Thread: I was wondering how many chefs, sushi chefs, and cooks there were

I'm a sushi chef and I've always enjoyed using a very sharp knife and honing all my knives, it's part of what directed me toward straight razor shaving so I was curious who else was a chef.

Also since I'm brand new I was wondering if any of you guys could tell me any bad habits I should watch out for when honing razors since I'm used to knives ~30cm long and have never really honed over 8000 grit.

Sorry if this is the wrong forum.

With razors you use a lot less pressure, the stones need to be well lapped, and also on the harder side compared to stones more suitable for knives.

I used to be a chef. I became a teacher a couple years ago, but before that....it was a fun time.

I loved honing my own knives and keeping them ridiculously sharp.

Like mainaman said, use considerably less pressure. Also, unlike knives, the geometry is built in to the razor. Both the side of the spine and the cutting edge remain on the hone while sharpening.

Thanks for the avice guys, I've probably read 5000 pages on the forum(mostly shaving honing and stroping) and I (hopefully) understand the basics, spine and bevel always in contact as the spine sets the angle. Any advice on the most sound way to start? Softer steels? Circles vs a rolling x?

The one thing I've seen reoccur the most about shaving and honing seems to be there is no such thing as too little pressure, and sometimes less is more.

I'm really loving how every aspect of wet shaving can be such an artform.

Originally Posted by justinA

Softer steels? Circles vs a rolling x?

To me softer steel was easier to hone into shave-ready when I first started to hone. I've just recently managed to get my harder one's to where I want them.
My way of doing (there probaly are as many ways as honers) the work most of the time (with minor adjustments) is setting a bevel at 1-1,2k with circles (20 circles in each direktion with a little pressure, 20 without) then off to 3-5k with a few (0-10) circles without pressure and about 20 X-strokes (or until my water aint getting any greyer), same procedure at 7-10k as i did on my 3-5. Sometimes i finish with a higher grit stone but mostly im off to just balsa with green->red paste and then to my strop.
This works for me
Good luck!

I found the you tube videos by gssixgun particulary helpful. Take a look there as a place to start.

I just honed my first razor to damn near usbale on my first try....

I'll definitely check those videos out, but im probably gonna wait a few months before going to fully honing a razor, maybe ill start with a half hollow if i do.