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Hi all. If anyone can help with this i would be very grateful. After honing, how long should i be stropping before it becomes obvious that the blade needs more honing? In other words, i need advice on how to spot that point where it becomes obvious that no amount of stropping will get the blade ready, that i have to go back to the hone? Hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance.
The exact same way that you have made a decision to replace a blade in a DE or change out a disposable razor..
The shave is just not "there" any longer..
Sorry. Its my fault, but i havent expressed the question right. What i mean is after i have honed it, and then go from the stone to the strop to work on its until its ready to shave with again, how can i recognise when i havent honed it correctly. My blade was well overdue for a honing, so i took it to the hone, and then started stropping it afterwards to bring it back to its best again. Problem is ive been stropping for a good while now, and its still not ready. Should i have to strop it for ages, or should it come good soon after honing.. Many thanks.
After I hone, I do about 30 linen 60 leather and it is usually good to go. I would assume if you have to strop for ages after honing and still aren't getting a proper shave you may need to go back to the hones. I'm no expert at honing but I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in
Ahhhhh
First, there are tests that you need to learn as you are honing that lead you to a "Shave Ready" edge, these let you know when the edge is even close to being ready for the strop and eventually the "Shave Test"
What equipment are you using
Razor ???
Hones ???
and was the razor "Shaving" before you took it to the hones ???
Thanks so much, yes, thats what i need to know, when honing is done and stropping should start. I have been straight razor shaving for five years but have always struggled with this. I use a 4000/8000 stone and my strop. I use the green paste, then the red, and then just leather. Ive always had good shaves, but would love to take the guesswork out of honing/stropping. Many thanks, Glen.
I would say take the time to read through this thread about honing with the 4/8 only
There is a ton of info, tips and tricks about getting the most out of that one stone, it is written by Beginners and Experts alike so it gives you a very good perspective on honing
http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...on-2012-a.html
There are all kinds of tests shown in that thread,, it is a long thread with many ideas and Vids take some time and read through it and watch and learn...
Keep in mind that coming off the 8k the razor should be shave ready, a strop is simply going to add a touch of "Comfort" whether it is plain Leather or Pasted..
edit: Also just to put a smile on your face this is a statement that was from years back, from a pretty senior member on here that put honing into perspective :)
"Oh I can hone a razor just fine, my problem comes in knowing when to stop "
I will look at that thread, Glen. Im really grateful for your help. I didnt even know that a razor coming off the 8k should be shave ready, so ive learned something just from that. Thanks again.
All you really need is hones and leather. Pastes can complicate things. If the blade has been honed well, it should shave just fine without any stropping at all. I always strop mine anyway, but I'd bet the first shave after honing should be fine without resorting to the leather strop. When you add various pastes and the techniques and media that go with them, it is sometimes more difficult to see where you've gone wrong. I'm sure there is a use for pastes, and many people use them. I never have and get fine shaves without them. Sometimes keeping things simple can lead you to more learning than adding additional steps.
Thank so much ace.
Hannibalt
You should be shaving ready after the 8k. I recommend shaving off the 8k, do not get into the habit of using paste and stropping as a crutch. If you do not have a shave ready edge after the 8k, it will take a lot of paste and stropping to get to shave ready and it may never happen.
Anything after 1k is just polishing especially paste and stropping. There is a good tread about an experiment shaving at 1k. The 1k is your base and everything you do after, builds on that edge, polishing the edge by reducing stria land height, mountain/valley, to produce a comfortable shaving edge.
I understand you may not have gone all the way to 1k but, if you are not getting the results you want, perhaps you needed to. It is all very subjective.
So I recommend shaving after the 8k, this will make you spend a little more time and care on the stone. Learn the feel on your face, do the same with paste and with stropping. This will show you what it will feel like when the edge needs attention at the various stages. You should be able to maintain an edge with paste and stropping for a very long time, depending on your technique.
Chrome Oxide will improve a good edge, but not necessarily a poor edge. Excessive stropping may actually cause more damage to the edge, depending on the strop and your technique. It’s like polishing a bad paint job, no matter how much polish and wax you put on it, it’s still a poor paint job.
I shave off the stones all the time when experimenting with a new stone or razor. This morning I shaved of a Translucent Ark edge on a new to me Robeson Suredge. It was a great shave, paste and stropping will only make it better.
Hands on…your face, is the only real test.
Thank you so much Euclid440. It's all making sense now. I had no idea that i should be honing until the edge is good enough to shave with. What you say makes perfect sense, and now I can see where i've been going wrong. Until now i've been guessing, honing the blade until it 'looks okay', and then believing that stropping it for days on end was the answer. You've taken the guesswork out of it, and it makes sense now- how on earth is rubbing it against a piece of leather going to put a good edge on it if there isn't one there in the first place. Thanks again. i haven't used my straight razor for weeks, and was giving up hope of ever getting it right. I'm off to the hone now. Take care. Colin.
It would be interesting to know how many shaves you got before you reached that point with just a strop, after five years?Quote:
Originally Posted by HannibalLMD
I have heard after 60 laps on the strop, the blade doesn't benefit from more. A 1k stone is a godsend sometimes but the 4 can certainly set the bevel for you. Its just more work than using a 1k. A certain amount of circles laps and x strokes won't guarantee anything.