Thread: sharpening razor with unknown hone

I just got my first straight razor and shaving stuff assembled from several auctions. The razor is a Boker Red Injun and when I got it, it wasn't sharp enough to even cut the hair on my arm. So I got a hone from the auction too but I have no idea what grit it is. All I can describe it as is an unmarked brown rectangle that litterally feels like glass when you rub your hand across it. From other posts I have gathered that this may be a rather high grit stone. From a few days go I have spent hours honing my razor and have gotten it up to the point where it cuts hair on my arm effortlessly, but can't pass the hair test. When I shaved with it yesterday, I found that it pulled on my beard alot like a dull disposable razor would do, so I'm guessing that it is still too dull. My question is, with the kind of stone that I have, would it be possible to get it to the 'lay the hair on the blade and it cuts it' stage of sharpness? And from the point that it cuts arm hair effortlessly but facial hair uncomfortably (it's current sharpness), how close would you say that I am to getting to shaving capacity and how many more passes would you estimate until that is possible.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by blockman

I just got my first straight razor and shaving stuff assembled from several auctions. The razor is a Boker Red Injun and when I got it, it wasn't sharp enough to even cut the hair on my arm. So I got a hone from the auction too but I have no idea what grit it is. All I can describe it as is an unmarked brown rectangle that litterally feels like glass when you rub your hand across it. From other posts I have gathered that this may be a rather high grit stone. From a few days go I have spent hours honing my razor and have gotten it up to the point where it cuts hair on my arm effortlessly, but can't pass the hair test. When I shaved with it yesterday, I found that it pulled on my beard alot like a dull disposable razor would do, so I'm guessing that it is still too dull. My question is, with the kind of stone that I have, would it be possible to get it to the 'lay the hair on the blade and it cuts it' stage of sharpness? And from the point that it cuts arm hair effortlessly but facial hair uncomfortably (it's current sharpness), how close would you say that I am to getting to shaving capacity and how many more passes would you estimate until that is possible.

Thank you.

well.... I think you have 2 options here.

1) Spend $20 and have someone hone it for you
2) spend $200 and spend countless hours of frustration figuring out how to hone.

There is a third option that is cheaper.
You can read my signature line!

Also, if you do choose the cheaper route, you can send along the hone and I will lap it for you for the same low price of $0.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Also, if you do choose the cheaper route, you can send along the hone and I will lap it for you for the same low price of $0.

I have an even cheaper and more satisfactory solution.

Send them to me, I pay shipping.
I will hone razor and lap hone.

Then I'll keep them and you won't have to worry any more.

PROBLEM SOLVED !!!

Originally Posted by blockman

My question is, with the kind of stone that I have, would it be possible to get it to the 'lay the hair on the blade and it cuts it' stage of sharpness? And from the point that it cuts arm hair effortlessly but facial hair uncomfortably (it's current sharpness), how close would you say that I am to getting to shaving capacity and how many more passes would you estimate until that is possible.

I'm not trying to bump up my post count, it just looks that way. In answer to your question, it's impossible to answer. The first stage of honing a razor is setting the bevel. If you are cutting arm hair, then it is likely that you have at least come close to getting the bevels to meet to form an edge. However, you could be a longs ways from getting a comfortable shave. I have received ebay razors declared as shave ready that do in fact pop hairs but the shaving was a traumatic nightmare and the view under the scope showed why. Popping hairs is one guage, but it is not a determinant of a shave ready razor. I have fully honed a razor with just a Swaty but it took hours. If this is your first razor, you don't have anything to compare with to determine when your razor is shave ready. You could just keep honing away at it and shave testing it. That's the independent (or stubborn) way I did it, but you would be better served by letting someone else hone it for you the first time. Then it will be relatively easy to use the barber hone to keep it sharp.