Printable View
Ok so I have a Genco that needs to be honed I could send it out I know but I want to do it my self only question is what kind of hone
Brand ?
Grit ?
Size ?
Any info I can get because I need to fix it I hate using my old 4 blade razor now that I have been using the straight one
I'm sorry I'm not closer or I'd help you out. Finding someone within traveling distance to help you get started is invaluable.
Bare bones basics are a 1K, 4K&8K. Nortons and Naniwas are quite popular.
We do have members in the Lone Star state. Ask around here and share what area you are in, you might be close to a mentor.
In the library section there are a ton of good articles. Kind of a compilation of what you'd find in the threads, very good information for just starting out.
In addition to honing it yourself, it'd be advisable to get another straight (if you want to keep using one) since it's likely you could put your Genco out of service as you learn. Or even better, have the Genco touched up and get another to fool around on.
If I were you I would look to start with a barbers hone, like a Swaty or something, you can easily and consistently refresh your razor. That's a good place to start before you invest in the time and money necessary to hone a razor through all the necessary progressions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Antzgarciak7
For me, my method of honing a razor is simple, I put it in the mail and let a pro do it...:D
What is a swaty and thanks but I have sent it off before but I am interested in learning how to do it myselfQuote:
Originally Posted by Phrank
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,;)
Beginner's Guide to Honing - Straight Razor Place Library
Barber hones are a quick and easy way to "refresh" the edge on your razor. As the name suggests, barbers would use these to regularly touch up their razors.Quote:
Originally Posted by Antzgarciak7
Read about them here in the SRP Wiki:
Barber Hones - Straight Razor Place Library
Yea!....two slap shots and nothing but net!:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Hirlau
First off, if you take my advice you will be the first to do so. So if you do, let the others know if it works out. My advice is to send the razor you shave with out to a pro while you learn to hone. Sharpening a razor is not impossible but a lot more difficult than you might be aware of. The hones needed depend on what level of honing is needed. If the razor has no edge at all, you need a bevel setter. If there is a bevel and the razor needs a touch up, a 12k hone or barber hone will do that. But my advice is to get another razor off of eBay to learn on and send the one you want to shave with out so you know your edge is good for shaving.
Oh this is such a slippery slope...
Were in Texas area you?
As Ozarkedger mentions we have members all over who might be able to help you out (I'm in Dallas)
And as RoyalCake notes, this is why we all seem to have (ahem...) more than one razor - and that there is a lot of great info in the library.
For me, the best advice was to learn how to maintain the edge and "back into" honing.
I started with Crox and Diamond on felt pads and balsa.
Then a 4000/8000 Norton and a DMT to lap and maintain it - and use the Crox and Diamond as a finish.
Then a 1K bevel setter...it spirals out of control after that (12K, Rocks from Africa...oh my)
Glen/gssixgun has a thread about maintaining a razor almost indefinitely using Diamond spray and Crox.
Pasted Strops "The Experiment" - Page 2
And here is another from the beginners thread - also Glen - about a basic two razors, barbers hone is all you need.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ne-2013-a.html
(I sometimes refer to this as the mythical "Two Razor Bob" - I had missed the thread from Glen when it came out but he nails it)
There are also threads on using a 12K as a barbers hone.
So the second razor is almost a given - we often have great entry level razors in the classifieds that come shave ready - they go quick so check often or subscribe to the classifieds thread.
The Library can show you how to make a balsa strop to maintain the edge (and it might bring your Genco back..)
Unless the edge has been damaged (and granted that is not hard to do) you can maintain it with a very basic kit for a very long time.
It Straight razors become a hobby in addition to how you shave...well we know how hobbies can go.
Hope that helps a bit, let us know if you have a goal in mind (just shaving, going all in, have started building a forge in the back yard..)
Smooth shaving..
If you are wanting to learn to hone, then you definitely want to start with a junk razor. My hone recommendation would be a DMT 325 to lap the hones with, a Norton 1k for bevel setting, a Norton 4k/8k combo, a 12k Naniwa for finishing, and a CrOx pasted strop.
It's a lot easier to learn by refreshing a blade with a barber hone or a 12k hone. And when that no longer works go to the 8k. Then go to the 4k when the 8k doesn't bring it back.
Good luck
"Junk" razors, while possibly ok for practising technique on, usually come with inherent problems that can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you are starting out. Make it easy on yourself and start with a good razor.Quote:
Originally Posted by criswilson10
I would get a 6"/8" 320 grit diamond plate from dmt and a 1k Norton/King/Chosera first.
Does your genco just need a touch up. As in it still shaves but it pulling or not shaving as nice as it use to. Or did you drop it or damage it some other way where the bevel needs a reset. I know this may be a hard question to answer as a novice but that in for will help. If you just need a touch up you could just get some Chromium oxide and put it on a strop. That can keep your razor shaving sharp and comfortably for quite some time and is quite affordable. Or you could get something like a naniwa 12k or a barbers hone like others have suggested. If all you need is touchups then there is no need to buy the lower grit stones yet. And a dmt is not at all necessary and is quite expensive. A better option would be wet/dry sand paper for lapping. Cheap yet still effective and if you want to lap to a higher grit well it cost you all of 5 bucks for a pack vs. 100 bucks or soo for another dmt.
