Thread: Best first step to refresh razor?

I am a new guy, and I have read most to the info. What is the best way to refresh the edge of my razor between honings? Do I get a 12k, or go to pastes and diamond sprays? It seems to me that the hone would be the easiest, and in the long run, best. Eventually I would add coarser hones. Is it really necessary to use paste if you finish with a 12k or finer hone, or can you go straight to the strop.

A 12k would be just fine to refresh/maintain your razor. Pastes and sprays are not necessary. They simply add a bit of nuance to the process. If you want to keep it simple, a good barber hone or a 12k is perfectly a sufficient. Do just a few strokes, clean off the blade, strop, and shave.

Perform this touch up as soon as you notice any diminishment in the quality of the shave. The sooner you do it, the less you will need to do to bring it back.

I have read on here that some guys have maintained a razor for years using a regular leather/linen strop and barber hone only. It seems to me the most cost efficient way to maintain a razor and I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work.

As an experiment I'm thinking of dedicating a razor specifically for maintaining using regular leather/felt strop and barber hone only. I'll do my normal routine; 20 passes on felt followed by 50 on leather before shaving. After shaving I'll wipe crud off with damp wash cloth, run hot water over blade to rinse and heat up the metal to promote drying, wipe dry with towel and finally 20 passes on felt. I've used this routine for a few years now and my edges have been lasting a lot longer. When the blade does start to pull a little I'll give it a few passes on a barber hone. I won't be using any kind of paste for this experiment.

If all goes as expected the edge will last as long as I'll be around without needing any further honing................

Originally Posted by DoughBoy68

I have read on here that some guys have maintained a razor for years using a regular leather/linen strop and barber hone only. It seems to me the most cost efficient way to maintain a razor and I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work.

As an experiment I'm thinking of dedicating a razor specifically for maintaining using regular leather/felt strop and barber hone only.

It certainly will work. I did exactly that for nearly 10 years. I only had a Swaty and Carborundum 102 before finding SRP and learning about many other hone options.

In order to be able to compare the differences between the hones, I continued to maintain a 7 razor set with nothing but those two barber hones. They continued to shave just fine for 10 years despite being kept in a gym locker room with high humidity.

I finally looked at them under a microscope after 10 years. The edges had some chipping, so the edges would not look like anything I would send to anyone, but they still shaved just fine.

This razor stuff does not need to be complicated!

Utopian, Thanks. It seemed to me that a 12k hone should be enough to maintain the blade, or paste and sprays. Both were overkill, or simply a desire to "tinker". You and Doughboy have confirmed that. My blades right now are an Rolf Aust, and a Henckel 72.5. Nothing special, and should not require anything special.

Originally Posted by jec38

Utopian, Thanks. It seemed to me that a 12k hone should be enough to maintain the blade, or paste and sprays. Both were overkill, or simply a desire to "tinker". You and Doughboy have confirmed that. My blades right now are an Rolf Aust, and a Henckel 72.5. Nothing special, and should not require anything special.

jec38,
Its funny you mentioned Henckels. JA Henckels are some every fine, quality razors. Lynn Abrams said in one of his videos "I haven't met a Henckels I didn't like." I had one a while back but sold it, like a dummy. It took 2+ years to find another one in good condition at a reasonable price. I recently picked up a 6/8 Henckels that I honed up, shaved with and it gave a good enough shave but I felt it missing a little. So, I gave it a few strokes on a Swaty to see if it would bring it around. I haven't had a chance to try it again but when I do if it gives a better shave it will be the one I'll use for the experiment.

Most new guys come to SRP looking for str8 razor shaving info and read about guys having all these hones and automatically think they need them to start and when they start checking into hone prices they get overwhelmed. Well, most of the guys with all these hones have been at this a while and have become interested in restoring razors which does require a few hones. For the average new guy learning to shave is the first and most important aspect and if only interested in shaving all that is needed is a good strop and a barber hone. Utopian is proof you can maintain a razor for years with just those basic tools.

Those two razors you have, the Rolf Aust & Henckels, are both top notch razors and should be all you will need for a lifetime of close, comfortable and enjoyable shaves, a strop and barber hone is all you need to keep them shaving that way. Happy Shaving!

Good advice above, especially the theme of "keep it simple".

As long as you don't damage the edge and don't let it "go to far" this is all much easier to do that we make it out to be.

If your razor's were honed with a layer of tape (ask) then you would need to touch up on the 12K (or any hone) with a layer of tape.
It takes very little in the way of stokes or pressure (weight of the razor only is the word) - less is more.

Finding a mentor would be helpful.

Those of us who look at this as a Hobby - collecting, restoring and chasing that perfect edge, forget sometimes that it is...shaving...

Smooth shaving and please let us know how it goes..

MJC, thanks for the words of encouragement.

Doughboy, thanks again. After reading all of this, KISS seemed to me to be the best initial approach. The only reason for two razors is to be able to send one out for honing periodically (read: "When I screw the edge up!).
Jim

Pastes aren't a priority or necessary. The old school guys in the old days didn't have then back then. A good barbers hone like a Franz Swaty or a 12k would be good.

“Best first step to refresh razor?"

First, look at the edge with magnification 30X – 60X.

What you see determines what you need to do. I maintained a single razor for years, with a 4 in Translucent Ark, Illinois linen and leather.

Get in the habit of identifying the problem, before taking any action. Do not become one of those people who make corrections because you think you know what the problem is. Find out, then do, just what is needed.

A fine grit, Barber hone or a 12k Super Stone will maintain a razor, just fine. The 12k Super Stone is the best all round finishing stone on the market, right now.

The 12k SS will easily refresh an edge or do a complete re-set of the bevel in under 100 laps on a pre-honed, hollow ground razor with a chip free edge.

And will leave an edge that is very comfortable, with just a little stropping even more so.

Pastes and sprays may re-fresh an edge depending on how damaged the edge is and which paste you are using. Paste can keep an edge shaving, indefinitely, depending again on the paste and the user.

Do you need paste, post a 12K finish?

No, Paste will do the same thing that linen and leather will, only much, much faster, polish the bevel and edge.

Chromium Oxide is the 12K Super Stone of paste, you can put it on almost anything smooth from paper to wood and get good results. It should be the first paste you try, is inexpensive and will make almost any edge smoother and more comfortable.