Thread: 4k/8k help

If you had a razor that was shave-ready but due to use has become dull enough not to be able to shave comfortably, how much honing would you do to get it back into shape?

I know there are lots of variables, but give me your gut instincts. If the razor is carbon steel and you only have a Norton 4k/8k to work with (along with the final polish on a Tony Miller 2.5" honey brown strop), how big of a pyramid would you do? I was thinking of doing a 3/3 1/3 1/3(5) and then testing with HHT...sound good? Or is there another suggestion that doesn't involve doing a pyramid?

Any help would be much appreciated.

That's not a bad place to start since you want to start with as little as possible, but I have to be honest and say that rarely does the trick for me. Maybe I've just got a really light touch, but I get best results refreshing a razor with a slightly bigger pyramid; 3/3, 5/5, 3/5, 1/3, 1/3, 1/3, HHT. I might try this two or perhaps even three times before going up to a larger pyramid or maybe down to the little mini finish you describe depending on how the HHT goes and I do the TPT after ever set on the 8k. Once I'm satisfied with the HHT I'll move on to a very few very light finishing strokes on my 12k Shapton (3 strokes usually) and then 12-24 strokes (actually 18 strokes seems to be my magic number) on the Cr2O3. I'm laying off the 0.25µ Diamond Compound for a while to see if I like the edge better, but no more than 12 ultra light laps there in any case.

X

I would do 8-16 strokes with light pressure on the 8K side. I would test shave after every 8 strokes. You may want to try this first before pyramiding.

I don't know how you do that Alan. For me that would be a recipe for an overhoned edge. I guess that's proof that honing is something you have to find on your own.

X

I find overhoning on 8k really hard. It just kinda sticks at sharp for a long time for me. I try not to remove too much metal and I find the pyramid too rough now a days.

If the razor is already shaving nicely and gets dull I just use the highest grit I have and do a few strokes. About 6 on a barbers hone, a few more on an 8k. About 10 on a 12K. Thats all it seems to take to update it.

As soon as I cut into it with a 4K, I'm honing all night. One pyramid after another, soon it looks like Egypt.

My technique is very different now a days, I go for complete smoothness on 8K. No pyramiding at all.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

.... One pyramid after another, soon it looks like Egypt.

-whatever
-Lou

Seems like a simple direct question but it has no simple direct answer. Every razor is different and everyone applies a differing degree of pressure on the hone whether he tries to or not and those two facts will cause tremendous differences in what everyone experiences.

I use the coticule for refreshing and I know people say they do just 10 passes, maybe a few more and some a few less and for me I find I have to do my honing in groups of 30 passes then I test then do 30 more. Maybe I have an extremely light touch, I don't know but I find usually its about 60 passes on the Coticule.

. . . and it may have a lot to do with how dull we let them get before updating. I often update the razor after only 6 - 8 shaves.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

. . . and it may have a lot to do with how dull we let them get before updating. I often update the razor after only 6 - 8 shaves.

So true. I usually go about 15 shaves before refreshing depending on the razor.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

So true. I usually go about 15 shaves before refreshing depending on the razor.

And what's your usual process?

X