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How often should a beginner have their razor honed after the initial sharpening?
Ive just completed my third shave successfully, but what Ive noticed is that my stropping skills are horrible. I find it really hard to keep the razor completely level. I understand that this is a coordination thing and the skill will come with time.
But in the beginning it has to take a toll on the razor.
Any recommendations?
Thank you in advance.
I think the answer is, whenever it's needed. Now, a seasoned shaver will get from 15-30 odd shaves out of each honing depending on the razor, the beard and the individual. That time can be substantially lengthened if you use a pasted paddle to touch it up when it starts drifting. The unfortunate truth is that a beginner can take a perfectly good edge and ruin it with one round of stropping. The good news is that the learning curve is quite steep for most fellas so that kind of honing frequency shouldn't last long.
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If you are worried about stropping damaging your razor while you learn the answer would be get a junker off Eboy and just use that to practice with.
but the shave will never improve. how is one to go around this?
Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
Whenever it's needed is the best answer that I can give someone just learning, but once you are proficient at stropping and have your shaving technique down you should get no less than 60 shaves and hopefully quite a bit more on just stropping alone! This, of course, is assuming it was honed properly in the first place and the razor is good steel!
Whenever it's needed. Agreed.
There is a wide variety in size, grind, steel quality, ... which has its influence, together with your technique (or lack thereof), lathering, stropping, the way you store your razor(s)...
I don't know how many shaves I get out of mine, because I often shave with other people's razors.
I do know that I have one Joseph Rodgers frameback (:w) which has gone through at least 50 shaves without a problem. Last weekend I honed it for the second time. It had lasted more than a year.
In the beginning you will need to sharpen it more often, and a finishing hone or pasted strop is ideal for that.
And as you improve various aspects of your shaving routine, you will start to notice that you will get more shaves out of a razor before it needs to be touched up.
You can only learn it by doing it. Re-read some of the FAQS. Start by stropping slowly and concentrate on good technique. Speed will come at it's own pace, don't rush it. 15 to 60 or more shaves sounds right to me too. My C-Mon vintage wedge will easily go 60 shaves, except when I mess up a lil...