Thread: How often do you hone?

Plans for a barbers hone are most definitely in the very near future. How often do you hone your razor? I am still getting the hang of stropping, which I have been told is pretty much all I need for now, but there seems to be equal talk about honing as well. I am all for maintaining my razor properly. Just need some advice on what I'll need and approx. how often. I know each razor is as different as each face, so any replies will be taken with this consideration. Sorry to ask such silly questions, but am very much into the str8 razor and want to be able to maintain. Thanks.
Dan

That is a very difficult question to answer.
It depends on both shaving technique, beard and stropping technique.
When I started out, I had to refresh my razors with a finisher or some CrO on felt about every 7-12 shaves I guess.
Nowadays I can go much longer if needed be.
But you see, all them fine finishers gets lonely, so I take them out to play a bit too often.

If you can manage 10-15 shaves before it starts to tug just a little bit, I'd say you are doing ok.
Good stropping is the key to keeping them fresh for as long as possible.
I use both Linen and leather before and after each shave. 30/50 before and 20/40 after.

Good luck

I guess the answer would be "as often as the edge needs it". In the beginning, when stropping may be less than ideal and shaving technique may be a little skewed, it may need a light re-hone more often than when you know how to use a strop correctly and your technique has developed. I realize this may not be a terribly helpful answer, but it is really hard to quantify how many shaves are in before a re-hone is needed. When I started out it was a lot sooner than it is now, and I found that a decent stropping technique makes a huge difference. Best of luck.

+1 to what's been said. I found that when I began shaving, I was needed to refresh my edges more often. Poor technique and poor stropping. Also....my poor honing. Everything was a learning curve.

At this stage in the game, I'm probably refreshing every 15-20 shaves. I'm not entirely sure. Because of the razors in my rotation, it seems like I'm refreshing something every week.

Not as often as I'd like to. I actually stopped using my Barber hone because I missed honing my razors. (Using my other hones) I was doing 3-5 lapps on my blade and at the very first sign of pulling, tugging, or dulling, and it worked well. Each blade was getting the barber hone every 7-14 days or so wheter it needed it, or not. I never had to break out any other hones. With good technique, your razors should last you several months. YMMV.

Depends too many factors. you can use your barber hone on each shave if blade needs a little more sharpness.
honing is a little different story.
ok blade will need to be re honed app 3-5 months.
hope this helps.

Thank you. Sounds as though I need to step up my purchase of a barbers hone as I am six days into my str8 shaving venture with my first cutthroat. I really haven't noticed anything too uncomfortable as far as shaves go, but I am still new and am not as aware? as those that have acquired the skill.

Most of us have more than one razor so the number of blades in your rotation is a determining factor regarding how often you need to refresh an edge. If you have only 2 razors, then you would be getting 7 shaves from each blade every two weeks provided that you rotate them daily.

From what I have read on the forum over the past couple years, the average member seems to rotate between 5 and 15 razors. If you divide 365 days by 15 razors, you are getting about 24 shaves from each blade per year. Not much need for refreshing there if you are a good stropper.

But I'm sure it doesn't always play out that way because honing is too much fun for some of us. Hone away!!!

I like to keep my razors sharp , all the time . Whenever a razor seems a little dull , I touch it up on my finishing hone . I never bother to count the shaves , I let the shave tell me .

i hone more often then i need to. its fun and they are always in tip top shape.
if you are not stepping down to a low grit, but using a barber hone, or some other high end finisher (heck, even an 8k) you arent going to loose much metal. hone away, as they say.