Thread: fed up

where to begin......

i have been "trying" to hone my dovo with a 4000/8000 norton and i could barely pass any sharpness test

the test i use the most is the HHT --even though i have read that this is not the absolute test for a shave ready razor, it is the one i understand the most

i have been using a disposable straight and my face is getting used to that so when i use my dovo my face feels like it has to get used to this new blade and i do not want to switch back and forth between the disposable straight and the dovo

so i go the extra step and get a table strop and some .5 diamond paste and this has not helped either

i am at the end of my wits and am convinced i have no freakin clue what i am doing

when i first shaved after doing several variants of the pyramid my dovo seemed to pull alot and not really take off many hairs--i was suggested that it might be my technique but when i shave with my disposable straight i get it clean off--unless there is a difference of technique with a disposable straight versus a regular straight???--and again when i used to have a lynn honed razor i used the same technique and it shaved better than my disposable straights which i have been using for years--(kudos to Mr. Abrams )

so i go to the .5 pasted diamond strop and have a go at that ---
HHT looks better than before and i test shave and i feel no pulling but it still does not take that much hair off--and by the time i get to my chin ...well forget it, it can barely take anything off

so i sit here really pissed wondering what else is there to do--i have been honing this razor for almost 2 months and using the diamond pasted strop for a couple of days now and i feel as if i am going NOWHERE!

anyone in the miami or puerto rico area can help me in person???

i'll probably post a new thread for that

anyhow thanks

Looks like your razor is getting close. If I were you, I'd:
1) lap the norton
2) do about 15 passes on each side with another blade (to knock off the remaining rough spots)
3) do a few (3-5) gentle 1-5's on the norton. By gentle, I mean just the weight of the blade
4) do 10 passes on the 0.5
5) shave with it

I had the same experience when learning, and the key for me was to forget about the disposable blade straight as you will never get your razor that sharp. It took much experimenting with different razors and equipment to figure out what worked for me. I have maybe 20 razors that I have honed to shave ready but I only shave with about 4 of them, as they are the ones that seem to work for me.
Keep at it, you will figure out how to do it with practice. I think that technique with a straight might take considerably more time to get than honing(well it did with me as I have a troublesome beard), so don't lose confidence in your honing ability until you have had a perfect shave with a straight and know what you are aiming for.

If your norton hasn't been lapped recently then you need to do that first, then give it some more attention on the norton. Back when I had one, I lapped mine before every honing session. Unfortunately, the 0.5 micron abrasive won't do much unless the razor is already sharp - it won't get a dull razor sharp anytime soon, but it will make a sharp razor sharper.

You could, if your interested, just send the razor out to me and I can tell you what the problem is, hone it, and send it back.

Might be nice to atleast know what you might be doing wrong if anything.

raZor,

I know whereof you speak and I have a honemeister who lives only about 5 miles from me (Randy) and who has graciously offered to show me how to do the deed. A perverse nature has required that I try to get half way there myself, before I pack up my cares and woes (razors and stones) to visit Mr. Meister. I use edged tools and can sharpen them well enough to remove hair from my arm. Do you suppose there is any transfer of that feat from chisel to razor? NOOOOO! Why would I have even thought that were possible.

I think your taking up AFDavis on his equally gracious offer might answer a host of questions for you. I'm going to be calling my meister this week. I may go slowly, dragging my heels all the way, but at least I resist change well.

Bruce

What do you guys mean by "lapping" a hone?

Don't rely on the HHT!!!!!!!!!!

I can never pass the test off the 4k and I think I am right in saying that once you go up in grits it's less likely to pass as the edge is smoother and not likely to snag the hair?

See Woj, get a Wapienica or two to practice with and you'll get there and have some good workhorse razors out of it to boot!

I am working on understanding the TPT now and that is telling me more day by day by comparing the Wapi's with my Lynn honed piece.

Get your Dovo done by AFD so you have a standard and get a Wapi and try getting it to the same ballpark...

Lapping is a process that flattens and preps the stone.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Lapping is a process that flattens and preps the stone.

How do you go about doing that?