Printable View
I'm just curious but what percentage of straight shavers also hone their own blades? Would you say the vast majority? I'm still starting out at this hobby but I just read a thread about how much of a skill honing is and if you are simply honing your own blades (say once every 3 months) then I can't imagine having enough time to perfect the skill if you are only responsible for your own blades...
If you wind up with dozens of second hand razors and just keep practicing, then you will learn after a while. It happens.
Michael
If you are just doing maintenance honing on already finished edges, it would be easier than restoring ebay edges or whatever. Even just crox and basla and regular stropping can keep a razor going for a while.
It's a good question! I suggest, if you have the ability to do so, add a poll to this thread. Then everyone who sees it can vote with what THEY do. This'd give you at least a small sample of the percentange you're asking about. Ofc, it might be totally inaccurate. But at least it would answer the question you were wondering about...sort of :)
It's just another part of the hobby. I hone my own
I would guess about 75%-80% hone/maintain their own blades some wayQuote:
Originally Posted by EggSuckingLeech
I would guess closer to 50% hone from bevel set up
I would guess way way lower for people that hone "Razors with Issues"
ps: If you want me to add a Poll just fire me a pm and we can figure it out
Most people hone their own. Sending stuff out to be honed is just a stop-gap. Updating razors honed by others can really be easy. Once a razor is honed, then keeping it running is an easier skill. We use the word "honing" far to generally.
Although not as often used, honing is as much of a part of shaving as stropping. Learn to strop and learn to hone. It is part of the process. We are all not experts but the majority of us get along fine.
I have no interest at all in honing from the ground up. As most, if not all of my razors are antique shop / flea bay specials, I send them out for initial honing. After that, I usually can do my own touch up honing.
My equipment includes a Spyderco UF hone, a vintage barber's hone, a balsa FeOx strop, a CrOx leather faced wood strop and your standard linen and leather strop.
Odd that as much as I like straight razors, I have never been interested in honing. I consider it a chore.
I do hone my own, even fix some with issues ... the best advice i ever got was from a fairly popular face around here. "restoration is not honing"
dude goes by gssixgun .. ya mighta heard of im :)
Mike
But like AFDavis11 said you hone.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike12345
True!Quote:
Originally Posted by 32t
I always wondered if my fascination with straight razors will eventually lead to my honing from the ground up, that is, restoring a blade with chips missing, setting a bevel, etc.
Maybe it will? Maybe not! But as said here before honing is a lot of times thought to extremes. A barbers hone or its equivalent should be included in anyone's arsenal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike12345
I think GSSixgun's estimate would be close enough. From what I hear you wondering is, should you even try. I would say yes,you can learn it. You could try it with a used barbers hone (as suggested) and not mess it up so bad that a regular hone job couldn't fix it. If you give up on it, sell the hone or try it out on scissors, pocket knives, your steak knife, what ever.Quote:
Originally Posted by EggSuckingLeech
I bought a norton 4/8 and some razors to practice on. Now I am waiting for GS to sharpen a good 1 I bought so I know how it's supposed to be. But I am big on learning to do things myself and I jump in head first.
I don't hone myself.
I do hone my razors.
I'm still a beginner with honing, so basic stuff and attempts at more complicated stuff yes.
I've always thought of creating/setting the bevel as sharpening and making a sharp edge keen and smooth as honing.
Man I thought you meant take care of their bodies and make themselves sharp like the razors we use.
I dont hone I use a feather. I have the gear but havnt sat down to teach myself yet. its only been 4 years I think .
Silly me ... I forgot to mention . If you want a good idea of what it is to hone watch this.......
gssixgun Honing on a Norton 4-8 - YouTube
He makes it look easy and it is one of the best tuts I have watched. " At this point in time" That is.
I hone my own and I think if you're going to stick with straight razor shaving it is the best way to go. From the perspective of convenience and overall cost. Sending a razor out will probably end up in the $20 to $30 range if you include postage. It is true that hones cost money and extra razors to learn on do too, but you'll be able to use those in a rotation, and the money you'll have saved on cartridges or whatever you formerly shaved with will pay for that soon enough.
There is a learning curve with shaving with straight razors and there is a learning curve with honing them. If you get past those I think you'll find, as I did, that there is no better way to shave. It can be a reasonably inexpensive way over the long haul .... if you don't get into the acquisition disorders that we wet shavers seem to be prone to.
I hone my skills...and my razors;)
As far as dealing with issues...I enjoy the challenges, and feel I have more successes than failures, but I have one blade that I still have not fixed to my satisfaction;)
I knew SOMEONE was going to go this route. lolQuote:
Originally Posted by HNSB
Michael
Ah!, True, but yet, every time you try a new razor, stone, or new issue with an edge, you do hone your skills at the same time you hone that edge.Quote:
Originally Posted by HNSB
Regards,
Howard. :)
Speaking of such things, it is close to the end of Movember and I have a new (to me) 7/8 Gong full hollow that I am going to hone up especially for the occasion - and hope I don't lose my top lip going ATG
I do my own honing unless its a big wedge thats been butter knife at some point. Then its Nathans problem:rofl2:
I have about a dozen razors now, and only three that are officially shave ready by my standards. I'm just starting the process of learning to hone. It's been a journey, for sure, but a fun and rewarding one. Learning how to make lather, shave, strop, searching for new razors, a little bit of restoration work, and now learning to hone! Where you end up on your little journey is up to you - but have fun wherever you wind up!
Oh yeah, and my razors have issues being called 'practice razors'. Don't let them hear that!
ok guys - here is my poll...