Sending out two razors for honing...

I'm sending my Dovo Best Quality 5/8 half hollow and Saunders near wedge out to SRD for honing.

The Dovo was my first blade, where I did about 15 shaves, but have dinged it on the sink. I tried touching it up to remove the ding, but it still gives me some irritation. I have a free honing, so I'll give that a go, instead of trying to hone it. Next time, I'll give it a try, since I have more blades now.

The Saunders also was an early on blade, where I had about 12 shaves and I noticed a shiny edge, when looking head on, at the toe and heel. I think my stopping technique was improper for this smiling near wedge - likely too much pressure trying to compensate for the smile.

On a good note, the 9/16 quarter hollow, square point, Union Cutlery Spike is over 40 shaves and going strong. I've used cr-ox 3 times and only been stropping. Very happy with the shave (probably getting the technique down a bit :).

Next goal, once I get the blades back, is to move to my new Boker 4/8 extra hollow and see how that feels, and try to hone the Spike. I'll look for local people to see if I can get some mentoring. Then, I'll go back through rotation with blades.

Maybe some day I'll be able to tackle honing (and stropping) the Saunders! in the mean time, now that my technique is better, I'm curious to see how the Dovo and Saunders shave.

this is so much fun!

I don't believe you could better than SRD for the honing of both razors. They do good work. Sounds like your on your way to RAD. It's a terrible but wonderful affliction. I tackled honing a couple of years ago and even though I get some razors to shaving good others I have failed on. It's an art that requires practice and concentration but I believe i'll get there and you can too.

I know i'm still a newbie but i dont think that i want to learn how to hone my razors. First to my personal opinion i prefer a pro to do the job and the other thing i dont want to invest on honning stone. I wet shave on a buget and i watch my $$. Gino

Best idea is buying a cheap quality razor in decent shape and practice your honing with it. Once honed kill the edge and go again. You are likley to loose a lot of metal learning so do it on a razor you don't mind loosing. Getting with a mentor is a good idea and cannot convey how much frustration it will save. Good luck

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Originally Posted by rhensley

I don't believe you could better than SRD for the honing of both razors. They do good work. Sounds like your on your way to RAD. It's a terrible but wonderful affliction. I tackled honing a couple of years ago and even though I get some razors to shaving good others I have failed on. It's an art that requires practice and concentration but I believe i'll get there and you can too.

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Yeah, I'm not too deep into RAD (yet), but I wanted to try razors with different grinds and sizes to see how I like the feel. There certainly are noticeable differences, even from a newbie perspective.

I'd love to be able to maintain my own razors and I'm thinking there will be some gratification in doing so. I got a hint of that, when I was able to remove the ding from the Dovo, even though it needed more work to bring it back to a great shaver. I would have attempted setting the bevel too, but I have the free hone, so I'll use it first.

That said, I think some razors, like the smiling near wedge I have, are better left to the experts, until I gain some considerable knowledge on how to hone them (maybe never?). Just from stropping, I could see that this was a harder blade to work with, than the Dovo or Spike. Certainly, will be a lot more to learn!

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Originally Posted by eddy79

Best idea is buying a cheap quality razor in decent shape and practice your honing with it. Once honed kill the edge and go again. You are likley to loose a lot of metal learning so do it on a razor you don't mind loosing. Getting with a mentor is a good idea and cannot convey how much frustration it will save. Good luck

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Any suggestions on what to use? I'm leery about buying a blade that has all sorts of issues, thus making the learning even harder.

I've got four blades now, of which only one is a smiling near wedge, and probably much harder to hone. The Dovo and Boker are new, mid priced blades, and the Spike is a used, inexpensive razor.

I was thinking of honing the Spike, when the time comes, but it's currently is my favorite (I haven't used the Boker much yet). I don't want to mess it up too badly, but if I can find a mentor, maybe I can mitigate that risk.

Regards

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Originally Posted by Papabear11

I know i'm still a newbie but i dont think that i want to learn how to hone my razors. First to my personal opinion i prefer a pro to do the job and the other thing i dont want to invest on honning stone. I wet shave on a buget and i watch my $$. Gino

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There are many others just like you. Take into account the razors that you will not ruin and you can save a lot of money having others hone your razors. If you can maintain them for years and years than why not? Of course unless sharpening blades is a passion for you then you may want to go the other route but not everyone enjoys this aspect enough to spend the money and most of all the TIME to learn the art of honing.

There are plenty of decent quality no name german and English razors on the bay in good condition without much in the wsy of hone wear rust or the like that can be had quite cheaply. Unfortunately honing is one of those things that you have to do to get better and not just basic technique but getting the best from your stones and getting an edge thats not just sharp but comfortable to use. And then you need to be able to repeat that over and over. That's why the recommendations for a cheap razor so you can hone your skills before using something that you need to shave with. Last thing you want is dodgy shaves from a razor you can't get right

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Originally Posted by eddy79

There are plenty of decent quality no name german and English razors on the bay in good condition without much in the wsy of hone wear rust or the like that can be had quite cheaply. Unfortunately honing is one of those things that you have to do to get better and not just basic technique but getting the best from your stones and getting an edge thats not just sharp but comfortable to use. And then you need to be able to repeat that over and over. That's why the recommendations for a cheap razor so you can hone your skills before using something that you need to shave with. Last thing you want is dodgy shaves from a razor you can't get right

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I'll have to take a look. I have rarely purchased things off eBay, but will check it out.

Thanks!

Another option is the classifieds. Razors do come up for 25 here and there but sell quickly. Good luck