Thread: Newbie questions

Hey guys, I started straight razor shaving this past november. I love it for the most part...still having issues with my neck line and jawline, but I'm sure practice will make perfect. I have two questions.

1) It's been about three months and I was curious about honing. My razor seems to be slightly more dull than when I started, but that could be from bad technique. I found this link on the whipped dog site and was wondering if this would be appropriate. 12000 grit. I saw Lynn's video about honing and am wondering if this hone would be ok and also, is slurry just cold water on top of the stone?
Buy Natural Water Stone 8 x 2 x 1 at Woodcraft

2) I bought this bench strop from star shaving and its only english bridled leather. Do I also need to do felt as well? Or is just the english bridled leather good enough by itself? If I do get a felt one, do I need the chromium paste?
Leather Laptop Strop

I looked at other threads, but seem to be a bit confused. Thanks in advance!

No, don't mess with that natural stone. Every natural stone has a unique personality, kind of like us humans. Those particular stones are all over that place. Stones to learn from are the synthetics like Norton, Naniwa, Shapton, and of course quality barber stones like Swaty's.

Felt is not necessary, but handy. You can use the back side of the strop for a few strokes after a shave to remove the microscopic gunk left on the razor and then flip it so you can strop after a shave. Yes, plain old leather is fine. Any of the pastes are for touching up or refining a blade's edge and should be used on a separate strop (leather or felt).

The only stupid question is the one you DON"T ask.

In a case of YMMV I'm a new by honer and I absolutely love my Woodcraft Chinese "12k". That said, as shooter noted, there does seem to be some variation in their quality.

Shooter is dead on in his advice (see what I did there? ). If I were you, I'd get a good barber's hone, like a Swatty, and then watch Glen's (gssixgun) videos on YouTube on using a barber's hone for touching up a razor. I've been using one each time a razor gets to five shaves. Before shave #6, I do five strokes on the hone and then strop the razor for 5 laps on a CrOx pasted strop I made from an old cotton belt. It's kept my razors keen and smooth.

The natural stone that you referenced is commonly referred to as a Chinese Natural 12k or cnat. I definitely agree with shooter74743 that using the cnat as your first hone would probably not be optimal. The cnat has a different feel do it being a natural stone, and it requires more laps than a synthetic stone. There is a certain learning curve to using the cnat. For optimal results, you may also need to lap it which can be time consuming.

However, down the road once you get skilled at honing and learn how to do proper x-stokes, the cnat can definitely be used to refresh a blade. Indeed, I regularly use one to refresh mine.

For normal honing, I find the cnat to be a nice finishing stone. My normal progression is Norton 1k, 4k, 8k, and then cnat. For value, the cnat can't be beat.

For synthetics, people seem to highly recommend the Naniwa 10k or 12k.

I think a barber hone is your best solution. It would also be helpful to know if your razor was initially honed with tape. If it was you should use the barbers hone with the spine taped.

Thanks for the responses fellas...I am going to see what I can do. Maybe a 12000 grit synthetic like Nortons is the path I'll take...just gotta wait about two weeks to get one...

Originally Posted by shooter74743

The only stupid question is the one you DON"T ask.

Bravo Shooter!

Hey Rook,

Its clear that honing is in your future, and that's a good thing. You'll have some frustration, but you're guaranteed to be on top of the world on your first nice edge.

The guys have been telling you right. Should you wish to buy a little time, or have an edge to compare your efforts to - would gladly freshen an edge. Return postage only.

You *have* been watching Lynn & Glenn's vids on honing? (note the only good answer is: repeatedly)

'Hope to hear of your first fine edge soon.

Originally Posted by pinklather

Bravo Shooter!

Hey Rook,

Its clear that honing is in your future, and that's a good thing. You'll have some frustration, but you're guaranteed to be on top of the world on your first nice edge.

The guys have been telling you right. Should you wish to buy a little time, or have an edge to compare your efforts to - would gladly freshen an edge. Return postage only.

You *have* been watching Lynn & Glenn's vids on honing? (note the only good answer is: repeatedly)

'Hope to hear of your first fine edge soon.

What a generous offer, thanks! I have to shave everyday for work and only have one straight razor...so I will most likely just buy what I need and learn the correct technique...but damn...thanks for the generosity...really appreciate it!

When you start working on honing, be sure that you follow pinklather's advice and watch Lynn and gssixgun's videos many times if your answer to his question wasn't "repeatedly" (if it wasn't, do NOT admit it!). A lot of the questions you might have will be answered well in their videos. Read through the wiki and honing forums thoroughly also.

One piece of advice I can give as a newbie honer is to not start "chasing a rabbit" on a set number of stroke's at each grit. From razor to razor, amount of pressure for "x" number of laps with "y" slurry thickness are certainly not values that are scribed somewhere on an Aztec wall. Although, that might explain how the honemeister's here get such good edges...
Cult perhaps?