Thread: First Straight Razor Build (A learning Process)

WOW. Disaster and all you still got it done. And then um wow again...you set the bevel on 325 DMT? You might want to slurry that 4k and slowly dilute to clear water. I would look into getting a 1k before you get a 12. I can see grinding away to get near bevel with a DMT but what you can't see is a lot of chipping on the edge. The bevel being set is step #1 and the most important part of your hone job. How good you do there will determine the outcome of the rest. You can go from 325 to the 4k but that is the long road to say the least. If you can't shave arm hair after the bevel is set there is no need to go on.(and they usually say this at the 1k level) Your test is going to be at the 4k and it better shave arm great there. I shaved off the 8k for a year. I was told that was the old school way of learning and being an old guy I figured I better go there :<0) I think it paid off. 1k 4k 8k basic set up. Anyway , just what I have learned. Build a good foundation and then add the finishing touches.

That sounds like good advice on the 1k hone. What is the recommended 1k (Norton, DMT, etc...)? I think that I will still try another shave with it since I did work on it some more after the last shave, and I doubt that I will have a 1k hone in the next two days.

Originally Posted by DVW

That sounds like good advice on the 1k hone. What is the recommended 1k (Norton, DMT, etc...)? I think that I will still try another shave with it since I did work on it some more after the last shave, and I doubt that I will have a 1k hone in the next two days.

Many of us have grown to like the Naniwa Chosera 1k. Or well known as old sloppy! Works well on most steels i have used it with.
YMMV
~Richard
PS. There are others, do a search in the little window above the postings for 1K and hit return. If you use the Magnifying glass you do an on line search not just SRP.

So I remembered that I have a Smith's "Fine" grit diamond hone. After checking out their web site, it looks to be 750 grit. While that's not 1k, it is a whole lot closer to it than 325. So I took the razor to that and started over. I could shave arm hair with the Smith's, but I spent extra time with the 4000 grit stone to try and make sure that I had a true 4000 grit edge without any of the 750 grit "chips". Then I finished up with the 8000 grit and the strop. Now to try it tomorrow night, but it definitely seems to be sharper than before. Even if this does work, I think that a 1k stone would be a good purchase.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

You said you had 'flattened' the Norton, how smooth is the surfaces? If they still feel anything like the sides of the stones, you need to keep lapping. Both of my 4/8's needed a lot of work on the 4K side, but the 8K smoothed out on both really quick.

Just wondering? It never hurts to practice the 6 P's.

When you fine tune your blade it should be a really nice shaver

The surfaces are really smooth now. The 8000 has a really nice "buttery" feel to it when honing. Both sides were pretty flat out of the box, but were not smooth. You are correct that the 4000 needed more lapping than the 8000. However I wouldn't say that it was excessive.

Norton is the old stand by and what I use now. The King you can get at almost any wood working store and they are inexpensive, smaller ,but do a fine job. The Chosera is the champ for the guy that is going to do a lot and wants to save time.

You could get by with the 750 and maybe slurry the 4k still. You can use what you have it's just more efficient to kinda spread out the spacing between grits. From what I see some guys go Naniwa starting 1k and go 3k 5k 8k 10 or 12. You pick your poison, just spread it out some :<0)

I use a King 1200 and to be honest it's because I had it on hand. I also had a King 800 that I gave to a Newbie who became a friend.

It's a thirsty SOB but thanks to Glen's recommendation of using a little plain liquid bleach in the water for the storage container I just drag it out, lap it and have a go with it.

I make a slurry on the 1200, and then make a slurry on the 4K Norton, and then rinse and start over with the clear water and then I use slurry on the 8K Norton and again start over with the clear water and YUP the same on the Naniwa 12k.

Works great for me!

OH!
Glen posted that he had a King 1K and if he was only honing for himself, that's what he'd use. However since he's a pro and honing for many he uses the more expensive and more efficient 1K that Geezer mentioned.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

I use a King 1200 and to be honest it's because I had it on hand. I also had a King 800 that I gave to a Newbie who became a friend.

It's a thirsty SOB but thanks to Glen's recommendation of using a little plain liquid bleach in the water for the storage container I just drag it out, lap it and have a go with it.

I make a slurry on the 1200, and then make a slurry on the 4K Norton, and then rinse and start over with the clear water and then I use slurry on the 8K Norton and again start over with the clear water and YUP the same on the Naniwa 12k.

Works great for me!

OH!
Glen posted that he had a King 1K and if he was only honing for himself, that's what he'd use. However since he's a pro and honing for many he uses the more expensive and more efficient 1K that Geezer mentioned.

Question Cudda.. Is a 4k slurried with a plate kinda like a 1k till you feel it smoothe out. I know the abrasive doesnt get smaller or is it just being washed away with every lap until you get back to 4k?
Is It a lot of 4k abrassive doing faster work...?

Originally Posted by HaiKarate

Question Cudda.. Is a 4k slurried with a plate kinda like a 1k till you feel it smoothe out. I know the abrasive doesnt get smaller or is it just being washed away with every lap until you get back to 4k?
Is It a lot of 4k abrassive doing faster work...?

Ok Let me see if I can get this written so it's clear.

'If' the 4K has already been lapped it should be smooth. Since mine is I use a DMT 325 and some water and just give it a few laps and round the corners then use a spray bottle of water to rinse any slurry back onto the hone. This leaves not only the slurry but a 'fresh' surface.

The slurry multiplies the amount of work being done. That's why I do it on all of my hones.

If you haven't seen Glen's wonderful video on how to set a bevel and finishing an edge on the Norton 4/8K here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y53SL9QMq6I

While Glen uses a 'slurry' stone the DMT 325 works well.

I hope this works for you.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Ok Let me see if I can get this written so it's clear.

'If' the 4K has already been lapped it should be smooth. Since mine is I use a DMT 325 and some water and just give it a few laps and round the corners then use a spray bottle of water to rinse any slurry back onto the hone. This leaves not only the slurry but a 'fresh' surface.

The slurry multiplies the amount of work being done. That's why I do it on all of my hones.

If you haven't seen Glen's wonderful video on how to set a bevel and finishing an edge on the Norton 4/8K here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y53SL9QMq6I

While Glen uses a 'slurry' stone the DMT 325 works well.

I hope this works for you.

Yes. Thank you.

The slurry multiplies the amount of work being done. That's why I do it on all of my hones. Sixgun
You just clleared up alot of stuff. When the slurry is gone..where do all my friends go.. Al joking set aside..thank you. The 325 is what I meant when I said plate.

Heres one for gssixgun..
Ennio Morricone The Ecstasy of Gold. - YouTube