Absolutely true... the first step is to make sure it has a bevel. if in doubt or if you have any problems getting it sharp, that's the solution 80 to 90 % of the time.

Quote Originally Posted by BrianB View Post
Importance of a honemeister...

There's an interesting trick that honemeisters do. Well, maybe not a trick but they all do it or guarantee it to be there. They all set a bevel. To my (inexperienced, young, naive, etc.) mind, the bevel is a baseline for the cutting edge. (You can read more into it HERE.) Without a bevel you might as well be shaving with a warped razor.

Another thing that true honemeisters tend to do is provide a guarantee. They understand that things happen between a razor leaving their hands and reaching your face. Their fault? Probably not as likely as the recipient's but the chance is still there. I've seen increasing frequency in shave-ready guarantees. If the razor isn't shave-sharp you can just send it back and they'll re-examine what needs to be done. Does this take time? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Double-absolutely.

It is essential in the learning curve of straight shaving that you first know what shave-ready is. It's your benchmark for how razors should shave and tends to be the shave by which you judge all the ones to follow (if you don't give up from a poor first experience). Second, when you send a razor back, you're telling an experienced shaver that something went wrong somewhere. The honemeister may examine their own methods or look over the razor and determine if it was something from the other end. From that, adjustments in the processes between hone and face can be made and learning can occur.

The other thing every real honemeister is going to do is to actually put their own face on the line and shave with it. It may not be more than a little bit of cheek and jaw line, but if it can't shave the honemeister (comfortably), it isn't shave ready. Lynn has taught us that one... the only true test is to shave with it.