Thread: Maintaining the edge for a beginner

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Unless I missed something there is another factor to consider in your journey on SRP. You are not alone in NH. I looked up membership in your state and here are a number of qualified senior members (sorry, no Mentors there yet) that can, and are most likely willing to give you a couple of one-on-one hands on honing pointers and lessons. They are:
nessmuck
Sheajohnw
Whimpy

PM them to see who is willing and closest to you and arrange a session. Beats out all the reading and videos by a long shot.

Good fortune on your shaving journey.

Thanks! I think I looked once to see if any mentors, and there weren't any, but you've got another good idea that I'll have to look at. I should look a bit in Eastern MA too, as it's and easy trip to the Boston area.

In most cases Senior Member and Mentor can be considered interchangeable. Some Senior Members may not feel they can be good teachers or don't always have the time to be a Mentor. You won't know til you contact them. Good luck.

Originally Posted by pcm

Hi,

Background:

New to SR shaving (From DE). I have two shave ready razors, one a new Dovo with a free honing available. The other a used Spike. Both were bought shave ready (and are). I've been shaving with the Dovo (and stropping with a 2.5" strop - webbed and leather - X pattern). Only shaved once with the Spike, and want to save it as reference, until I send out the Dovo.

Objective:
I want to be able to maintain the edge on these, after getting the one professionally sharpened (SRD). I purchased Norton kit (flattening stone, 220/1K/4K/8K) and have been reading up on them as much as possible. I don't have anything finer, no barber hones, no sprays, Cr-ox, or whatever. i'd love to hear advice for how to handle some issues (maybe common problems) as well.

Questions:

For a beginner, like myself, what should be the plan of attack, when the blade starts to lose it's edge?
Should I use the 8K, 4K/8K, get a higher grid stone, or get pasted strops?

I'm a bit confused from all the reading - many opinions - some saying learn the lower grits before trying the finer stones, others saying pastes/sprays (I haven't looked into this at all) and then finishing hones.

Next, what actions are needed if one has a blunt? A small shiny spot on the blade? Can it be corrected by stropping? Spray/paste? If honing needed, what grit is needed? I'm not sure how it happened, but it may have been due to my shaving practice initially. Before I got a scuttle, I had the shaving cup in the sink, sitting in water, and was swishing the blade in the water to get lather off of it. May have bumped it?

It doesn't seem to be causing any real discomfort in shaving, though it doesn't seem to shave as well as when I got it. It's hard to tell, as I'm learning shaving technique with the SR as well. My last 4 shaves have been very good, only one nick (today) and very close. I did do one shave with the other blade a few days ago, and it was cutting better, so I suspect I also am not stropping well yet (it's been about a month) - guessing that it's not a difference in honing work done by others.

In reading other threads, I did see one comment about the strop twisting a bit. Mine does that sometimes as well. Would the result be that there would be more pressure on some parts of the edge? I can't tell, as I don't have a magnifying glass yet, and visually, it seems to be even along the length. I'm trying to make sure that doesn't happen. Would a paddle strop be a better way for a beginner (trying to eliminate all the variables)? If it does turn out to cause uneven wear, what's the suggested corrective action? Does one go back to re-setting the bevel?

I did try the pin test for rolled edge, and it doesn't seem to catch anywhere on either side, except at that one small spot where I noticed the ding (so maybe I'm not rolling the edge stropping, at least .

Here is a photo with my phone - really hard to take the shot, but you can see the reflection where the ding is... red arrow drawn.
Attachment 191160

Here is another shot, I think a bit out of focus though.
Attachment 191161


Looking forward to your suggestions... as this forum is GREAT!

Thanks,

PCM

That might be the post of the year for me, because I had the same questions and concerns. I still am somewhat timid about honing but told myself, "do it yourself or you aren't going to straight shave."

I started with Norton 4k/8k and a 12k from a Chinese quarry somewhere. Then I added a 1k King brand stone for bevel setting. I went with that for 2-3 years.

What I like now are Shapton stones. They are ceramic stones and I have 500, 1k, 4k, 8k, and 16k. They sharpen faster, which frankly eases my concerns about overhoning. When the edge begins to diminish somewhat I do some laps with .50 micron diamond spray paste obtained from Straight Razor Designs. I apply that to a canvas strop (not the one I use every day). My stropping routine is 30 laps linen and 60 laps leather both before and after the shave. I let my face be the judge when the blade needs something.

In other words, it was an odyssey for me. I assimilated all the advice then made a decision what to do.

The determining factor now, as to whether the blade is satisfactory or I need to do more, is the shave itself.

The most important thing I can tell you is that I do it in an attitude of fun. I enjoy this after 40 years of Trac II, to Fusion hell. The shave is the grail. I will do what it takes to get a good shave with a particular blade. It has become a hobby. I face it unafraid. By unafraid I mean fear of ruining my blade in the process of getting it ready to give me the kind of shave I know I can get from a straight now that I have learned how. Should I mess one up, I'll get another one, but that is not a real concern. You are likely not to ruin a razor trying to prepare it for a great shave.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

In most cases Senior Member and Mentor can be considered interchangeable. Some Senior Members may not feel they can be good teachers or don't always have the time to be a Mentor. You won't know til you contact them. Good luck.

Thanks for the info. I guess I've got a decision to make as to whether to send this blade back for the free honing, or to try to bring it back with a 12k and pasted strops and if at doesn't work send it in. For the latter, I need to get some items and should seek out some mentoring to help improve my chance of success.

Just an update...

I ordered a Naniwa 12K and DMT 325, a member is sending me some Cr-Ox, and I think I have a bead on a bench strop.

I still need to PM members in the area to see if anyone can help show me honing techniques.

I've been doing 50 strokes on the webbing and 100+ on the leather strop, being careful about pressure. It "seems" like the one small shiny spot is gone, and the other is less pronounced, but maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part

It does look like the corner on the toe has a tiny rolled edge. Just moving my fingernail from spine to edge, it snags right at the corner, on the one side (only). I must have bumped it on the sink. Glad I'm taking peoples' advice and keeping it totally away from the sink. I can hear it, when stropping on that side, especially on the webbing.

If I want to try to fix that issue (I'm thinking of trying and sending in for the free hone, if unsuccessful), what would be the approach? Try the 12k? Straight strokes, x pattern or other? How many strokes to try, before reassessing? It sounds like I should try highest possible, before going to lower grits.

When I get the loupe next week, I'll look at the bevel to see how that is.

Put a layer of tape on the spine and lap the 12k stone with the DMT. Pencil grit at least twice and make sure to spin the stone 180 degrees.

Look at the edge and mark any shiny spots with a dot of sharpie ink use a contrasting color, red, blue or green, on the bevel so you can easily find the problem area with the loupe.

Now do 10 lite laps, weight of the blade pressure. You blade was probably honed without tape so you will just be honing the edge or one third of the blade.

Now look at the edge and see if all the shiny spots are gone. The 12K Super Stone is pretty aggressive and should remove small chips in 10 laps.

If need be, do 10 more and inspect.

If all are removed, do 10 lite laps on Chrome Oxide on a Foam Core 3 inch paddle, Dollar store Foam Core makes a better paddle, the paper is rougher. Make sure your Chrome Ox is razor quality.

Then 50 on leather make sure to wipe your blade well. Make sure to use lite pressure on all stropping, especially the Chrome Ox strop.

Yes, I know you may not reset the bevel with 10 laps or 20. The goal is to refresh the edge and get you shaving not do a complete bevel set on a 12K.

@Euclid440 thanks! I just need to wait for some of the items to come in and I can give it a try.