Thread: Need a better Honing Game plan!

Ace I just realize that my response to you never made it up here so here goes:

20, 10x, 20 = 20 lateral (flat? not sure on proper term), 10 x pattern, 20 lateral. Also I have been starting with 40 circles on each side before going into it.

Neat pass to me means that there is no grab and all hair is removed properly on the pas. Should have been Neat and Clean, but alas I was in a rush!

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Alb1981,
I am new to the business of straights,but I have spent the last 5 months. concentrating on honing.
I too had a "routine" when I started to hone. I soon learned to not develop a routine, but evaluate each blade first through magnification. Every edge is approached differently. Some shave ready in 20 minutes; some need a bevel set and take longer.
I recently touched up my daily razor with a NeverDull barber hone with only 6 strokes & strip, she's back in the game. I usually touch up with a Shapton 16000.
Sorry for any grammar errors, this is from my cell.

No problems there boss! my routine is generally for blades that are going from dull to shave ready (ones that i am learning to set a bevel on)
I wish i could afford a shapton!!! lol
What techniques are you using for your touch ups?

I have only had to touch up my daily razors twice in the last 7 months. They are Wade & Butchers from Max. .I know he hones with tape & I tape and stroke out 6 on the Shapton. 16000, then then 30 on a strop no paste. I have refreshed other razors in my collection with the same procedure, once with the barber hone just to expierence it. I tossed the barber hone in my travel bag. I have been lucky with few touch ups; I strop 20 after each shave and my Butchers last quite a while.

I personally don't care for using rock hard felt, but some of the guru's like it. I only use spray .5 micron diamond on leather. I strop 10x on the diamond strop, wipe, and 50-60x on plain leather after the stones. You can try the same method and see how it works for you. Until you get proficient at honing, I would recommend going straight from the stones to plain leather. The pasted strops and felt would change the edge enough to possibly hide a deficiency in the honing.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I strop 10x on the diamond strop, wipe, and 50-60x on plain leather after the stones.

Originally Posted by alb1981

Ace I just realize that my response to you never made it up here so here goes:

20, 10x, 20 = 20 lateral (flat? not sure on proper term), 10 x pattern, 20 lateral. Also I have been starting with 40 circles on each side before going into it.

Neat pass to me means that there is no grab and all hair is removed properly on the pas. Should have been Neat and Clean, but alas I was in a rush!

One use of "x" is for times, the other is for x-pattern? When I use "x" it is usually for something obvious. For instance: 1) I love draining my expensive AAA batteries using a MicroShack 60x-100x microscope. 2) Randy is a local mentor who has emphasized the importance of the X-pattern in honing to achieve a consistent bevel and edge progression along the entire length of my razors, including smiling razors.

See the difference? You WILL be graded on this!

lmao smarta$$!

I seriously think we need something beyond FAQs and the wiki articles. A concensus on nomenclature. Something established by the veterans who've dealt with the ambiguities of ASCII text communication on the delicate intricacies of open razor honing for cryin' out loud! That way we can link beginner's to the source for clarifying and explaining all sorts of terms. Would probably enhance the quality of discourse and prevent a lot of misunderstanding.