Thread: Learning Curve

Im new to SR shaving. Is there a significant learning curve to honing or am I better off just leaving it to a professional?

For now leave it to the professionals. Get at least 6 months in at shaving.

you can start any time but ya there's a learning curve, and the better you know how to shave and strop the better you will understand the edge your trying to achieve. And while your learning to shave its best to do with a great edge. Thus let someone keep them ready for you. But if you shaving technique and stropping is spot on your edge will kast so long you won't get much honing in. I don't drag the hones out in so long they are dusty and need to learn them all over again. Tc

Just to add to the good advice already given. When you do begin to learn how to hone approach it as if you have never sharpened a knife. They are similar but different enough to begin like you have never sharpened anything in your life.

So yea there is a fairly big learning curve to honing and it is easier to get your shaving down first, leaving the honing to the pros in the meantime.

Bob

I agree. Learn to shave and strop first. Put in 6 months or more of daily shaving with a properly honed razor so you will know for sure what it should be like. Then think about honing 8f you want. But if your not getting into restoring or collecting then there really is no need for hones or learning them. Like if you only plan on having 2 or 4 great razors for use then dont bother as a razor when properly managed will last you for months of daily shaving.

What they said. Ha.

I'd say start honing whenever you like, but also be sure to have a professionally honed razor on hand to compare your work to.

There is a learning curve to all things related to straight shaving. Like many others, I believe you should acquire some shaving skill before plunging into honing. However, if you really want to start learning to hone, make sure it is with a spare razor that you don't shave with. It should be a razor that you don't mind making mistakes with. And approach honing as if you know nothing about it.

There’s a learning curve, but it’s mostly the same few rookie mistakes. It’s actually quite easy to learn to hone, especially with synthetic progressions. It’s just important to listen to the right advice, i.e. low pressure on your stones and make sure the bevel is set all along the edge. It’s pretty much as simple as getting a good bevel on a low grit and then just polishing out the low grit scratches. The mistakes I made in the beginning were from honing with pressure or a lack of patience. Definitely learn to use and strop your razor for a good while before honing, though. You don’t want to be learning how to hone when you haven’t gotten the ability to consistently and comfortably use a straight to begin with. If you are already comfortable with it, though, then go for it. May be a good idea to get a cheap test razor for learning like a ZY.