Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1
    Senior Member flyman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    188
    Thanked: 33

    Default Dropped my razor while stropping: Blessing in disguise!

    I had been having trouble with rash and nicks trying to get used to str8 shaving for weeks when the other day I dropped my razor while stropping. It landed on the carpet mat on the floor, so I picked it up and resumed stropping. To my dismay, I heard an unfamiliar sound and a tell-tale scuff appeared on the strop after the first pass. Upon close examination, I discovered a small ding on the edge near the toe.

    I knew this was going to take a re-hone. I purchased a coticule and slurry stone and figured it was about time I tried my hand at honing anyway, so I went to town. Thankfully, there is so much information available on SRP what with videos and forums and wiki's having to do with honing, so I was able to avoid a lot of pitfalls that ordinarily I would have fallen victim. After carefully and slowly working my way from milky slurry to lighter slurry to water only, then to CrOx balsa, then to Ferrous Oxide balsa, then linen, then leather, I was able to get the edge to the point where the hanging hair fell silently all along the blade at the slightest touch! The final test was the smoothest str8 shave I've experienced since I started!

    I still have a long way to go as far as honing my technique, but it feels good to have achieved such a milestone under my own devices. Thanks to all of you who selflessly share your experience and expertise with us newbies. It makes the difference between having a positive experience, or one in which someone might just as well give up and go back to what they were doing. Someday I hope to be able to do the same and help along some newcomers.

  2. #2
    Natty Boh dave5225's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    1,462
    Thanked: 183

    Default

    Good man ! Now you will never need to have someone else hone your razor for you . Not as hard to do as you thought it would be , was it ?
    Greetings , from Dundalk , Maryland . The place where normal people , fear to go .

  3. #3
    Senior Member flyman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    188
    Thanked: 33

    Default

    It wasn't as hard as I thought, but it took longer than I thought. As I was removing metal to take out the nick, I kept looking through a loupe every 40 passes with the slurry. Each time, I would refresh the slurry. I don't know if that slowed me down or if would have been better to keep the same darker slurry with the metal in it and every so often add a couple drops of water to keep it from becoming mud.

    Anyway, it was interesting to see the ding slowly change to a dimple then to a pucker then to a dip then gone. Pretty cool. Although it finally got the job done, I think in the future I might invest in a faster cutter, like maybe a Norton 220/1000. In case I decide to try my hand at restoring a fleabay special. I could see a project like that taking a REALLY long time with just the coticule.

  4. #4
    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    32,737
    Thanked: 5016
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default

    Think of it this way, when your a member of our family here when you are doing any of the operations involved in straight or wet shaving it's actually many, many of us right there beside you.
    No matter how many men you kill you can't kill your successor-Emperor Nero

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to thebigspendur For This Useful Post:

    flyman (08-29-2010)

  6. #5
    Natty Boh dave5225's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    1,462
    Thanked: 183

    Default

    Nicks in the edge can make for a lot of hone time , even on a 220 grit hone . I'm currently restoring a Shumate's Professional for Barbers . The steel in this razor seems to be as hard as it gets . I've been honing some tiny nicks out of the edge for over 2 hours on my Norton 220 , and I'm still not done .
    Greetings , from Dundalk , Maryland . The place where normal people , fear to go .

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to dave5225 For This Useful Post:

    flyman (08-29-2010)

  8. #6
    Senior Member flyman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    188
    Thanked: 33

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by thebigspendur View Post
    Think of it this way, when your a member of our family here when you are doing any of the operations involved in straight or wet shaving it's actually many, many of us right there beside you.
    That's exactly what it feels like!

  9. #7
    The Great & Powerful Oz onimaru55's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Bodalla, NSW
    Posts
    15,595
    Thanked: 3747

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by thebigspendur View Post
    Think of it this way, when your a member of our family here when you are doing any of the operations involved in straight or wet shaving it's actually many, many of us right there beside you.
    Suddenly my bathroom feels crowded
    “The white gleam of swords, not the black ink of books, clears doubts and uncertainties and bleak outlooks.”

  10. #8
    Well Shaved Gentleman... jhenry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    3,860
    Thanked: 3760

    Default

    Good for you! Glad to hear that your mishap resulted in an even better shaving experience.
    "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Mark Twain

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •