Thread: New hone needs flattening

I'm cringing just reading that. I'm an electrician by trade, instrument technician by chance (did that for about 5 years), did some joinery in high school (still have and use the bed side table and ladder I made) and am now studying IT while picking up some work here and there as a hardware tech. My Dad taught me very young to use the right tool for the job, and although I'm a tad more flexible about it these days it's stuck with me. I'd suggest being as OCD about using the right tools as possible when it comes to your razor. An edge that is less than 0.5 micron across isn't all that tolerant of abuse.

Yes, I can understand your cringing. Shaving and stroppign have tought me some amount of control. below is a post I posted on the Fountain Pen network forum a little while ago, there were very few replies to the thread after this one from me, I think I know why...

Well, sometimes, force is appropriate, I've fixed it! Now I know all you aficionados will CRINGE, but pushing the piston in, screwing the cap on, wrapping a rubber sheet around the barrel, and BASHING the pen on its end cap on the kitchen table has fixed the problem! I've been able to force the cap back to where it should be after several attempts. I know this is rather unorthodox, and before you apply to adopt this poor abused pen from its abusive parent, it's fine, unhurt and writing beautifully. I PROMISE to never treat it badly again, and to be KIND, GENTLE and LOVING...

Thanks for all the help and advice...

If that's the forum I think it is, Beth may shoot you for that alone! O_O

I admit to learning my honing skills out of frustration and without due regard for my razor. This was before I found this place. I had got the sh!ts with failing to get a decent shave and took on a 'do or die' approach to my very first razor. Thankfully it survived and I found this place a week or two after, read up on honing, found out that a cheap oil stone and a small fine diamond hone just wouldn't suffice for razor sharpening, and duly rectified the situation with the purchase of a series of hones between 1000 and 12000 (ish) grit.
All is good and right in the world of Mick now.

I plan an starting with a 12k Naniwa (I reckon I'll do less 'damage' with that) just to try and refresh the edge, maybe 2 strokes and see what happens. I'' then get a Norton 4k8k and maybe buy another really cheap razor to practice on. I think I'll read and view the Wiki, but then just ask the guy in Canada I got my W&B from (Maxi). I think if I ask TOO many people I'll get confused. That's the plan anyway...

As far as I can tell the basics are pretty consistent, it's knowing when and how to use the other little things like the rolling x-stroke and the swooping x-stroke that make things complicated. Reading about these things, I think, will only get us so far. Sooner or later there's no substitute for personal instruction.