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  1. #1
    Senior Member ShoreBird's Avatar
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    Default New Razor Honing Question

    I want to hone a new Gold Dollar razor. I know I Know, but I want to practice honing. How many passes should I start with on the 4000/8000
    Norton with a new un-honed razor? Is there a rule of thumb. I want to do a pyramid. I was planning to staart with 10 strokes.

  2. #2
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    You may need to set a bevel on it first. Pay attention to the area of the heel as I have heard they aren't always as they should be on GDs from the factory. Here is a video that it would pay off for you to watch. I would suggest re-reading the pyramid tutorial in the SRP Wiki honing section and start with 15 or even 20. If it ain't there when you're done repeat. For an inexperienced honer it doesn't hurt to use one piece of electrical tape on the spine. I like 3M.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

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  4. #3
    Senior Member ShoreBird's Avatar
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    Good advice thank you

  5. #4
    Senior Member ShoreBird's Avatar
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    On closer review not only was the heel "not finished" the blade had a pronounced smile. I used a DMT stone and with a sawing motion I leveled the blade. I was working on another razor so i will set the bevel when I get a chance. It is a inexpensive razor so it will make a good teaching project.

  6. #5
    Member AFDavis11's Avatar
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    Don't do what you want to do. Continue evaluating the razor and do what it needs. The razors needs are more important than what you want to do. Edge and geometry requirements are important to carefully evaluate.

  7. #6
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AFDavis11 View Post
    Don't do what you want to do. Continue evaluating the razor and do what it needs. The razors needs are more important than what you want to do. Edge and geometry requirements are important to carefully evaluate.
    +1. Seeing as how you are new at honing it would be better to ask questions before you attempt changing the geometry of a blade. Here is a PDF of a 1961 barber's manual on honing and stropping. The honing portion will show you something about a smiling blade and how to maintain one. What you don't want is a frown and it addresses that too.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  8. #7
    Texas Guy from Missouri LarryAndro's Avatar
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    Several of us have found it very easy to overhone Gold Dollars. They tend to feel OK until about 5K, then lose their sharpness due to overhoning. My cure on the 4 or 5 I have honed was to hone the blade on each hone till the blade was almost sharp.

    While honing, I left a little more work than normal for the "next hone." I didn't worry too much about whether the blade was perfectly 1K sharp, for example; just close. No arm hair test. Then, on to my 3K. Etc, etc. I didn't try to achieve the "perfect sharpness" until the final 12K hone.

  9. #8
    Senior Member wdwrx's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ShoreBird View Post
    On closer review not only was the heel "not finished" the blade had a pronounced smile. I used a DMT stone and with a sawing motion I leveled the blade. I was working on another razor so i will set the bevel when I get a chance. It is a inexpensive razor so it will make a good teaching project.
    This gets me every time I read about someone doing this... Why would you remove a smile? A smile is generally considered a feature, not a flaw, though I can understand a YYMV thing.

  10. #9
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    Shorebird

    A sharpie. You have to be able to see your progress and to know what needs to be accomplished. A Sharpie is your road map, without it you are diving, honing blind.

    I use red or blue, it can be seen clearly with the naked eye, but at least a 10X loupe is invaluable. Like AF Davis said do what need to be done, It is sharp when it is sharp not after x amount of laps on x hone.

    Enjoy

    Marty

  11. #10
    Senior Member ShoreBird's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by M Martinez View Post
    Shorebird

    A sharpie. You have to be able to see your progress and to know what needs to be accomplished. A Sharpie is your road map, without it you are diving, honing blind.

    I use red or blue, it can be seen clearly with the naked eye, but at least a 10X loupe is invaluable. Like AF Davis said do what need to be done, It is sharp when it is sharp not after x amount of laps on x hone.

    Enjoy

    Marty

    Got you thanks

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