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Thread: Got a Norton 4/8k but wtf is lapping?

  1. #11
    Seņor Member (the name is Dave) DFriedl's Avatar
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    While I've never seen it used on this forum, the reply "I'm not wearing any pants" is appropriate for this thread.
    HARRYWALLY likes this.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by tiddle View Post
    As far as flattening the norton, soak the stone in the sink for about 15 minutes, then take a piece of 220 or 320 sandpaper, and adhere it to something you know is flat. Not wood, but stone, marble, hell a floor tile. Next take a pencil and draw a grid on the stone, stick both in the water and rub back and forth, in figure 8's, circles, whatever, until the grid is gone. Do this 3 or four more times. The 4k is gonna take a while, but the 8k should only take 10-15 mins. to do. Once that's done, let the stone dry completely out over a few days before storing, or it will grow mildew on it. When you here about chamfering the edges of the stone, just slightly round off the square and pointed edges before switching sides, that's to prevent your edge from catching and dinging the blade and stone up. Take the others advice and send the razor out so you know what sharp really feels like, so you have a bar set for your own honing attempts. AOS stuff is fine, just way overpriced, but I guarantee you no one in that store has done more than open the box and put that razor on a display; I seriously doubt none of them have used one, else they would tell you it needs to be honed before using. Honestly, I can see why you are frustrated, but blame the person who sold you the razor for their ignorance, not the hobby or process. That's why everyone here will tell new guys which places to buy their first blades from b/c we know "who" sharpened that steel, and we know that they DID put a usable edge on it before selling.
    Thank you for this information. I appreciate it.

    And Yes I agree completely on the fact that it was not shave ready sharp out of the box. I was most definitely a victim of the sales person, who told me it was shave ready out of the box and does not need to be sharpened. I wish I did some research before hand but it was more of a spontaneous buy that I always wanted to get into.

    Could you tell us about your equipment too? I noticed from your intro that you went to AOS and I'm not very familiar with their razors ( a bit pricey for my taste ) but would love to hear about them. I've heard mostly good things about AOS other then their prices so I'm eager to hear how that's working for you.
    I ended up purchasing the following from there:







    Just another reg flag I should of caught when he sold me the strop, I told him from the get-go I was a complete novice to this.. yet he sold me a strip that is very small and required me to learn how to strop with an x pattern. Which I am getting down.. but would of preferred the most fool proof method.


    Quote Originally Posted by regularjoe View Post
    All I see is someone who wants to blame the tools, instead of the user. It's the razor, not me. It's the SRP library, not me. It's the Norton, not me.
    In this case I really strongly believe the blade did not come shave ready.


    Quote Originally Posted by zib View Post
    Hi, and Welcome to the forum. This hobby can be "Daunting" at first, like any thing else new to you.
    Once you get a handle on it, learn the lingo, learn how to use the tools, etc...it will be enjoyable like you mentioned. Don't get discouraged. The library is being worked on. Lapping is relatively easy, and as mentioned, Most razors are not shipped shaved ready.

    You remind me of, "me" when I first started. I couldn't believe all the stuff out there, and didn't know where to begin. Joining this forum is a good start.
    Thank you for the kind words.

    Quote Originally Posted by mjsorkin View Post
    Dude, if you are pissed now then wait till you try honing.

    Here's a clue: it's hard also. So if you think the 4/8 is going to solve your problem you may be disapointed. strongly consider getting your blade honed by a pro.

    My advice is to read as much as you can on this forum, Find a mentor here to answer questions, and enjoy your journey.

    Also, if you have a complaint about the library please put that in the suggestion forum. Make sure to be specific and also be grateful for this FREE service.
    Not really a complaint, just something I would really like to read into.



    Quote Originally Posted by Lynn View Post
    WOW!!

    Welcome to SRP.

    Sorry that having to learn about straight razor shaving and honing is so hard on you. It really does take a little patience to learn about this art and your expectations cannot be unrealistic or immediate.

    I do have a solution though. Pick up one of these and whenever you're frustrated, place your razor or razor and hone in the hat and wave the magic wand over it 3 times. Say the magic words "Great Shave" 3 times and then wait 15 seconds, pull your razor out of the hat and enjoy the best shave you have ever had in your life. YMMV

    Attachment 111355

    Actually, you have already been given some great advice. Hope you take advantage of it. There is a ton of information here and it is primarily directed at helping you become successful.

