Thread: Chicago Meetup with possible honing tips February 1, 2014

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Chicago-land Str8 Rzrs Club - Straight Razor Place Forum

Happy New Year members, family members, and all future members,
I have been contacted by a few of our members and a few that have not joined yet and everyone is itching for a meetup and sharing of knowledge on honing. If there are other topics you are interested in let me know and we can try and cover that too. I am thinking about maybe having it at my house. I have room for six or so people. If you could host the meetup, please contact me also. I am thinking about maybe February 1st. That is the day before my birthday. No better than to share with other shaving enthusiasts to pre-celebrate a birthday. Looking forward to hearing from you all and letting me know. I would like to know by January 25. Be safe, try and stay warm, and keep shaving.

Since I have noticed that Chicago area meetup attempts tend to fade away, I have volunteered to help with the honing part of this one. I will commit both to attending and to bringing a variety of hones, natural and synthetic, that will give beginning honers an opportunity to try, in person, just about anything they might have considered buying. Hopefully, I will be able help you learn how to use them as well.

Please reply to one of the two Chicago threads if you plan on attending. I'll be driving from Rochester, MN so I only intend to do this if there appears to be sufficient interest. Otherwise Gonzo and I can meet in a bar somewhere half-way between us!

Please let us know if you can make it. I have John Hurtado, Deepweeds, and Tim Booker who as of right now who can make it. I have a very nice gent willing to drive down from Rochester MN who is bringing all kinds of honing equipment and willing to share his knowledge and teach us and show us many honing items. We should take advantage of this. Please Reply to this message or PM and Utopian if you can make it. Thank you and we will have some fun also.

Despite the lack of activity in this thread, this meet-up is going to happen. Five people are already planning on attending so that's good enough for me to make the trip.

More are welcome!

Another lame thread bump and a reminder...

For "all" of you who plan on attending, please bring any and all of your razors that need to be honed. Since this was proposed as a honing meet-up, I'd like for everyone to be able to be honing at the same time. You may hang back and just watch if you'd like, but I will be bringing enough bevel setters and hone progressions for everyone to keep busy.

I'm bringing two that represent my current best efforts. No room for anything but improvement!

In that case let's make sure that we check the edges under the stereo-microscope before we put them on a hone. We can assess how you did and go from there; but feel free to bring your worst efforts as well!

Originally Posted by Utopian

In that case let's make sure that we check the edges under the stereo-microscope before we put them on a hone. We can assess how you did and go from there; but feel free to bring your worst efforts as well!

I will have my collection and would love to see them under the scope. I think my stropping may cause issues. I am able to touch back up with lapping film. I have two new stones coming a naniwa 8k and 12 k both super stones. Picked both up for like 120. A good deal. Looking forwards to meeting everyone. Please if you can bring some old towels or rags. Honing uses a bunch and can be messy. We will have fun and learn some good skills. Be safe this week, try and stay warm. I am glad i get to pre-celebrate my birthday with you all. It happens to be on Sunday, but we can celebrate it Saturday afternoon.

Come to think, I've got this 4/8 from WD that hasn't felt right: tugs hard, won't cut around the chin, bevel looks wonky. I know he'd exchange it, but I'm tempted to treat it as a DIY since the get-together is this weekend anyway.

The scope probably will help you with the decision between honing it and swapping it. If not, I tend to be able to offer an opinion on most things.