Also once you get a stone I would practice with that other razor you sent me just to get the feeling of keeping the razor flat on the stone. You won't be able to get that razor to shave but it will give you a feel for the technique before taking your genco to it.
Most of all though don't be afraid to do it. It's really not too hard as long as you got good coordination and understand what your trying to accomplish and how to accomplish it which can be learned by the many videos and articles in the wiki. Razors are made of steel. We make buildings and cars with steel so I think it can handle a session or two of you not knowing what your doing.
Lastly if you want I still got your address and if all you need is a touch up I can send you a stone to try out.
Yes it still shaves but not as close as it did when I first got it.Quote:
Originally Posted by cosperryan
I have now come to realize just how important and delicate these things are they must be kept in a good secure place were the cannot get bumped.
As far as a nick in the blade I think that it has a small one put I can barely tell and a camera would not pick it up.
So do you think I should try the Chromium oxide first or go straight to a barber hone?
Eventually I will get a full set up but for now I am tackling problems as they arise
We cannot be sold on something we do not initially want
If you want to start honing razors you will need a razor without geometry issues. A factory edge dovo or revisor would work or something off e bay but that can be difficult as you are buying based on pictures.
You could start with a norton 4/8 and should be able to get a razor shave ready with just that stone and a strop. Later add a bevel setter (1k stone) and a finisher (12k...?)
Naniwa, shapton norton Chinese 12k all depends on your budget
Tackling problems as they arise may or may not be a good strategy as... well, I wouldn't advise it for a multitude of reasons really. But the biggest reason I wouldn't advise it is because if you blow the fire-fighting, you'll need another tool to continue - and that can be very frustrating as you wait for it in the mail hoping its the bandaid you need. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Antzgarciak7
Were you sitting beside me in a coffee shop asking me this question, I would strongly advise you not to fight fires, but to get a system in place.
If you want to learn how to hone, I think it stands to reason that you would buy a set of stones to take you from poor to stellar. Recall, if you ding your blade on the sink, you'll need to start from scratch. That said, I guess you could slowly buy your stones backwards. Ie, 12k, then 8k, down to a 1k.
There are more than a few guys who maintain their blades after a pro hones their razor. This can be done with a single 10k or 12k stone, pastes, or whatever. I have found this to work very well for me - but again, what if you drop or ding the blade?
I applaud you on wanting to learn how to hone - it can be frustrating to learn, but I have found little that compares to the satisfaction of having successfully honed a blade! It ranks up there with noting I had become complacent about shaving with a straight :).
I wish you all the best - I would think system - perhaps building a system.
Thank man and that is not my approach to all things but this is a new hobby and gets pricy sometimes that's what I meantQuote:
Originally Posted by earcutter
But thank you for the info on which order to buy
A good inexpensive way to get started is with lapping film. Go to youtube and search for lapping film and razors. A flat piece of 12"x12" granite floor tile (six dollars) from Lowe's or Home Depot works well as a base for your lapping film. Cut the stone into four, three inch sections and you have basically four different stones with different grits of lapping film. Good Luck.
Ozarkedger is right. You will want to get you a 1k, 4k or 5k & 8k or 10k. Norton makes a 1k & a combo 4k/8k. Naniwa makes a 1k, 5k & 10k. I have both those setups plus I have Shapton 1k, 2k 4k 8k & a 16k for a finisher. An 8k can be used for a finish but if you really want a fine mirror finish you can get a Naniwa 12k or a Shapton 16k, They make even finer finishers like Shapton makes a 30k but be ready to dish out over $300 for that stone. All the rest are reasonably priced. The 16k was around $160 though I think. You can buy Norton & Naniwa at Straight Razor Designs & they couldn't be priced any lower than anyone else. Just click on their ad on one of these pages. You can go to the Library to watch videos on honing & learn to strop on here as well. Don't forget youtube. I saw a good stropping video on there as well. Like others have said there are a lot of articles on learning here. For now it would probably be best to send your razor out if it needs honing & get a spare for when that is being done. You won't regret it & BTW, when you buy honing stones you will want a lapping plate or stone to make your hones perfectly flat. All hones even new don't come lapped & you must do it yourself. You want flat hones in order to get a nicely honed edge & for it to be done right. So get you some hones & a lapping plate & you'll be good to go. You'll be a pro before you know it if you follow the simple instructions. By the way, what part of Texas are you in? I'm just outside of Houston.
ChefKnivesToGo has a cheap diamond lapping plate for 30 bucks. Chosera 1k for 65 on a uk site. Norton 4/8 on SRD. Nani 12k there as well. That's all you'll need for a while for around 200 bucks. If the Nani 12k is too pricey, check out the various PHIGS or an Imperia Roccia on fleabay ($30-40).
Once I learned how to get a good edge off the 8k and some CrOx laps on canvas strop, I felt proficient enough to buy the Naniwa 12k.
That's a good price on the lapping plate. That is where I bought my flatbed hones.Quote:
Originally Posted by DickWhitman
Yeah it's a 140k too
If you are maintaining razors that were pro honed I would first get a CrOx pasted paddle and a Barber hone, then later a Norton 4k/8k. If you get to the point of needing to set the bevel (ebay or antique store razors) then I would ad a 1k stone. You can always ad a finishing hone to the mix (Escher, Coticule, C12k, synthetic etc)