Four years of futility has finally vanished

I have been struggling for years trying to hone these bastards only to fail utterly. So on a recent business trip I took some time out to visit Randy Tuttle and asked (begged actually) for some help.
I dragged my stash of stones and razors on the plane (got barely under the weight limit) and with his mentorship I was able to learn enough to hone a razor to grade A shave-ability.

I couldn't-a done it without him and I am very grateful.

Thanks, Randy and all the best.

Congrats!

Any possibility that you could post what you'd been doing wrong and what you learned to overcome it? Might be a big help to some folks.

Randy (randydance062449) is a great guy and always willing to share his knowledge with members new and senior. He helped me a great deal on the telephone when I was new and feeling my way in honing. Lynn Abrams did the same. Made all the difference in getting on the road to successful honing.

Yup, Randy is one of the good guys and he only lives a couple of miles from me. :rock::rock::rock:

:beer2:

God man! You're persistent! Well done for persevering. I'd have smashed my hones to bits in disgust long before four years came round.

I got very frustrated and ended up just buying a lot of razors to deal with the pain.
I did stop trying after a while since I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. When I met with Randy, there wasn't really anything I hadn't heard before but (besides getting the personal critique) the epiphany was that i was stuck thinking in two dimensions. I was too nervous about keeping the blade flat and by incorporating a very slight "U" motion on the z-axis from tip to heel I finally got a good, even bevel the length of the blade. The rest was easy.

I still need a lot more practice but I have been going back to the dregs of my collection and getting those puppies actually useable. I am totally shocked. Now I have the 180 or more razors to hone and try out. I guess I could still try for that 365-day set.

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Originally Posted by bach9135

Now I have the 180 or more razors to hone and try out. I guess I could still try for that 365-day set.

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My kind of guy !! :tu

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Originally Posted by bach9135

I couldn't-a done it without him and I am very grateful.

Thanks, Randy and all the best.

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Randy is Great Person. Did you buy Russian vodka ?
Thank you RANDY.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bach9135

I have been struggling for years trying to hone these bastards only to fail utterly. So on a recent business trip I took some time out to visit Randy Tuttle and asked (begged actually) for some help.
I dragged my stash of stones and razors on the plane (got barely under the weight limit) and with his mentorship I was able to learn enough to hone a razor to grade A shave-ability.

I couldn't-a done it without him and I am very grateful.

Thanks, Randy and all the best.

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Great to hear your new success, Bach - Randy really is a first class gent.

Please tell us - what were you doing wrong all these years and what tips and tricks can you pass along to help out the rest of us?

Thanks,
Mark

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Originally Posted by bach9135

I am totally shocked. Now I have the 180 or more razors to hone and try out. I guess I could still try for that 365-day set.

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Man you have some amount of honing to be done there :)
Honing that many razors in a short time would surely lead into stress injury (in your hands and/or hone) unless you take it carefully. Good luck !