Thread: Do you use the toe more than the heel?

Am actually wondering now if I use the heel more because my first razor had a really spiky toe; and I sort of shied away from using the toe for fear it's cut me...

I remember first starting, I used the toe half of the razor much more than the heel. However, the more I shaved the more I realized how to use and appreciate the heel as well.

I'm a righty and I shave with my razor in my right hand exclusively, so I favor the toe for my right sideburn and right chin, and the heel for my left sideburn and left chin, then it's all toe for my upper lip. I like to think my whole razor gets used.

All depends on the shape of the users face, hollows and other features can make it much more comfortable to use either heel or toe in those areas, and that's perfectly fine. No right or wrong. Some people may prefer the use of the heel in areas like above the lip because honestly its a lot easier to control the portion of cutting edge closer to the hand than the portion sticking out and away. Effective use of the toe can be harder to attain imho.
As far as honing, most beginning honers will tend to over one the toe end and not give the heel enough attention so you'll want to pay extra attention and be very intentional with keeping even pressure. And like it was already said, hone the blade evenly. Overhoning is a controversial topic and I'll say, don't give it a second thought. When your blade needs touching up you are not going back to a courser stone to reset the bevel. The coursest stone I go to for touch ups is an 8k. And I try not to let my daily users go that far before a touchup, but as soon as the shave doesn't quite feel as good as I know it should I'll go my 12k or equivalent and do a few "stropping" strokes, spine leading. It doesn't take a lot of lapping, just a few laps and test the edge. For me that's what works best and keeps me from having to hone my daily users to death!

Originally Posted by silverloaf

All depends on the shape of the users face, hollows and other features can make it much more comfortable to use either heel or toe in those areas, and that's perfectly fine. No right or wrong. Some people may prefer the use of the heel in areas like above the lip because honestly its a lot easier to control the portion of cutting edge closer to the hand than the portion sticking out and away. Effective use of the toe can be harder to attain imho.
As far as honing, most beginning honers will tend to over one the toe end and not give the heel enough attention so you'll want to pay extra attention and be very intentional with keeping even pressure. And like it was already said, hone the blade evenly. Overhoning is a controversial topic and I'll say, don't give it a second thought. When your blade needs touching up you are not going back to a courser stone to reset the bevel. The coursest stone I go to for touch ups is an 8k. And I try not to let my daily users go that far before a touchup, but as soon as the shave doesn't quite feel as good as I know it should I'll go my 12k or equivalent and do a few "stropping" strokes, spine leading. It doesn't take a lot of lapping, just a few laps and test the edge. For me that's what works best and keeps me from having to hone my daily users to death!

Wow! That's some great advice. You are new here?

New to the forum yes, I joined a little while ago and just got around to my first post in the new member introduction today, haha. I'm not new to straights, but certainly wouldn't "hang my hat" on the same level as some of the great gents here. Its nice that we all get the opportunity to learn and be refreshed by sharing and asking questions. The thing I try to remember is that everyone has a different face so my methods might work for crap with you, and the other way around. And the way we hone razors doesn't have to be exactly the same either. There are so many honing strokes that its rediculous. Experimenting and feeling a connect with what's going on between the stone, the razor and your fingers tells you if a certain honing stroke is being effective for what youre trying to accomplish. I probably look like two different people when I'm removing chips or correcting a frown vs touching up my edge on an 8k or 12k, haha. And the same goes for stropping, if you're stropping stroke doesn't look like lynns that doesn't mean your doing it wrong. In my mind It makes sense that every golfer has a different swing, so every wet shaver may have a slightly different set of body mechanics to accomplish the same end goal. Bearing in mind that golfers and wet shavers both have a "range of movements" that need to be the parameters to stay within or you certainly can mess things up. Ok. The rant is done. Contradicting myself was accomplished. Thank you and good night.....

Well said. Here-hear

Originally Posted by Steel

Well all of this makes sense because I have a Goa-Tee so I tend to use the toe in many spots and where you would use the heel I don't shave.

So what do you recommend for honing then? Focus on honing toe more or equally? If equal then what about over honing the heel?

If you honed the edge equally how can one part be over honed ?

I liked the question about overhoning the heel because logical thought is "I've mostly produced wear on the toe so the bevel at the heel is still nearly perfectly formed and polished. If I hone evenly then I'm bringing the toe back to perfect condition but the heel will form a wire edge." I might be wrong as to op thinking but that's my take. You will need to remove metal from the heel to bring the toe back into shape after all the "face time" with stubble has caused enough microchipping that stropping cant resolve, but its microscopic and can be done without going to a course stone. At the coursest an 8k with slurry will handle the deal. Overhoning on this scale is really not something to be concerned about. If a wire edge forms it is usually at the hands of courser stones and will actually be polished off once you hit 8k and higher. Also, Nice and even honing done periodically extends the life of a razor because it negates the need for aggressive honing. Rant complete, sorry

Originally Posted by silverloaf

I liked the question about overhoning the heel because logical thought is "I've mostly produced wear on the toe so the bevel at the heel is still nearly perfectly formed and polished. If I hone evenly then I'm bringing the toe back to perfect condition but the heel will form a wire edge." I might be wrong as to op thinking but that's my take. You will need to remove metal from the heel to bring the toe back into shape after all the "face time" with stubble has caused enough microchipping that stropping cant resolve, but its microscopic and can be done without going to a course stone. At the coursest an 8k with slurry will handle the deal. Overhoning on this scale is really not something to be concerned about. If a wire edge forms it is usually at the hands of courser stones and will actually be polished off once you hit 8k and higher. Also, Nice and even honing done periodically extends the life of a razor because it negates the need for aggressive honing. Rant complete, sorry

Yup. What he said. But evidently over honing is very hard to do and easily corrected anyways with back honing so I am no longer worried about this. Plus I am purposely using the heel more now. Thanks everyone.