Thread: My First Attempt at Honing: What do I need? Help!!!!!!!!!

Hi Fellas. One of these days I will try to provide answeres as opposed to only questions. Bear with me till then. I have 4-5 new razors and 4-5 vintage. I want to hone the new razors as you all advise they are not shave ready as advertised. I have had good shaves, but I know that they can be sharper and provide a more comfortable shave.

This is what I have. Norton 4000/8000 stone. Dovo strop.
Question(s)
1. Can I get by with just this equipment?
2. Do I need a pasted strop? This will require me to purchase an additional strop which is no problem.
3. Do I need a flatbed hone. I saw these in Lynn's video.
4. What paste or paste(s) will I need.
5. Belgian Coticle. Is this even available? If not, what is a suitable replacement?
6. Since razors are new or only used 1-2 times, what pyramid sequence do I use.

Can you help an ex-infantryman out?

Thanks

Yes, you can get by with just this equipment - with enough skill you can get a very good shaving edge off the 8k side of the norton, but if you're just getting started honing then you probably don't have the necessary skills. One of the paradoxes of honing is that the better you get at it the less equipment you really need. But even so, the paddles and bench hones (a bench hone is just a big paddle without the handle) will produce a sharper smoother edge than you can get off the hones, especially when you're just getting started because they are so much easier to use than hones.

I've got both pasted paddle strops and pasted hanging strops, and I'd recommend the paddle or a bench strop, because pasted hanging strops are very aggressive and difficult to control.

Since you've got the norton, I'd recommend the 1.0 micron diamond paste and the 0.5 micron chrome oxide.

Originally Posted by mparker762

Yes, you can get by with just this equipment - with enough skill you can get a very good shaving edge off the 8k side of the norton, but if you're just getting started honing then you probably don't have the necessary skills. One of the paradoxes of honing is that the better you get at it the less equipment you really need. But even so, the paddles and bench hones (a bench hone is just a big paddle without the handle) will produce a sharper smoother edge than you can get off the hones, especially when you're just getting started because they are so much easier to use than hones.

I've got both pasted paddle strops and pasted hanging strops, and I'd recommend the paddle or a bench strop, because pasted hanging strops are very aggressive and difficult to control.

Since you've got the norton, I'd recommend the 1.0 micron diamond paste and the 0.5 micron chrome oxide.

Do I need 2 flatbed hones? 1 for each of the pastes? How many passes on the Norton before I use the flatbed? Do I strop regularly after?

Thanks
Al in Cal

I think Tony said in another thread that he is only doing the two sided flatbed hones anymore, so you would only need one. While I haven't tried one yet, I keep thinking about trying one to see if I can get a smoother edge than I am shaving with now Or maybe a four sided paddle for even more options hmmm .

My current set-up is 4000 and 8000 grit stones then on to a Swaty barbers hone for the final polish. I will agree with Mparker762 that it is harder to learn a good edge on the hones. It took me a lot of practice to get a shaving edge off my 8000 then just as much again to smooth it but not dull it with my barbers hone.

You can buy a Coticle here: http://www.theperfectedge.com/
but I have to be sitting down when I look at the prices

Tony's Thuringan stones are another alternative as a fine finisher, not as expensive as the Coticles but not bench hone cheep either. Find them here: http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.com/

mparker gave ya great advice. you can get a shaving sharp edge off your 8k norton but many many of us prefer the feel of an edge that has been refined further on a finishing hone / pastes.

i think i was like the first person to buy one of Tony's 2sided bench hones (smooth smooth), and i obsolutely love it. its just like a pasted paddle but its wider(3inch x 10inch) and it lays on the table and you use it with a stropping motion. easy as pie.

i pasted mine up with 1.0micron and 0.5 micron diamond pastes. those are prolly the most versitile and highly used grits to paste with. i used diamond pastes, others here use Chromium oxide (0.5) .. some use boron oxide ? (1.0). whichever you prefer or can get ahold of you can use to paste.

my personal take on the blade edge after this refinement. i was stopping after a 12k chinesse stone. and the edge was very nice and smooth, but after i took it to the 0.5micron side of my bench hone the feel was velvety. that small refinement took the feeling just that much closer and comfortable. we strive to enjoy our shaves and this bench hone really helped mine. i'd strongly suggest one for all the above reasons.

they are 22$'ish and you mentioned that it wouldn't be a problem to buy one so go for it. they make touch-up honings so simple also. takes 1minute or less to touch up your razor after a week worth of shaves.

~J

(ps. i have not use an escher,thurigen, or corticule so i can't compare. im not trying to say one is better then the others. just that the bench hone is much cheaper and amazingly fast/easy to use)

Hi Al,

I'm in a similar place to you, although I haven't purchased a stone yet....and, all of my razors were post-purchase honed through Tony or Lynn. But, a few weeks ago, found that my plain linen/leather strop wasn't providing the shaving edge I desired, so I contacted Tony Miller and ordered a bench strop: 12"x3", double tan leather, with a handle (OK, technically that moves it from bench to paddle!, but the handle provides a great way to stabilize the whole apparatus!), and I had him pre-paste with 1.0 diamond & 0.5 chromium oxide. This saved me from purchasing the respective pastes, and he said that they should last 6-12 months; this way I could use the thing right out of the box.

So, how's it work? I love it....with my most-used razor (probably 40 shaves since honing) I did 5 passes 1.0, 5 passes 0.5, then 1/3 and 1/5, then 25 passes on plain leather. Wow, what a difference! Shaves beautifully, and since then do a bit of touch-up (1/3 or 1/5) about every 5-7 shaves.

Good luck, and happy shaving!

Bob

Go to the archives and find the doc on using the pyramid system. Start by putting electrical tape on the spine of your razor. Be sure to lap your hones flat first. Use the aggressive pyramid on your new razors then test shave. After that use the conservative pyramid once and test shave. Then let us know how it is going. Keep track of what you did for honing on each razor.

Be sure and read the honing forum as much as you can.

For your vintage razors use the thumbnail test to see if they have any nicks in the blade. Then perform 25 laps with aout 1 lb of pressure. Then check the edge with the TNT again. If there are still nicks then perform 25 more laps and test again. When the nicks ae gone and the edge feels uniform then move on to the aggressive pyramid. Reduce your pressure when you start the pyramid.

Hope this helps,