fund sanding

I'm still very new (3 months) at this and trying to learn several things at once. I have gotten to the point that the first pass (WTG) is very good. Still working on the XTG and ATG. They ARE getting better expecially the XTG.

I can strop, but occaisionally do nick my strop, although, with some special help from this forum I am getting better at this fast.

However, I think I may have developed one of those MLD (Multiple Letter Disorders) everyone keeps talking about. Just not sure which one it is. I may have several.....

An inexpensive strop came with my first razor and I found one of my grandfather's old dried out pieces of leather (turned out to be horsehide), that I have been able to being back to life. Made my first cloth strop today.

I decided to purchase a Barbers hone just to 'touch-up' my razor (in the eventual event it starts to dull), Then I decided to purchase a cheap vintage antique store find just to learn how to do the touchups. It had a little rust so I decided to sand it, just a little mind you, just and only just to clean it up a little bit. Then I set to work trying to learn my hone.

Then the itch to go back to the antique stores.................

I counted today and have 12 razors all in various states of 'being cleaned up' plus the original one I started with. I have gotten 3 of them sharp enough to shave with using only the barbers hone and lots of TLC on my strop AND for the past three days I have only shaved with one of those I sharpened.

The pictures are my latest and most aggressive find, A Torrey. It did require a little work on a fish hook sharpener then a lot of sanding. So far I used 200, 320, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 grit and its not quite back to shave readiness yet. I used the fish hook sharpener to clean up the nicks in the blade then went to work sanding and practicing my honing again.

Last night I decided to try and bring this one along to shave readiness. I did find a pocket hone (for knives) that I have had for a long time (600 grit) and it was real nice for working the bevel. I think I am ready for 'real hones' now...

Is there a disease for buying hones as well?.........

Is there a cure for the three letter diseases........

Looks like you've done a nice job there.

There are two cures for RAD, HAD, and SAD:

1. You can see a therapist once a week for a series
of therapy sessions. There is only a fair prognosis
for recovery.

2. You can just keep on buying razors, strops, and
hones. This will cost about the same as therapy
but the chances for a cure are lousy. When you
run out of money just start trading.

Thats a fantastic job sanding. Shiny metal is the reward for sore fingers.

The only way to satisfy the Acquisition Disorders is to be a good consumer, and consume. If you have some willpower over your AD's and you watch what you buy and purchase it for a specific purpose, well then....now you're a collector. It's got a nicer ring to it.

IMO, buy lots of hones, razors, strops and brushes, but don't buy them just to have them.....buy a fast cutting coticule because you want a fast cutter, buy a Premium I strop because you want that buttery feel they give.

And that's that... :D