Thread: Standard regime to make a new razor "Shave Ready"

Some how I think you're going to do just fine Anthony. And yes, pastes are a personal preference. I stand as one who dis-likes them, preferring instead to keep things as simple as possible.


Mick

I think it may be least expensive to send the razor off to be honed. I'm fortunate to own a lapping stone and Naniwas 1k, 5k, 8k and 12k, but the money I spent on those could have paid to send my razors off for years. If I had it to do over again, I would purchase a Naniwa 12k and a SRD's modular paddle and diamond paste. I think with that simple kit, I could keep a professionally honed razor fresh for a long, long time. Good luck.

Originally Posted by BobH

I have only bought one factory new razor and the edge as supplied was just short of what I would call shave ready but it was shave able after stropping only. All it needed was a light touch up on a 12k Naniwa hone, a few strokes on a Crox pasted balsa strop and a regular stropping, 20/60 linen/leather, to be up to snuff.

It just depends on how far off the factory edge is to start with on how you have to approach it. The same could be said of vintage practice razors. If the edge is really bad you may have to start at 1K to set the bevel and work up from there. In my case that would involve using 3 hones, a 1K, 3K/8K combo and a 12K finisher. If the edge is not too bad I start with 3K on the combo stone.

Bob

This is very true,
I recently acquired a new Dovo with the factory edge and to get what I consider an acceptable edge I had to reset the bevel.

No matter if it's new or vintage you have to access the razor and see what it needs. A new razor may just need a quick touchup on a 12K or higher or it may need the bevel redone. There is no standard really.

Just for your info the 3 micron paste equals an 8k stone and the 1 micron paste equals a 12k stone. Just so you don't end up going backwards.