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Thread: Makes No Sense
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10-14-2007, 05:44 PM #6
Progress... I think
Okay, this morning I *think* I shaved.
I am still working with my Col. Conk Solingen Best Quality.
I have been honing it and honing it on my 4000 and 8000 grit stones.
The principle I think I was missing was holding the back of the razor hard against the stone at all times and tipping it up a little on the return stroke.
Kind of reminds me of using a willow branch powered lathe.
Anyway, I got to the point where the marks left by the razor on the stone showed me that the surface of the stone had flaws, so I used a 4000 grit stone to flatten the 8000 grit stone. This started showing me where my edge was not straight, so I went back to the 4000 and worked on it.
I also did the stropping correctly, i.e., never lifting the back of the razor from the strop. I did at least 100 strokes without nicking the strop--this is the real thing. It's always about technique.
Then I showered, lathered up with nice hot lather, and shaved. I cleaned it off, and NOTHING. Then I looked and realized I was using the wrong razor, the Dovo I got which I haven't worked on.
So, I re-lathered and took the Conk I have worked on so long, and scraped off all the lather. When I was finished, I definitely can see a difference. I didn't shave against the grain, but I had two days growth, and now it looks more like it did yesterday.
It hurt, and pulled, especially when I tried my chin and mustache, so I didn't push that, but it DID cut. So, I believe I can truly say the edge is better than it was when I bought it--but not quite there yet.
I'll keep working. My hope is to get to a point where scraping off the lather painlessly removes beard without making my face feel like a knee after a bicycle spill.
This kind of sharpening is definitely the next level compared to woodworking planes and chisels.