Thread: Beginner Hone Question

Hello everyone, I'm new to honing and straight razors in general and just had a couple questions. I got my first straight razor recently (SS Boker from SRD) and after my first few shaves with it, I wanted to try to re-hone it. I know, way to early, but I noticed some small nicks in the blade (if they can even be called that) and wasn't sure what to do about it. In hindsight, the shave was still pretty good (I'm still learning and missing spots but the blade was working), so I probably should have waited.


In any case, I started with the 1k Norton to reset the bevel and then moved to the 4k/8k stone. I thought I did a good job, but the shave last night had the razor going over my face, but not popping the hairs. I took a picture of the blade, but I'm not sure if it's a good enough picture to get any advice. Anyway, just wondering if the bevel looks right and what I should be doing to get a sharper blade. I've read the WIKI on honing, shaving, beginners, etc. but there aren't any really good pictures of a properly honed edge to compare to. Any advice would be great. Thanks!!!

I know this not what you are going to want hear but send it back to SRD for your free honing and put the hone away for at the very least three months.

Send the razor to be rehoned, and get a decent quality cheap practice razor to learn honing on.

You "might" not have needed to reset the bevel. I had a tiny nick (wouldn't even show up on a photo) near the toe of my razor a month or two back & a few strokes on the 8K side of my Norton got rid of it completely. If you want to try again before sending it off for pro honing then get a marker pen/sharpie/whatever & mark the edge on both sides, then do a few very light pressure strokes on each side using the 8K side of your Norton, if it doesn't shave now you're not going to make it any worse with just brief work on the 8K. The marker should rub off evenly & right to the edge, if it does then the bevel is probably alright & the edge just needs a bit more, if not you then it could be bevel work, or maybe just tape the spine a bit more. This is information I've gleaned from the knowledgeable folk here as I've never had to reset a bevel & I've put my straight through the side of my finger & nail & it only needed a touch up.

The other question, did you strop the hell out of it after taking it to the stone? You really do need to put in a proper amount of laps after honing to get the best out of it.

I'm sure you'll get some better/more experienced advice than this though.

Originally Posted by mainaman

Send the razor to be rehoned, and get a decent quality cheap practice razor to learn honing on.

This is excellent advice. Far to many new guys try to learn to much to soon. At this stage of the game, put your efforts into learning to shave with the straight. I started this game in 1969, and for five years had nothing but a barber hone and strop.
JMHO Very Best, John

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to try the magic marker on 8k and see if I can't get a shareable edge. If not, I'll send it back to SRD and hopefully they can tell me what I did wrong along with the re-hone.


I also bought a cheap ($45) Boker Vintage off the bay to practice on. It appeared to be in decent shape except maybe a bit too much hone wear on the spine, but something to learn on I suppose.

Oh, and I did t use tape on my first go per the videos I watched of Lynn and his recommendations on that subject. Mine isn't a show piece (per se) so I was more concerned with a consistent bevel and edge.

Any other advice, comments, suggestions are definitely welcome. Also, if there are any home masters here in Metro Detroit that wouldn't mind a short lesson, I'd obviously appreciate it!!!

Here's the link to photos of the hone practice razor. What do you guys think? Also, is there a good person here to restore the blade? I didn't see anything in the classifieds or vendor section.

Auctiva Image Hosting

That looks cool, I like it. What do you mean restore the blade? It looks fine to me. If you mean honing services, click on 'Classifieds' at the top of the page, then Member Services...

If you get it honed to be shave ready, then it's easier as a beginner to maintain that edge. A Shapton 16k is a nice hone for maintaining an edge; 10 - 20 laps is sufficient I find. I rotate six straights, and a little while ago I started a honing journal; writing down exactly what I do to each razor, firstly so I could remember what I did and what works and what doesn't and secondly so I can give good advice. Generally, the only hone I use is the Shapton, I find I really don't need to use the 4/8 very much at all. My razors go for almost an entire year without seeing anything more than the Shapton 16k every 2 - 3 months...

Carl

Your practice razor is nice. If the pics are accurately showing geometry, then the razor has a slight frown. I suggest searching in the "honing" subforum for information on dealing with frowns. I'd also suggest choosing a different razor as your first learning experience. But you've already bought it, and I don't figure many people would take that advice. We all choose our own path. So, use tape while you practice. Read up on the magic marker test. Be patient. Don't expect that you'll get it right on the first, second, or thirteenth try. It takes a while to develop good honing habits. Be patient..yes...be very patient.

Originally Posted by regularjoe

Your practice razor is nice. If the pics are accurately showing geometry, then the razor has a slight frown. I suggest searching in the "honing" subforum for information on dealing with frowns. I'd also suggest choosing a different razor as your first learning experience. But you've already bought it, and I don't figure many people would take that advice. We all choose our own path. So, use tape while you practice. Read up on the magic marker test. Be patient. Don't expect that you'll get it right on the first, second, or thirteenth try. It takes a while to develop good honing habits. Be patient..yes...be very patient.

I got the razor yesterday and it is in fact "shave ready". The guy I bought it from got it from his neighbor's estate sale, so he didn't know much about it, except that his Russian neighbor shaved with it. Anyway, it's friggin sharp, probably as sharp as when I got my razor from SRD. So, it's a good one to at least judge sharpness against with my current razor that I honed myself, which I believe to not be as sharp currently off the Norton 8k. Both will easily pop hair at the skin in an arm hair test, but the new one feels different on the thumb pad.

So here is where I stand. I had a small imperfection that I'm guessing I caused on the strop (rookie) on the Boker I bought from SRD. Tried to hone it myself not knowing what I was doing. Messed it up I think. Watched a TON more videos and read a lot here. Figured out a lot of what I was doing right/wrong. Re-honed on the 4k/8k and it's in much better condition now.

Things I've found...

1.) The lapping stone sent with the Norton kit is not getting the 8k flat. I ordered a DMT from SRD per forum suggestions I've read and I'm hoping I'll have better results with that. I used the grid pattern in Glen's videos and 2 corners just aren't getting touched at all. So, we'll see when that gets here.

2.) Believe I caused way too much hone wear on the spine of the SRD Boker when I tried to re-hone initially without tape (per videos with Lynn) on the 1k. Rookie mistake. I'm going to send it back for a re-hone to Lynn in a week or so and ask if he thinks the hone wear is so much that I should start using tape now on that razor, or if it's not that bad. Being a newbie, I'm not entirely sure how much is "a lot", but it's noticeable. Honestly, I don't remember what it looked like on the spine when I got it (newbie wasn't even looking for it), so it's difficult to judge.

3.) Purchased a 12k Chinese finishing stone from Woodcraft and the magnetic strop set from SRD with the 0.5 and 0.25 sprays. Hoping that with these additions, and a little hone practice/knowledge, I can get my razors looking like the SRD razor did when I got it from Lynn. They should all be here this week some time. Someone suggested the 16k Shapton above, but I'm hoping this set up will produce similar results and I won't have to buy another expensive stone

I will say this, as far as shaving with the razor goes (before I honed it), I was doing quite well. No nicks and only slightly longer shave on the chin/neck area in some trouble places. I have a pretty rigid jaw line. So, as far as practicing goes with shaving, I'm getting there. My problem right now is having a razor up to the task of shaving, which I plan to remedy soon.

I truly appreciate all the responses to this thread and the other thread I had going on the razor. You guys have been a lot of help. Any other comments/questions/suggestions are very welcome. I'm glad to be a part of this community and look forward to further conversing with you guys. I'm new to straight razors, but I must say, I'm immediately hooked and will be doing this for a long long time.