Thread: Need advice!

Hey guys,

So I've spent a couple sessions attempting to hone my Dovo straight and I'm not sure how much luck I'm having. I tried the marker test the TPT and the TNT and I'm not sure if I had it right to be honest due to lack of experience. I got the edge to pop hair on my arm but with pressure which I don't think is right. So basically what I did was started on my 1k stone and did X strokes until the edge looked even (I got a 30x loop for viewing even though I have no idea what I'm looking for) and then moved up to 3k, 8k, 12k then decided to finish on felt strop with .5 diamond spray then around 100 laps on my leather strop. I shaved and it was alright but I had to use a bit of pressure and the shave wasn't that close even though I tried all three passes WTG, XTG and ATG.

It would be great if someone could give me some advice on what I should do either here or PM.

Yours truly,

Mike

G'Day Mike.

You now know why we suggest that members that are new to this form of shaving concentrate on shaving first and honing later on.

Having said that, it sounds like your bevel is not yet set. Without a good bevel you are only polishing a dull edge by going up the grit range.

I have never been able to assess a bevel using the TPT - I use the TNT initially and make sure the edge pops arm hair with no pressure before moving up.

Might I suggest that you either send your razor out for professional honing (so that you know what a shave ready edge feels like), try and catch up with a local member who can guide you through the process (I think there are a few around your area) or watch gssixguns honing videos on YouTube (that's how I learned to hone).

An even bevel is important, however, it is more important that the bevel be set correctly. When setting a bevel I use slurry on a 1K and the circle method followed by X strokes (diluting the slurry every 5-10 laps) until the edge 'grabs' evenly along its entire length when dragged across a wet thumbnail, using only the weight of the blade.

Then I know that the bevel is set, and I do about 5 very light laps to restore any damage the TNT does to the edge. At this stage you should be able to pop arm hair with no pressure (if you can't - do a few more laps on the 1K until you can)

THEN AND ONLY THEN are you ready to move on to the next stone.

FWIW it may take a few tries at this before you get it anywhere near correct (it did for me)...

I hope this helps and I wish you Compliments of the Festive Season to you and yours and happy honing

There should be a periodic table in the library for all these abbreviations. What is a TNT and TPT?

Originally Posted by ccase39

There should be a periodic table in the library for all these abbreviations. What is a TNT and TPT?

I'm guessing
Thumb Nail Test
Thumb Pad Test
I believe the wiki has that info, but I've been filing in the blanks with context clues as I go.

Originally Posted by ccase39

There should be a periodic table in the library for all these abbreviations. What is a TNT and TPT?

There is, try this. Acronyms and Abbreviations - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Regards,
Howard

Originally Posted by SirStropalot

There is, try this. Acronyms and Abbreviations - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Regards,
Howard

AWESOME! Thanks for that

Havachat is pretty much dead on here, I use the tpt to acess how close i am getting, once the blade feels sticky like it almost doesn't want to let go, I do the TNT, and the 5 additional x stroles, test arm hair and if it meets my standard move on. You really will learn to hone by feel, the numbers are more or less a tracking system of sorts so you kind of set a point to stop and test then make corrections from there.

Thanks for the info guys! This is the third time I've tried honing and it seems to improve every time. I would send it out to be professionally honed but I've got a Torrey on the way and a mystery straight coming from home which was my grandfathers so my dovo dropped down the list lol. I am wanting to learn restoration so that's why I'm trying to learn honing so soon. Hopefully I get the hang of it soon.

Is there something I can do to start from scratch to set the bevel or should I just jump right into the routine?

Also am I right in thinking I should be able to pop hairs with no pressure before moving onto a 3k stone? (someone probably already said this but it's 5am lol)

Thanks again guys.


Mike

Originally Posted by twosixheave

Is there something I can do to start from scratch to set the bevel or should I just jump right into the routine?

Also am I right in thinking I should be able to pop hairs with no pressure before moving onto a 3k stone? (someone probably already said this but it's 5am lol)

Thanks again guys.


Mike

You might try the 'Magic Marker Test' to ensure your blade edge is making contact with the hone all the way along - a slight heel forward stoke could help here.

Once you can acheive this you are ready to set an even bevel.

You should be able to pop arm hairs (at their base) all along the blade with no pressure once the bevel is set.

Okay I'll give that a go when I next get a chance. I noticed the edge on one side is thinner than the other, should both sides be equal width or does it only have to be equal width down the same side?

Thanks again