Thread: Sharpening

Having a pro-honed razor is a must when it comes to learning to shave. You should have two razors. For two reasons. You have one to go back to when sending one off for honing, and one you can practice honing on. But if your trying to learn to hone and shave at the same time, 3 would be better. Honing take time and more time and then more time to learn before you get it really right. Ive been at it for over a year and have recently got to the point that my edges pass my test of being right. Some folks pick it up faster than others and you can get lucking now and then.

IMO, its best to learn to shave first on pro-honed razors, then learn to hone. It takes the question of "is my razor sharp" out of the learning process. If you keep one razor pro-honed and uze it very little, you have something to compare your other razors too.

Stropping is great for an edge when done right but can kill an edge if done wrong. It all takes time and more time to learn. One on one with someone to show you how to hone will take off many weeks of trying to hone by yourself. Good luck on what ever you choose to do. You can learn it all at the same time but i think that this leads to most giving up. Not all, but most.

I have just invested in a
New Thiers issard eagle leaf 6/8 and a new theirs issard 5/8 Spartacus

To add to my two old gong’s.

So commited now

Need to get them honed professionally.

Any recommendations in the Uk?

Celticrusader is a member here and in the UK. There are a couple other too that certainly do their own honing but their screen names escape me at the moment. Hit Jaimie (Celticrusader)with a PM I’m sure he can help or find you help that is closer.

I use the same loupe dzec, works excellent!

Just ordered that loupe

Also just purchased some hones

Norton 1000 grit new
Norton 4000 git new
Dragons tongue 8k already had
Imperial l’rocka 16k new

I will get this thing licked .

No natural hone has any legitimate grit rating. A dragon's tongue is barely suitable as a finisher and most could not be equated with a synthetic 8k.

ILR takes the same stone and calls them all sorts of things. They are not 16k.

The Norton 1k is problematic. It is eternally thirsty. Even 75% submerged, the surface has to be re-wetted pretty much every 10 laps. When I use one I keep the razor in one hand and the water bottle in the other. There are much better options for a 1k hone.

I was told to hone under trickling tap water in the sink.
Is that bad form?
The stones I had before didn’t have a name or markings .
Think there where used for lawnmowers before I got em.
They are flat but that’s about all I could say about them

Theses Norton’s and ILR came unused in a pick a pike sharpening tool box case thing. I purchased second hand for £40

I know folks hone under running water, but its usually a coti stone or a fine finisher. For 1k/bevel.setting i've never herd of someone doing it under running water. If your going to buy stones then id recommend the Naniwa stones. Lots of us have sets of Naniwas and Nortons. I sold my nortons. They were good stones, just hated the soaking time and trying to keep them wet. When im using a bit of slurry i didnt like adding so much water that my slurry got thinned out before i wanted it thinned.

Good luck on what you end up with. Just go slow. Its not a race. Its a hobby. Like i got much room to be saying that. Ha.

There is a reason/reasons that synthetic stones, such as the Naniwa series, are popular. First they have a grit rating that is accurate so you know what you are getting and they perform the same way very time. They are not cheap but relatively inexpensive compared to some of the natural hones. That makes them excellent to beginners to honing. Personally I started with Naniwas and have stayed with them because they just plain work right for me.

When I hone I have a spray bottle of water handy to wet the Naniwa hones. The only time I put them under running water is when I lap them flat and they do need lapping when new to ensure flatness.

Bob

Can’t post picture?

Used eyeglasses and blades all have big wakking holes in the edges