Thread: Fair warning!

I have been home sick for the past few days and laying in bed gets old...so I spent a fair bit of time on YouTube.

Luckily I got all of my advice for honing razors (and other shave related things) on SRP. I just wanted to offer a warning that probably does not need issue. Be VERY careful where you source advice.

I watched a series of videos from a chap that talked as if he was a real expert. He also had a LOT of views. Both of these facts might lead a budding enthusiast to take his advice and apply it. Some of it was advice I could agree with, and some of it was highly questionable.

So, I just wanted to offer the suggestion (advice) to soak up what you can, and consider it all...but realize some of it may not work for you. This site (SRP) is pretty well organized and if you look below the names of the people offering advice, you should be able to determine pretty quickly who has been recognized as the sort that offers solid advice.

This is not to say that guys like me (new, and no titles) can not possibly be of assistance...but try and keep everything in perspective, and weigh all the advice before subscribing to a set course of actions

That's why it's always good to ''shop around''.

While I will agree with you in that it is always best to get a couple opinions and do your research before engaging in something new like honing.

On SRP I have always come across people that when you look at the stats you refer to my not look impressive but really know what they are talking about. It's kinda the whole you can't judge a book by its cover thing. There are members here that don't post often but when they do it is normal very sound advice

I was not referring to stats. I was referring to badges such as "mentor".

Ah my apologies I miss read your intent.

Don't tease --

. . . Who did the videos?

Charles

Originally Posted by Castel33

Ah my apologies I miss read your intent.

No worries friend, I just wanted to make my intent more clear.

Originally Posted by cpcohen1945

Don't tease --

. . . Who did the videos?

Charles

Truth told, I have probably done some stinkers...I TRY to make it clear that I am sharing my opinions and findings...or just a video of how I do things (right or wrong...it is how I do it). I do not want to name names, I am sure everyone intends well. I just want to offer suggestion that people be careful how they "weight" the free advice that is available to them.

+1 to all you guys
When I started getting into straights about 6 months ago I wanted to learn as much as I could early on, so I had a good idea of what was going on before I even touched a hone or strop. I can recall one you tube video in particular, and an article/blog entry from guys who had been "doing this for years." The video showed the guy honing on a norton 4/8 combo in the japanese style (push stroke then back hone stroke) all the way to his finisher. His reason for doing so was that the blade fit the stone from point to heel so there was no need to do x strokes if you didn't want. Now I have sharpened more than my fair share of knives and other tools, and the only tool I would ever do that on were wood working tools used to gouge (planes, chisels, notching tools, and the like, but not a knife...except when I would set the bevel or taking a chip out of the edge). The blog/article suggested that using a pasted strop or balsa with diamond and/or crox that you were wasting money on expensive hones, b/c there was no need for them with the pastes, sprays, ect. and that these were all you would ever need to keep a blade sharp. That didn't make much sense to me based on just basic blade and edge geometry, and the stropping motion itself. That's when I found this site and began researching everything I could, and soaking up as much info as I could. So thanks to all of you here who contribute to the knowledge base, and helping to further all of our techniques, questions, and curiosities...hats off to you all gentlemen.
P.S. sorry bout the long winded post.