Thread: 3k - 8k stones

Thanks for info guys, much appreciated. I will be sending expensive razors away for honing as like someone said why risk damaging a good razor. I will continue to practice my honing skills on my cheaper dovo.

Eleblu05 - you said learn to shave with an 8k finish before moving on to higher grits; can you explain why please? Are you saying that a finer grit finish will make it sharper and more prone to nicks and cuts? I was always under the impression that you are more likely to cut ones self with a blunt (or not as sharp) razor.

Sorry if I'm being thick - I'm still learning!

So far I have been able to reset the bevel on a 'dinked' edge with the 3k and produce a shave able finish on the 8k with 100 or so strokes on the strop.

As far as hanging hair tests go I need to see my barber and get some hairs from his shop floor to use during the test as my own hair is so thin and fine the tests are 'inconclusive'!

My biggest problem is actually shaving with a straight, on my first attempt I was quite confident and did actually give myself a shave (albeit with about 20 tiny nicks and cuts!), but I seem to have got much less confident - to the point that images of slashing my face really bad pop into my head when I go to sleep - which I promptly block out of my mind. I hope this is normal in the beginning!

Hbc, Hope you don't mind me shortening your use name for ease of typing?

What everyone is telling you is that if you are not producing a shave comfortable edge at the 8k level. which is generally where you should, moving to a higher grit, less cutting power stone, is basically fruitless. I think there is a general mind set for the new honer that higher grit stones are going to create sharper blades by much high degrees of sharpness over the previous stone. That's just not true. They do add some sharpness, but each step up in grit has a diminishing return for adding sharpness. If the complete sharpening process is an endeavor of 100%, about 90% occurs at the 1k bevel setting stage. If you only get 50% at the bevel set, its not realisitic to think that you will go to a less aggressive higher grit stone and make up that difference (without some major time and strokes). From bevel set at 90% on the 1k the percentages become less with each additional stone. That's why honemeisters will generally tell someone, like me, because I asked this question, "how much do I gain when going from a 16k Shapton to the 30k Shapton?". Answer, maybe 1%. You should be able to shave comfortably at the 8k level. After the 8k level you're playing with maybe 3,4 or 5% or less for sharpness and the rest is polishing the bevel and edge for comfort. If I'm off on my estimate of percentages, I know some of the pro honers will help me on this.

Work to improve your technique shaving, and you'll be amazed at how much that sharpens your razor. Bad angles and prep for a shave can make even the sharpest razor feel and shave like a pocketknife.

Don't get discouraged, we all went through this and to some degree, still do. Hang in there!! You have so many variables to deal with at the beginning that they're kind of hard to manage. Start with a pro honed edge, work on shaving technique and preparation. If your razor gets dull, send it to one of our members for a honing, it's cheaper than damaging a nice razor, and when your shaving is working, then take on something new. Trying everything at once is discouraging and usually, just not fun!!

Best Regards,

Howard