Thread: Another "Not quite sharp enough" post

Hey Gasman thanks for the advice. My son and I race karts down near the Springs so maybe I'll look you up next time we're down there.
David

tcrideshd thanks for giving me some perspective on honing. This is a case where you should jump in with one foot!
David

Rezdog I will take your advice and use the tape. I have learned to torque the blade to get the pressure off the spine just I'm nowhere near proficient. I know I'm doing it wrong and once in a while I get a nice glide from the pass. I'm clearly at the conscious incompetence stage where I'm starting to know what I don't know about edge pressure.
David

There is so much about honing that took me a long time to pick up. Going to my first meet accelerated my honing abilities substantially. None of us started as pros, it’s all part of the learning.

TinTin
Although I hear from many that the pyramid method is a good way to go I hear from just as many people they prefer other methods like the X pattern only. It sounds like it's preference and the problem with the pyramid is that if you use combination stones you spend a LOT of time flipping them! Blistering Barnacles!

-Haddock

its not about preference either, its all about experience, no one razor is like the next. all the new and old methods really don't matter much till you know what your doing. and to quote one of the great razor guys out there "honing is easy till it aint!" that's why its so important to actually know what a shaving edge is. then try to get your edges there. the problem is so many new guys think, " I have to hone " when the truth is you put the cart before the horse. a truth be told, once your razor is honed right, the stones get put up for long periods of time. hence learn to strop. the only guys who are honing all the time are the guys who do it for a living. I,m 4 years into this and I still send my razors out, cheaper than stones still even though I bought all the stones. I maintain my razors, cause its the way to go, but you really will benefit from a meet and start right now and learn the basics,, that,ll keep you busy for the next 6 months

It can be done but is difficult to learn to shave and hone. Easier to start with a pro honed razor, learn to shave and strop. Then learn to hone on a different razor. It is easy to ruin a shaving edge with improper stropping.

You can’t learn to shave without a shave ready razor.

Post some pic of your razors, get some good magnification, there are many threads on magnification, you can buy good magnification on line from 2-15 dollars.

Look at the, (My second try at Honing) post. There are lot of great photos that document a new guy’s journey from bevel setting to shaving edge. Most important are the photos of a fully set bevel. Post 51, page 11.

As said most probably your bevel is not fully set. Make sure your stones are lapped flat and edges rounded or beveled, get some pure Chromium Oxide to strop on. A properly hone 8k edge stropped on Chrome Oxide is a nice shaving edge.

Hi David,

Just ran across this thread. PM coming.

Victor

There you go David. Vic is in your area and has helped many folks to learn to hone. Im in Denver every night for work but i dont stay in one place for more than 30 minutes filling the gas stations of Denver.

Send me a PM with your number. I can give you little warning of where i will be and i will hook you up with a honed razor. Not one for you to hone on but to help your shaving learning.

Vic will help you with the honning.

OK, well there has been a somewhat shocking development. I took the advice of MisterClean and stropped my razors as he suggested with 50 on the nylon and 100 on the leather. This morning I shaved with my old Hibbard Spencer Bartlett and it was amazing! It shaved very comfortably and I even dared to shave "upwards" on my sideburn area with a result of patches of BBS! I'm very excited and encouraged by this. Then I grabbed my new DOVO and it was even better. I'm not saying this is anything but beginner's luck so I realize I have a long way to go and a lot to learn but it's been fun shaving with a straight without feeling like I'm dragging 60 grit sandpaper across my face.

I also have had a mentor reach out to me here in Denver to give me a honing lesson so that should be fun too. Also I have had someone reach out to me from CA with some great advice and additional help with my shaving journey.

Thanks to all...

D