Thread: is shapton the way to go?

If your beard & skin are like mine then you will always prefer a carbon steel edge over a SS edge. Some things are just that personally unique.
I think I have sold every SS razor that I had. They just do not "feel" right on my skin. Oh, I do have more than a few different hones that have been used on the SS razors.

Good luck,

Originally Posted by Utopian

OK, thanks for clarifying. Sometimes people come on here and declare themselves to be experts of honing plane blades and chisels and insist they are experts at honing razors. I really couldn't tell your level of razor honing experience from your first post.

You've got lots of options above 8k. Cost can vary greatly, with Shaptons on the high end. Chrome ox on balsa, felt, linen, or even cardboard are on the low end. You can also consider a barber hone, the Chinese hone, a Naniwa Superstone 12k, a coticule, an Escher/Thuringian, a Spyderco UF, and the Shapton 16k. If you want to go the Shapton route, I'd start with just the 16k and see how that goes first. The 30k is a lot of money and several people (I've never used on) say they don't care for the edges off the 30k.

I have a question for you. Are you confident in your stropping? Have you experimented with stropping more to see if that alone improves your edge? I ask because stropping is a critical factor in shaving comfort.

thank you for taking some time to help with this, I know its a process and I am learning a lot thanks to the great advice. 11 months or so ago I had never used a straight razor and I just love every part of it. Its a edge unlike any other and the tools and process are great to me. Im a little unsure of my self with the blades and hones.
The strop is the thing I seem to be having some of the concerns in my mind. Its just soming is not quit right and I'm not sure just what. I use 100x mag hand held scope to look at my blades usualy or a loop and after the 8k stone and even 50 or 60 strokes on the strop (on each side) its just not as good as I hoped it would be. I think I will get a 12k or 16k and maybe a new strop? The strop I have is the XL Dovo that "hangs" and I kinda nicked it up in the first few month of learning how to use it and there is only a small sweat spot left on it that does'nt have the nicks

Originally Posted by randydance062449

If your beard & skin are like mine then you will always prefer a carbon steel edge over a SS edge. Some things are just that personally unique.
I think I have sold every SS razor that I had. They just do not "feel" right on my skin. Oh, I do have more than a few different hones that have been used on the SS razors.

Good luck,

Hi, thanks for that and I think your right its something about the stainless that is just not quite right with my beard. Its a very, very thick one and the carbon just seems to cut it better.

5ACLOCKSHDW,
I am a Shapton user and have used no other type of stone because these have given me good service to date. You have been given a wealth of solid information from folks who know how to hone a razor.

Jimmy's comment was a good one because many people sink a lot of money into hones before they find out whether what they already have can really work. I know that Jimmy knows his craft because I shave with a razor honed by him. He helped me tremendously by showing me what a well honed razor shaves like.

Stubear's comment about the bevel is a jewel. I am working a John Holler razor right now. I had to level the edge because the original owner put a smile on it. It has taken me a while but the bevel finally came up. I will not even begin my pyramid honing with my 4000/8000 Shaptons until I can shave hair after setting the bevel with my 1000 Shapton. If you don't get the bevel correct first everything else is a waste of time!


These are just a few things I have learned from the master honers that give free advice on this forum. Many others who have commented on this post are right on as well. Jimmy and Stubear's advice just happened to stand out to me. Either way, you will learn a lot by doing and eventually you will become proficient as well. Good luck.
Best regards,
Denny
300WSM