Thread: Honing a razor

Does anyone know a place in the York, PA area where I can get a razor honed. Or better yet someone who can teach me how to hone. Thanks,
Norman

Hello Norman, and welcome to SRP!

I'm not in the US and not really up on its geography I'm afraid, but we do have an entry in the Wiki area that lists people willing to help out by area, Local Help - Straight Razor Place Wiki

The other option is to take a look in the Classifieds section of the forum under "member services" to see if there are any people honing near you that way.

Alternatively, perhaps someone will be along and post in here.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy our community!

James.

Perhaps not the response you are looking for, but you might want to get started by watching some of the fantastic videos floating around this site by Glen and Lynn (Lynn just posted a new one today that is pretty good). I would suggest that it is something that you probably would do best to practice a bit and figure out what questions you even want to ask before seeking a direct mentor.

As for a place in your area...I might guess that there is not one, but I have no idea. Razor honing is sort of obscure in the traditional business sense. There are some service providers here on SRP that would treat you well, and I'd sooner recommend the wait associated with shipping, than handing your razor over to someone lacking the proper experience that is simply "close"...remember, it is YOUR face

Thanks a lot for the response James. I had actually stumbled across the Local Help you suggested. There is a member (avatar1999) who is in the Chambersburg PA, Hagerstown MD area, but since I am a bit new to this "forum thing" I don't know how to make contact with him. Any suggestions on that.
Norman

I have been told that Honing is not easy and that you can seriously damage of not destroy a razor if you don't know what you are doing. So right now I am looking at getting it done professionally and over time would like to learn how to do it myself.

Originally Posted by Norman

Thanks a lot for the response James. I had actually stumbled across the Local Help you suggested. There is a member (avatar1999) who is in the Chambersburg PA, Hagerstown MD area, but since I am a bit new to this "forum thing" I don't know how to make contact with him. Any suggestions on that.
Norman

Hi, Norman, I'm new too. All you have to do make contact is go to the function on your settings on the upper left hand of the screen when you sign-in and send him a private message. I have been PMing several people on the forum that have been a big help. Especially look for the people who have the title "mentor" near their avatar. This has been a really helpful website. I have only been straight shaving for about a month and a half. If it had not been for this forum, I might have cut my face off...

You're welcome Norman.

Mloyd gave you a good answer - make contact with members privately using the "Private Messages" function - you can also find it by clicking your username on the top right of screen and then looking in the left panel once on your user page.

The forum has a membership structure designed to help new users and provide contact points for various issue that arise. The Mentors are a very important part of that structure and I think you will find them extremely helpful and friendly people who will be more than happy to help you out if and when you need it. Another good and important group are the Moderators. They have an important facilitation role within the forum and they also enforce the Site Rules but in a very humane way These people all have badges under their username so they are easy to spot as you wander around the forum. There is also a list in the Wiki of the forum administrative structure which is sometimes useful to see all the people in the one place.

Good Luck!

James.

Hi Norman and welcome. If you do want to learn start hunting your local flea markets and antique stores for old razors. Use these as a means to practice while enjoying a shave from your good professionally honed razor. Its a good way to learn because you will know how a razor should feel when its "shave sharp" as opposed to unsharp.

Thanks James. Really good information to understand how the forum works. Norman

Hello,

See if you can find someone local. If not I am relatively nearby and you could mail a razor to me. I can also help you through your own honing by discussing it with you when you are ready for that stage. We can also set up a little correspondence school where you hone a razor and send it to me, then I will evaluate it, fix it, and then send it back. it sounds a little cumbersome, but far better than trying to learn "alone".