Thread: First post- input needed about hones

A month ago I purchased one of those cheap straight razors that you put a half of a razor blade in to shave. I went fairly well and I picked up a used good quality real straight razor at a gun shop. I was planning on sending it out for honing but figured I would try some on my own so I made a few strops and rubbed compound into some of them. The finest stone I have is a 4000 grit japanese water stone. I honed the razor on that then did about 100 strokes on a balsa strop with cromium oxide, 100 more strokes on a leather strop with white compound and a 100 more on plain veg tanned leather. The razor passed the hanging hair test, so I shaved with it this morning. All went well and it shaved well, no razor burns or irritation. So finally to my question...Would you reccomend still purchasing finer grit stones for this razor or should I just strop it on a regular basis to maintain the current edge? What bennefits would I get from finer grit stones?

Thanks

John

If the shave was good, and you don't feel that you need a sharper edge, than you don't need anything else to hone your razor. There is always a better stone, and a sharper edge, but it is cheaper to not chase the best possible

Originally Posted by jeness

There is always a better stone, and a sharper edge, but it is cheaper to not chase the best possible

Good luck with that advice hanging around this place

But in all seriousness, congrats for getting a good edge, that is a great accomplishment!

Originally Posted by Kingfish

Good luck with that advice hanging around this place

Yes I know, I try to help people not to catch HAD, as I did

What kind of white compound did you use? Chromium oxide is already very fine, I think mine is 0,3 micron.

I think it's impressive you had a good shave with the materials used. You either have a fine beard or skills

Congrats on the successful edge! As has been pointed out, there's always a better/sharper/smoother edge attainable at the low, low cost of your child's college education.

That being said, I've never been a huge advocate for pastes for no other reason than that pastes do....eventually....run out. Best part about a hone is that it's there. Continually until the end of time. Unless you're honing an extremely large amount of razors each day. Again, this is just my personal preference with pastes. It's the same reason I stopped with cartridge razors: Hated having to buy more. For myself, I'd rather spend $80 on a good finisher. This is not inerrant truth, just my preference.

It is not surprising that a razor finished on a 4k waterstone further refined with CRO2 would give a more pleasant shave than a cartridge razor. This is true for me at least, for just under 3 years ago I was using only a Belgian Blue whetstone, which albeit a natural, is said to impart a 4K level scratch pattern. I actually believe it is greatly affected by the hand using the stone, not the stone itself, meaning that one more proficient with a hone than another could achieve a superior edge with a coarser hone than that other, ceteris paribus, again depending on the difference in ranges between those two hones.

When I first began, Steve the proprietor of The Invisible Edge advised me that he preferred the edges left by hones rather than pastes, but qualifying that it was largely personal. I have always been one for the hones. Notwithstanding that I have very little experience with pastes, 100 laps on CRO2 does seem rather alot from what I have read about them, but if it got you an edge that you were pleased with, congratulations, and it should only get better.

I would try and acquire a finisher such as a Barber hone, coticule, Naniwa 12K and see which finish you prefer. If you do go for a synthetic, check it is no more than double the grit of your 4K, or you will need an intermediate.

Originally Posted by Piet

What kind of white compound did you use? Chromium oxide is already very fine, I think mine is 0,3 micron.

I think it's impressive you had a good shave with the materials used. You either have a fine beard or skills

All three compounds were Sears buffing compounds. I loaded one balsa strop with black compound and was not able to cut a hanging hair after going through all the steps. I thought that black may be courser than 4000 so I skipped it and started over. I do think I will research a finishing hone just to reduce all the stropping.

woodcraft chinese 12k enroute.

Did you buy a slurry stone?