How soon do you have to hone a shave ready Dovo?

Hi!

I'm a new straight shaver. I love it! I'm still having some problems with my blade skipping. I'm thinking that is more due to the fact that my technique is not that good.

However, I have read that with a Dovo 5/8 (my new razor) you might have to hone after 5/6 shaves?

Is this true? I've read other places that say you don't have to hone except every few months and others say you only have to do it once a year.

This confusion of information is my biggest struggle with straight shaving.

Any help will be appreciated!

Fritz

Hi Fritz & welcome to SRP.
Unfortunately the information you have may well be correct in each instance. It is very possible for a new user to wreck his edge in the early stages very quickly & it is equally possible for an experienced user to go for along time between honings.
Altho it can be costly at first, simply get the razor honed if you have any doubts. The last thing you need when learning is to struggle with a blade you are unsure of.

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Originally Posted by ztirf1953

Hi!

I'm a new straight shaver. I love it! I'm still having some problems with my blade skipping. I'm thinking that is more due to the fact that my technique is not that good.

However, I have read that with a Dovo 5/8 (my new razor) you might have to hone after 5/6 shaves?

Is this true? I've read other places that say you don't have to hone except every few months and others say you only have to do it once a year.

This confusion of information is my biggest struggle with straight shaving.

Any help will be appreciated!

Fritz

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Welcome,

Was your razor pre sharpened by a professional or
was it factory sharp. A professional edge that
we call "shave ready" can stay sharp for a couple
months. It can also be dulled in five min by careless
stropping. Some of the factory edges I have had
were sharp enough to shave but not well none were
terrible. None of the factory edges responded quickly
to a good hone the way a properly honed edge does.

Strop it smooth and cautiously (not like on TV)
and see if it improves.

You can practice the all important "lathering" process
with inexpensive tossables. Shortcuts in skin and
beard preparation can result in a terrible shave
no mater what the blade.

So tell us more.

Nifty and OZ are telling you straight. If at all possible, try to arrange a meet-up with one of the more experienced members so he can show you the correct way to strop a razor. This is most important.

As far as "when do you hone", as soon as a proper stropping won't give you a smooth shave.

Again, try to meet -up with someone who can get you stropping correctly.

Thanks for all the information!

I bought the Dovo from straight razor design so I believe it was razor ready to use.

I would like to meet up with someone who can check on my stropping ability. I live in Maryland near Washington DC area. Any one near by?

Thanks!

Personally, I'd start off on an 8k and move up to whatever other finishers you have. I've been fortunate enough that is was all that was needed for "shave ready" razors purchased new. If they didn't correctly set the bevel...you may need to drop to the the 4k maybe even 1k depending on what you are dealing with...I'd try to get it shaving off the 8k first to see if you can get it shave ready.

For me? I honestly think that I could go virtually forever without honing on a razor as I use .5 micron diamond on leather if one of my razors isn't gliding thru whiskers followed by a standard 50-60 strokes on plain leather. Every time I put a razor away I strop it about 20x as well to ensure the edge is dry and gunk free...

Everyone's results will vary as do our opinions...

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However, I have read that with a Dovo 5/8 (my new razor) you might have to hone after 5/6 shaves?

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Where was that?

I bought a Dovo BQ from SRD, and I've had way more than 5 shaves from it. Still very sharp, chops off hair with no pressure at all. That's just with stropping on leather and canvas.

Charles

I've been looking for that quote and I can't find it. I would hate to list where I thought I found the comment and then be proven wrong.

As is often stated on here, it is easier to KEEP a keen edge shaving sharp than it is to sharpen a dull edge. I had my Dovo Best 5/", purchased shave-ready from SRD, for a year and a half before sending it in for a free re-honing (and then mainly to get a good reference blade to compare to as I learned to hone my other razors). In the meantime, I got some CrOx for my linen strop, a Swaty barber hone, and colored newsprint to keep it keen. I've found the Dovo to be very easy to "bring back" every time.

But definitely, if you are not 100% sure it is shave-ready, send it out to one of the many hone-meisters here for a honing, and watch videos/practice your stropping. Tight (on the strop) and light (on the stroke) are key.

"How soon do you have to hone a shave ready Dovo?"

The answer is: whenever it needs honing.

It's as simple as that. Too often we argue about how long a blade should last, and get caught in the mindset that a blade SHOULD go for months and months without seeing a stone. The reality is who cares? Your face will tell you when the blade needs honing. This could be after 5 shaves, or it could be after 55 shaves. Obviously, with more experience and better technique you will find you can prolong the time between honing, but don't worry about that now. If you find your blade is tugging, take the five minutes and do a touchup and problem solved. :)

If I didn't set the bevel, then the bevel is not set. If you have no honing experience, send it out for all the above reasons.

I would take it down to 3k, do maybe 30-40 circles, then 20 laps, then move to the 8K for 20-30 laps, then coticule, then Escher.

Otherwise, normal touch ups about once a month on an Escher. It can not be answered with any accuracy, as it depends how often you use it, and various other variables. Say, 15-20 shaves as a guideline?

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

"How soon do you have to hone a shave ready Dovo?"

The answer is: whenever it needs honing.

It's as simple as that. Too often we argue about how long a blade should last, and get caught in the mindset that a blade SHOULD go for months and months without seeing a stone. The reality is who cares? Your face will tell you when the blade needs honing. This could be after 5 shaves, or it could be after 55 shaves. Obviously, with more experience and better technique you will find you can prolong the time between honing, but don't worry about that now. If you find your blade is tugging, take the five minutes and do a touchup and problem solved. :)

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+1 Well stated.
I think the most difficult thing to learn is how to tell when
a blade is getting dull. We make a lot of noise on making a
blade sharp but knowing when it is dull and should be
refreshed on a hone is another skill. A tossable plastic
razor is a useful touch stone in this regard. Most of us
consider the tossables to have less than stellar edges yet
they shave millions of faces. So when a straight is duller
than a third shave tossabe and does not respond to the strop
it needs to visit a hone.

as it has been already pointed out the consensus is, hone when it needs to be honed. When I was learning though I had a tenancy to hone way to often due to poor shaving/stropping technique. My advice is to get a good barber hone from an antique store (I really like the Swatey Three Line) and give your razor a few passes every few shaves. Doing this I only really need to take my razors (including a new 6/8 dovo) every 4-5 months.

I have 3 Dovos. @ 2 were honed by gssixgun, Glen, & the other was bought from Lynn @ SRD...

All were honed about the same time... Dec 09'

Now they are in rotation with 6 razors and I shave 3 times a week. I didn't figure out the math but while I could tune them up soon I still get BEAUTIFUL shaves from them.

Honed right, & yours coming from SRD means it absolutly was, and good technique will give you a long stretch between honing.