Thread: Makes No Sense

Sorry if this is similar to other posts, but I am still trying to read through the thousands of posts.

1. Premium Knives. Rip off? Seems like it. I bought my col. Conk Solingen razor from them, new, and of course, it shaves my arm, my cat, my back, but not my face. Not a single solitary piece of beard has ever been cut by it, though I have drawn blood. They claimed it was "Shave Ready." Their guru page even says that the reason my razor isn't shaving me is because of lubrication--and to quote: You'd be surprized at the dull razors I have been able to get a good shave from."

After reading these posts, it seems clear my Col Conk has the factory grind.

So, I have done lots of sharpening, and this thing is just a big fat hollow grind, so, it SHOULD be the easiest thing to sharpen in the world.

I don't have the Norton combo, but I have some really nice japanese water stones. These ought to work, right???

I have tried a whole bunch of times. Tonight I used my 1200 grit side with unbelieveable care, and my stone nice and wide. I was working that razor dead flat on both sides and got a nice wire edge the entire length of the blade.
FINALLY!!! I thought--that factory bevel is gone. Now I can really sharpen it.

So, I switched to the 8000 grit side and started working. Same thing, nice and flat. The wire edge is gone. Nice shiny mirror surface as far as I can see--sorry I don't have a microscope. I can't BELEIVE that this didn't hone to the correct angle.

Then I carefully stropped it about 20 times on my leather hanging strop.

Now for the big moment---wash, rinse, lather, here we go--sideburns on the right side first--down the razor goes at about 30 degrees to my face--off comes the foam. OK, lets do a few more strokes in the same place, just to make sure.

Then rinse, towel, and let it dry.

Now I feel my face. NOTHING. Not a single beard hair was cut. It's like I am using a butter knife. It shaves my arm, my cat, anything but my face.

The Well Shaved Gentleman just informed me they are shipping me a "shave ready" Dovo razor tomorrow. I guess I'll wait for my second razor to arrive to be convinced that this is going to work.

I know I am not using the recommended Norton stones, but these japanese stones are pretty darn good, and dead flat, the particular one I am using is brand new and has been lapped flat. It seems like the honing should have made SOME difference????

Any comments appreciated.

Toolarts

If you have a 4000 grit hone, establish the bevel with it and give it a polish with the 8k. If you get a wire edge, you've gone too far. Incorrect stropping can also mess up your edge. Did you lap the hones flat or are you relying on the factory lapping job?

I did lap the stones first. The 1200 was very flat. I marked it with a pencil and then the first pass with the lapping pad removed all of the marks.

The 8000 was not flat, but I did get it flat before starting.

One possible problem, I suppose, is that I went directly from 1200 to 8000. I will try an intermediate pass with a 4000.

Does it ruin the edge to do circular motion? How about going back and forth?

It is pretty time consuming just pushing the rzr edge first, but I'll do it if you think it helps.

Thanks for replying!!!!

Toolarts

1,200 is really too coarse for most guys. I'd bet you have to be a razor honing wizard to pull off a shaving sharp edge with those two stones. Get yourself a 4k waterstone (of some kind) and follow the Norton Pyramid guide in the Permanent Archives of the Help section. That'll start to make some sense to you.

X

4000 is the workhorse for honing razors. Grits in the 1k range are for removing oxidized metal and chips on old edges. 4000 establishes the bevel. 8000+ is for polishing.
Circular motion might have had something to do with it. The x-pattern is a tried, tested and true method of getting a proper edge. Try using the pyramid method for starters and you can modify it once you're more comfortable with this particular type of blade.
While some barbers had success with circular honing (hence razors with worn down tips), many razors came with instructions saying "No fancy strokes or don't blame the blade." Even guys who have honed more blades than a town's complement of barbers use this honing motion, so their experience indicates that this is the most efficient way of getting a shaving edge.

The only thing I can add is don't give up hope. You are probably about half way to sharp right now. It won't take very long with the right equipment to get you the rest of the way.

3 comments:

1. I can't believe how helpful you folks are. I really appreciate your responses. I'm sure this has been asked before in many ways, yet I got instant responses with no criticism. Wonderful!

2. Why is this so much fun? My friends think I am nuts trying to learn to hone strop and use a straight razor, but I am having a blast.

3. This will improve all my sharpening. Thanks again.

Toolarts
(Paul Houtz)

I too am new to this and I believe that you will not find a finer group of gents (and a few ladies).

I also have found myself having fun and have wondered about it. My current theory is that this is substituting for my pipe smoking. Alas, I no longer smoke but the similarity is quite good.

Collecting wierd and wonderful pipes = collecting wierd and wonderful razors

Cleaning and maintaining pipes = honing and sharpening

The relaxing ritual of loading the pipe = preshave

The contemplative nature of smoking the pipe = concentration while shaving

Have fun and enjoy the forum - I certainly do.

Cabo_sailor,
I thought that my new straight razor hobby would take away from all my pipe & tobacco endeavours, but have only found that they enhance each other. The more I get immersed in the old, and quality, ways of doing things (pipes over cigarettes, straights over cartrige razors), the more comfortable and immersed I become in each.

Thankfully, a lot of the tools I use for pipe making can now also be used for making new scales!

Sorry

Mark

Originally Posted by Milton Man

Thankfully, a lot of the tools I use for pipe making can now also be used for making new scales!

Sorry

Mark

Wow! You actually MAKE pipes. I thought that you were just a collector. I imagine that making scales would be significantly easier than making a pipe so I look forward to seeing what you come up with in the near future.