Thread: Newbie with some honing queries

First post, so hello everyone.

Bit of background. I have been shaving with a DE for the past few years and I am now moving to a straight. I have ordered a Wapienica which will come honed and stropped, together with a Dovo leather strop. I have been doing quite a bit of reading on this and other forums and I have a query regarding honing and what my options are.

Based upon what I have read, stropping before each shave will mean my razor could be good for in the region of 20 - 30 shaves. After this, the edge will become dull and it will need honing. Now I believe there are a number of options open to me, send it off and get someone to hone it for me, or do it myself. I prefer to make life awkward, so I shall try to hone it myself.

I am aware of honing pastes and paddle strops and the use of them appears to prolong the length of time before honing is required. Am I correct in thinking, that even if I use honing pastes, the razor will still need to be honed on a stone?

If so, it looks like a Norton 4000/8000 or perhaps a Belgian stone would be suitable. It appears that in the world of straight shaving there are a few honemiesters and then there are mere mortals. Do most guys do their own honing and if so, is it possible (with a bit of practice) to get the blade suitably sharp? Is it worthwhile getting the razor honed by a 'pro' once a year? Finally, if everything goes well, the Wapi will be replaced in time with a Dovo, but in the interim, is it worth buying a cheap old straight from eBay to practice honing so as not to ruin the Wapi blade.

I thank you for your time and welcome your responses.

The Wapi might stay sharp much longer than you might think 20-30 shaves is only about 1 month of shaving...
Two things contribute to razor edge degradation, your beard and how you strop...
Proper stropping technique can keep an edge shave ready for much longer than you might think, and a pasted strop even longer, when used correctly..
Sooner or later, yes, the blade is going to have to be re-honed, and the choices in stones is almost as bad as the choices of razors, so read a lot and make your own decision on which set up to go with...( my recommendation is always the Norton starter set because of price, and the fact that so many here use it or have used it so, help is easier to find)
I always smile when I hear people say, "I am going to buy an e-bay vintage razor to practice on", because that razor, most likely will cost less, and out shave either the Dovo or the Wapi, once it is brought to shave ready...
Good luck with your honing adventure, and ask questions when you start, most here will be more than happy to help you out...


Welcome to SRP!!!!

Thanks for the reply gssixgun.

I have heard the Wapis can get real sharp and keep their edge well. However, being a newbie, my stropping technique will be poor at the start, so the Wapi blade is likely to suffer in the short term. Then I will have to hone it and start that learning process. I plan that I will write off the next few months as part of the learning curve. All part of the fun.

I hear what you are saying about the eBay purchase. I just know that I will end up buying a pig ugly razor because it is cheap and then it will end up being the best razor ever. Although with DEs, I never really got the whole Gillette Superspeed or FatBoy thing and love my Merkur Futur.

I assume most guys hone their own razors and to a useable standard?

Honestly from reading many of the posts here, and from the amount of requests I get, just myself, for honing services, I would guess that the honing to non-honing membership is slightly more to the non-honing side....
I think many of our membership is more into the maintainance of the blade than the honing a blade side...
Stropping itself can destroy a fine edge faster than any other action except dropping the blade or some such damage...
There is a great stropping thread right now that Alan(AFDavis11) wrote that he did some experimenting about stropping, that was very enlightening, might want to do some reading in the stropping forum before you get the razor....
The biggest mistake the new guys make, is rushing into this.... TAKE YOUR TIME...
Enjoy the learning process, and you will do better faster....

Of the skill sets you will learn honing a razor is the most difficult. But, it can be done with a bit of practice. If you purchase some razors for honing practice be sure that they do not have a "frown" shape to the edge of the blade.
Your best ally in honing is a handheld microscope, 30X is what I use, approx $15. Feel free to contact me at any time for help with honing.

Thanks for the advice and the offers of help.