Thread: Honing Question

Hi, I need some advise please,
I normally take my razor ,dull the edge, set the bevel, polish, strop.
Then I shave and strop about 4 times and then restart the process.
(I shave once , some times twice a week, quite a thick beard, so the edge does get used)
I like taking the blade from bevel setting to final polishing but maybe I'm wasting metal .
My question is , instead of resetting the bevel every time , what should I do.
Go back to the 8k shapton or further back to the 4k shapton?
My stones are Shapton 1k/4k/8k/ Shobu/ Nakayama.
If I stop setting the bevel will I still get excellent edges?
Thanks, much appreciated .

I think I am reading this wrong

But I read that you are getting about 4 shaves and then going back to the hones ??

Definitely wasting some metal, I would not dull the edge.

I would work backwards through the grits starting at 8k for 20 - 40 strokes ,and test for sharpness. If it fails move down to 4k for 10-40 and re-test. Then move back up once the edge passes your preferred tests. Once you get a feel for how bad an edge is this will be faster than resetting the bevel.

The issue you should try solving is why your razor is only getting 4 shaves. Things to consider: Would a razor with harder steel hold an edge better for your beard? Would adding a pasted strop extend the time between honing sessions?

Could you tell us a little about the razor(s) that you are using?

How do your honing skills and edges hold up in comparison to a pro? Could you meet up with another member to help you?

Jonathan

I should have explained a bit better.
I could get many shaves but I've been considering it as honing practice.

Originally Posted by JOB15

I should have explained a bit better.
I could get many shaves but I've been considering it as honing practice.

You'd probably be better off with something off of eBay for practice rather than give your primary razors all of the excessive wear from resetting bevels and polishing that often. Just my opinion.

A wise man told me, "Stay off the hones as much as possible." I have followed that advice with great success. If you want to practice hone, don't hone one that's shaving fine.

I hear what you guys are saying and that's why im asking about how to maintain the razor without setting the bevel.
Its time to stop wasting metal.
I couldn't practice honing with a cheapo razor because I don't want to shave with it afterwards.
Shaving 4 times a month means that I would rarely get to hone , if I followed the rules
I feel that im at the point where I should behave properly

You can get a great vintage razor with great steel off eBay and use that to practice - save your expensive razors! You should only need a polishing stone to refresh a well stropped, well honed razor that has a properly set bevel IMO. I have a very thick beard too and shave every other day and go many weeks before taking a razor back to my hones - and I don't use any pasted drops between honings.

John

First off, stop dulling razors!
That's just waste of good metal.
What you want to try to get a feel for is this;
how much would I need to go back in my progression to bring the blade back to shave ready?
And considering you get 4 shaves out of the edge before honing, what is my stropping like?
Less is more when it comes to maintaining a razor imho.
As said above, get a cheap ebay special for practicing honing.
And use that knowledge to maintain your razors going back just what you need to maintain it.

Recently ive been touching up blades on my jnats . It might be to early to tell but I think its not quite the same edge as a fresh bevel set and polish.
So I will to go back to the 8k and carry on from there.
Concerning dulling the edge, I lightly drag the edge on the corner/side of the 1k so I start the bevel setting from ground zero, so to speak.
Is that a big no no then?
I have so many blades to look after ,mine and my 2 brothers, this is another reason I wanna cut the work load down by eliminating the bevel setting phase.