Thread: My first honing experience - Wapi

Originally Posted by Bradford Si

When you say it's so sharp 'you have never had so many nicks and cuts' are you sure it's sharp enough? I get nicked and cut when the razor's just about lost its keen-ness and I am overcompensating by adding too much pressure? Or maybe you have gone to far and over honed? Just my two pen'orth...

Well, I apply less pressure than with my Dovo and it cuts my skin very easily if I'm not very careful. It seems like I'm holding a surgery knife! But again, with the additional weight of the stock scales, I may have to apply very little pressure...

Originally Posted by Bradford Si

Good work fellas!

For anyone reading this and thinking Wapis are the simplest things to hone and you are struggling with yours fear not...one of mine was a pig to hone at first but a pointer or two from Randy regarding techniques got it right on the money.

Simon - can you share those tips with us here?

I'm glad to hear someone new say this. Honing is not a mysterious art. It's a very predictable process if you pay attention to what you're doing and use quality tools. Now try sharpening some other things! It's addictive. It can also make you popular. I take my hones to peoples' homes when I visit and sharpen their kitchen knives. They're astounded more often than not. They often say they were just going to throw the knives away and get new ones.

Originally Posted by Limey

Simon - can you share those tips with us here?

Yeah sure, nothing more mysterious than the much quoted x pattern I am afraid! It did take a tad more concentration to actually get the x right but using that worked.

I think mine was some way off when I got it so the pyramid went out of the window and I stayed on the norton 4k until I felt the edge had changed using the thumb pad test.

If you haven't used this before there are hundreds and hundreds of posts on how it feels etc but I think if you are looking for a particular sensation you are going to miss what the test is telling you.

If the edge cant cut the hair from your arm, gently and very lightly, slide your thumb a fraction along the edge (I know many say to go across but I couldn't get any sensation on this). To me, it felt sharp as there was no resistance (opposite of what I expected). I then did sets of ten on the 4k until I had a palpable change in feel - to me it felt blunt as I'd expect a blunt edge to drag.

At this point I retried the arm hair and they actually did 'pop' off the edge. I then did the conservative pyramid which refined the edge and rather than popping the hair fell from the edge. I went very lightly on the pyramid as I was surprised how quickly the norton 4k removed metal. You can always take more off but once it's off.....

For the X-pattern find one of Randy's posts and watch his avatar - it's better than a description.

Shaving is the best test though!

Good luck.

Si.

I am a newbie and I bought one of these and just got it today. I gave it 20 lashes over a 12000 waterstone and then gave it 30 strokes on a strop with white rouge and 40 on bare leather strop (no compound, just oiled the strop with neatsfoot oil). This thing has gotten scary sharp. Anyone who is new to a straight razor and wants to try it without spending alot really needs to go get one of these while there are a few left. I like this one so much I ordered another one!