Thread: How best to start honing with shave ready razors?

At some point I'm going to have to start honing... the question I've been struggling with is how best to start. If you have a truly shave ready razor, is it best to start with something like a 12000 to just provide a minor touch up, or do I need to do the 1k, 5k, 8k, 10/12k total package?

Personally for a pure touch up, a 12k or pasted strop should do for a fair while,
For a bit more tugging blade I would drop down to a 8k maybe
Any lower and your talking a rehone not a touch up
1-4k is for full bevel re-set on restored or blunt razors

@Substance... this is kind of my question. I'm already using CrOX occasionally, and am wondering how often you need to reset the bevel on a shave ready razor. Would something like a 12k touch up in addition to CrOX get me through for a year?

If it's shave ready and maintained properly, you should never have to reset the bevel.

While you're learning, there is a chance you'll do enough damage to the edge to require bevel work.

If you're looking at purchasing stones and money is tight, you can definitely start with just a finishing stone.

@HNSB - this is what I'm thinking as well. I dinged a razor on the sink and had to send it to Lynn for honing, but I'm now thinking that just something like a 12k might be a good starting point for touch ups, say, every 6 months or so. Seems like that plus CrOX would keep me going for quite a while - and it's a lot cheaper.

I think you are heading in the right path there,
My nephew (30) shaves once a week sometimes twice he has used 1 srt8 exclusively since December, 8 months nearly with nothing but steady stropping on linen & leather,
I made a chrox & ferox balsa paddle strop for him but he hasn't needed it yet as it still shaves like new.

@substance ... the only catch for me is that I'm active duty military, so I shave every 24 hours, 7 days/week.

If you want to be on the safe side add a 3K/8K Nani combo stone to the 12K and Crox and you should be good to go. That should cover everything from small dings/chips and bevel reset on up. That is assuming your honing skills will allow you to handle chips and bevel resets.

Bob

major you could just get a 4/8 k Norton , lap that and your ready, as long as you know you are experienced enough to know that your razor is shave ready an 8k will give you a great shave ,, with some CRoX after and then leather tc

@BobH... considering I have NO honing skills, thus the question. Looking to dip my toes into the water before jumping in. Having bought 3 razors over the last 3 months, my wife is going to use one of the razors on me if I spend too much more.