Thread: Discouraged

Originally Posted by mparker762

Did you lap your norton? I keep harping on this, but I spent over a month with mine getting nothing but frustration and dull blades. Finally I lapped it and promptly produced a decent shaving edge.

Yes. All lapped up.

Originally Posted by mindspin

....
On to the actual shaving though. It's less than great. I hone the razors to pop hairs, I strop on linen, then leather, then shave. I'm getting nothing but tug, pull, scrap. The razor(s) seems to be doing very little CUTTING. ...

Hi,

first rest assured, I guess everyone here who learned to shave with a Str8 knows that the learning curve can be rather steep at times

One additional thought:

From your description it could be that the razors are overhoned. This tends to give an edge popping hairs like nothing, but crumbling away after the first real pass. Perhaps you could explain a bit more about your honing (how many passes on what stone), so the experts here could judge if this could be the issue...


Just my 2 cents,
-Axel-

My honing is pretty novice for sure. I've only honed 3 personally. Another came from FireStart. Basically I'll get the edge straight using 1K wet sandpaper on a granite slab with tape on the spine, I run small circles, on both sides (about 10) a few times. Then to the 4K and 8K.
10/10
5/10
3/10
1/5
These are just ballpark numbers as I often lose track of the numbers, and I'm also trying to get a "feel" for honing.
While we're on the subject. My norton's are 3 inches wide. Is there a NEED to do X Pattern if the stone can hold the entire blade?

Dave,

No you don't "need" to do an X pattern if your stone is that wide. Some members just go straight across the stone with the heel of the blade leading.

The problem with this is that if the edge has a slight smile or any other irregularity, the whole edge doesn't contact the stone--just a part of it.

The X-pattern helps ensure that the entire edge at least hits the stone at some point.

That said, the X-pattern has some problems of its own when you're using a wide stone, because the toe of the razor is on the stone for the whole stroke. I'm still working on getting an even edge along the whole blade. Right now my middle or toe tends to be sharper than the heel.

Good luck,
Josh

As a fellow newb I can't give you much technical advice but I can tell you two things that have gotten me over the hump of frustration. The first was to use half- or quarter-hollows. That made all the difference for me, esp. w/regards to the chin area. The second thing was to go minimal: one stone, two shave-ready razors (one from John Crowley the other from Joe Chandler) and one practice razor from ebay. I've been learning to hone gradually that way, first just refreshing and maintaining the two workhorses - then last week I got the third up to shave-sharp. It sounds like you've jumped into all of it at once – not only the stropping and shaving (no way around those two) and the honing, but also the restoration, the DIY projects, etc. It's cool that you're going into this holistically, but with so many learning curves at once it's easy to start going in circles.

Lets you and I go through this together . . . get one razor and lets start over with it. Any razor, I don't care which one. Just let me (us) know whether its carbon or stainless.

1. First back hone on 4k

2. Lap the 4K

3. Hone 10 passes on 4K, using enough pressure to hold the razor flat on the hone, about twice the weight of the blade.

Wet your thumb nail and run the razor down your nail and see if its smooth and bites into the nail. Thats running the blade along your nail like your playing a violin (but only one stroke). Try it twice and then post that you've done it or you've failed, or whatever might be in between. Second time, you can hold your thumbnail downward at a 45 degree angle. If the razor slides downward OFF your thumb it ain't biteing. Really concentrate and feel whether the edge is moving smoothly and without any gaps or increases in the drag.

Ok, sorry for the delay. Been busy last couple days.
So I am doing these with TWO razors. Why not compare the results locally?
Razor number ONE is a Wagner 13/16.
Razor number TWO is a Granite 6/8.
See attached. BTW, these pictures make it look like the blade edge is not straight, when they are.

Lapped the 4k.
Backhoned 5 laps.
10 laps sharpening on the 4k, light pressure.
Thumbnail test (fiddle). Both slid smoothly with no catches.
Thumbnail test (45 degree). Both slid smooth and held their edge with no catches.

I'm ready for more instructions.
Thanks much for the help.

OK, we're off then. My thoughts are italized.

Smooth is good, and what I would expect at this point. Was there any sense that the razor dug into the nail? I'm unclear on that.

Either way, wet your thumb for a bit and run it over the thumb print, like your shaving your thumb and feel the edge. Do this slowly and carefully. Do not cut off your thumb or move the razor sideways. Remember what this feels like. Whatever it feels like, were going to refer to this feeling as "DULL", even though it may not be. As long as it fails the HHT its good enough for our needs.

Try a HHT (haning hair test) with both. Lets confirm that it doesn't pass, just in case.

If there was truely no sense of bite at all and it fails the HHT, lets start with 20 passes on 4K, use a little pressure. I would not expect this but it happens.

If the razor was biting (either razor) and it fails the HHT, lets do some pyramids. Say 3/5, 3/5, 1/5, 1/5, 1/5, 1/5. Use a little pressure, not a lot, but more than the weight of the blade. This is what I would more likely expect at this point.

Make sure the razor stays flat. Most guys will use "flat" as a guide to how much pressure to use and for the moment that will work.

If it passes the HHT, even poorly, stop, and post.

I'm going to reread your old posts and confirm what equipment you have. Correct me if you don't'own a Norton and I'll modify my thoughts.

Alan, Dave owns a whole set of Nortons ranging from 220 to 8k. Got'em at a sweet price (like 75)
Dave, you my want to consider cutting that MDS and gluing a piece of leather on it. The chromium oxide is on its way from the States and it looked good touching up the Tonsorial.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Smooth is good, and what I would expect at this point. Was there any sense that the razor dug into the nail? I'm unclear on that.

I'm going to reread your old posts and confirm what equipment you have. Correct me if you don't'own a Norton and I'll modify my thoughts.

To answer this:
Yes the blade(s) did dig in. They sank in a bit and provided resistance all the way through the stroke.

And as Ilija said I have Nortons, all separated 220, 1K, 4K and 8K.

I'm just getting my day sorted out, but I'll get to the next step later today and post.

Thanks a lot.