. One school of thought simply says, "just rub razor on rock until sharp". Let me point out that there are a lot of rocks and a lot of ways to prep them and a lot of ways to rub the razor on them. Some will naturally work better than others. All honing styles are not equal. But even after choosing a style, you have to actually follow it if you want to be certain of getting the expected results.
There was a guy on another forum that many of us used to ridicule for his honing method that he taught to newbies. I won't mention the style or the honemeister or the forum. Let the sleeping dogs sleep. It was wasteful. It was inefficient. It was time consuming. The edges were nothing special. But it came with a fairly detailed set of instructions. It was good for the beginner because the method takes the newbie by the hand and guides him through a series of illogical and excessively arbitrary seeming steps that nevertheless usually gives a first time honer an edge that he can shave with. It worked as claimed for anybody who could and would follow instructions without questioning whether this or that or the other would work better. Those who decided to freestyle this detail or that detail got the sort of results that you would expect, with an operator who doesn't know, ignoring the advice from one who does.
The Method is based on that principle. A series of detailed steps to follow exactly and without question. A dogmatic approach that many honers both experienced and inexperienced find arbitrary and unreasonable. But if you actually follow it, really follow it, it will give you a better than professional edge even of you have never honed a razor before. In fact lack of experience is a plus. Sort of like the army teaching guys to shoot. The guys who already are good shots are the hardest to train. The guys who have never held a firearm in their hands are easier to teach. Anyway The Method is not a way of learning. It is just DOING. Doing according to the instructions which have evolved and continue to evolve but now are evolving much more slowly. If you read the threads all the way through and follow instructions precisely in absolute perfect detail, you will amaze yourself with your edges. It is dogmatic and arbitrary and unreasonable and unneccessary. Almost all the "experts" agree. But go ahead, knock your own thing while giving lip service to the established directions and "Well, nothing wrong with that. It doesn't need to be that sharp" is what you will get.
Following anyone's style or any group of people's style exactly in every detail will be better than winging it. I think The Method is better than any of them, but same principle. Do it exactly right if you want best possible results. No detail is unimportant. Armed with that philosophy you will succeed.
If you are already honing using The Method and you are not satisfied with your results, go through the whole thing and find where you are drifting away from the path. Once you find your transgression and repent, you will be rewarded with the same edge or better that you have gotten from more skilled honers. Or better.
- Thread starter
- #24
Being a newbi honestly, and falling in the hardheaded category, the method seems complex and not attractive to me, I have yet to try and am not knocking it just being honest, I also read in post others did not follow directions as defined not good results, I’ve yet to try method but I’m sure I will eventually succumb and discover it amazing goodness, but kinda wanted to see discover what’s the majority edges out there and noting everyone will have personal favorites or have several edges and switch back and forth like razors
I was recently shocked at Heljestrand razor finished on a Vermont Green slate, dang sharp and smooth, but extremely sharpest razor I’ve used to date.
( maybe green slate kinda like Arkansas edge?), unknown since to date not experience ark edge or coti, etc..
I’m on my 3rd shave green slate and razor still sharp seems getting sharper
Curious about other edges and certainly shopping for right materials to properly use method properly and correctly as described.
Going on 4 months shaving with SR, my journey continues, first seeking SR to honing , to buying Japanese rocks to buying more razors to edges and so on, does the train stop [emoji1630], help I’m four months in, lol
I was recently shocked at Heljestrand razor finished on a Vermont Green slate, dang sharp and smooth, but extremely sharpest razor I’ve used to date.
( maybe green slate kinda like Arkansas edge?), unknown since to date not experience ark edge or coti, etc..
I’m on my 3rd shave green slate and razor still sharp seems getting sharper
Curious about other edges and certainly shopping for right materials to properly use method properly and correctly as described.
Going on 4 months shaving with SR, my journey continues, first seeking SR to honing , to buying Japanese rocks to buying more razors to edges and so on, does the train stop [emoji1630], help I’m four months in, lol
- Thread starter
- #25
A 7/8 Wacker on diamond balsa and a Bismark honed on a hard jnat by doc226.
My jnat edges are getting better as I learn, but I need more experience with them.
My jnat edges are getting better as I learn, but I need more experience with them.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Well, I'M no expert. If I was, my edges wouldn't be nearly as good though I suppose they would after so many years honing still qualify as "good" edges. The Method is not for experts. It is for the rest of us, those of us who aren't as proud of our giant collection of rare and priceless naturals, and those of us who understand that sometimes a "harsh" edge is rough and over or under developed, and sometimes a harsh edge is just a very sharp edge that is mishandled by the user.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
If there was no lapping film and if nobody had ever thought to back, lap, and paste balsa with submicron diamond, I would probably be following Alfredo's Jnat style. Good edges, definitely.
- Thread starter
- #29
Thx u
- Thread starter
- #30
As a newbi, I’m amazed at how stones, natural act and behaved, it’s amazing, and proud to own my naturals, just discovering what’s out there and what available, I love and have 2 jnats that are simply amazing, that are from pure rock, and are amazing performers, one of my rocks, ( not yet declaring best finisher for me, as not tried other finishes), is a marvelous magical beast, enjoyable to use, etc, and magical results.
I love my naturals, but like to experience learn other methods , mediums
I love my naturals, but like to experience learn other methods , mediums
Mine is probably from my Ozuku stone , or thought I have a new Aiiwatani which I am getting to grips with and getitng some lovely edges from. I am definitely a fan of jnats.
I have a vintage Le Grelot that Alfredo sharpened, using my jnat stone. It is easily the sharpest and smoothest shaver I have.
A good jnat is hard to beat. With the use of nagura stones, you can tailor your edge in many different ways between comfortable and screaming sharp.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
A good Jnat for me, though chasing that down requires a good bit of time and money so I usually do not recommend it. I’ve got one of Slash’s method edges on a Gold Dollar, it’s great but I can make smoother - but see above about that time and money thing.
As far as your edges not equaling the ‘pros’ (there really isn’t such a thing), you just have to practice. Owning a Steinway is not the same as being able to play a piano. If you’re interested in honing you’ll get there. If you’re not interested in honing, probably not. It’s all practice and muscle memory.
As far as your edges not equaling the ‘pros’ (there really isn’t such a thing), you just have to practice. Owning a Steinway is not the same as being able to play a piano. If you’re interested in honing you’ll get there. If you’re not interested in honing, probably not. It’s all practice and muscle memory.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Absolutely, and not to mention slurry thickness, more thick = more mellow, less thick/clear water = more sharp.
The edges I am getting from my two small JNATs: first a Nakayama Asagi and then an Ozuku. More recently I had been focusing on the Ozuku, and then I put a very sharp and smooth edge on my Wade & Butcher with the Nakayama Asagi that just feels so right.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
charnley is about the only other rock that could hold my interest these days. would like to stumble across one someday. I don't want to have to give up my first born son for it though.
I can deal with smaller stones more than most id figure......but not in the sizes I've seen as of late.
camo
Same here, it’s an amazing edge
My old (1790-1810) razors are finished on .125 CBN on 4/5 oz veg tanned leather. Older Sheffield blades are finished that way. I have some Heljestrands coming, so I will need to find out what works. New French and higher grade Germans get the Corundum, horse strop with chromium oxide, then linen strop and latigo leather strop.