    Have fun.
    hahah where can I get one of those?


    I also want to throw out there that I am a senior web developer / computer programmer. I run a small web dev firm where I mostly white label my services. So if you admins/mods need help trying to figure out what's wrong with the library send me a PM and I am willing to help you guys out for free, I see this is a LAMP environment which is my expertise.

    As far as sending my blade out to be honed by a pro I agree, but I would really like to learn this my self.. I wish there was someone local to me that could do it.. but no dice on that.

    ON the same page tho I ordered by stone with a new straight razor from west coast shaving.. they state there blades are shave ready.. Has any one ordered a blade from them? If so - can you agree that they are shave ready out of the box?

    That would be great for me to see what a shave ready razor would feel like and finally achieve my goal of that close shave that everyone is talking about.
    Last edited by adamf85; 11-06-2012 at 04:56 PM.

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    Lynn (11-06-2012)

  4. #13
    Senior Member tiddle's Avatar
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    Not sure about westcoastshaving.com as far as shave ready, could be, but I haven't heard who they use for their honing if they do. If it doesn't come absolutely shave ready, if you cover postage (I think it's about $3 last blade I mailed) I will set the bevels for FREE, send them back and you can go to learning how to use your stones to refine the edge, then later on learn how to set the bevel if you decide to get a coarser stone; or you can check out the Janorton thread, and gssixguns youtube videos for janorton on setting a bevel w/ the 4k. Up to you bro, whatever direction you go...luck be w/ you!
    Mastering implies there is nothing more for you to learn of something... I prefer proficient enough to not totally screw it up.

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    adamf85 (11-06-2012)

  6. #14
    Senior Member jpcwon's Avatar
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    I can understand the OP's frustrations; I too was frustrated when I found out that my Norton had to be lapped. It's like "Dang!! I have to buy ANOTHER thing to start honing?!?" But you know what? That DMT 325 is the best $50 I ever spent. It laps perfectly, and is fantastic for raising a slurry (no slurry stone needed). Do yourself a favor and invest in a DMT 325 with a Stone holder....you'll be glad you did!! I know it's not cheap but it'll last you a lifetime...


    Amazon.com: DMT D8C 8-Inch Dia-Sharp Continuous Diamond Coarse: Home Improvement

    Amazon.com: Steelex D1091 Sharpening Stone Holder: Home Improvement
    Last edited by jpcwon; 11-06-2012 at 05:22 PM.

  7. #15
    Senior Member blabbermouth OCDshaver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill S View Post
    I would be willing to bet that there are thousands of posts in hundreds of threads addressing just what you are dealing with now. If you read enough of them you will see that there is a shocking amount of similarity in many of the threads. What you are experiencing is not unusual at all. We all went through it.

    Welcome to SRP.

    The important thing to remember is that if you stick with it and fight through these early problems, you'll pick it up, get proficient, and enjoy the process. Right now it all seems like a bit of a hassle and it is compared to popping a new cartridge into your Mach3. Fight through it and you'll be rewarded.

  8. #16
    Senior Member Steelstubble's Avatar
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    I hear you on the small strop. I recently upgraded to a full size Latigo from SRD and I love not having to do the X strokes anymore, makes things a hair more idiot proof. I've used AOS preshave oil before and its very good, and a little bit of it goes a long way. Be careful not to use to much though, I used what I thought was a good amount and it made my skin so slick I couldn't do the skin pulling necessary and wrecked my face. The irritation was something fierce! I haven't had good luck with the aftershave balm though, it feels nice but just doesn't calm down irritation well enough when it happens. Not sure about their creams or soaps since I haven't tried them yet.
    Don't give up and accept no negativity! I was so stubborn when I first started that I went nearly a year shaving with a factory edge till I joined up on this forum and was very kindly informed I just spent nearly a year shaving with dull edge. I started on a small Illinois strop with mostly Colonel Conk equipment, so you're already doing better then I did when I first started by virtue of having far superior equipment and having the sense to ask for advice.

  9. #17
    Pha Tat Luang dustoff003's Avatar
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    adamf85 welcome to straight shaving and to SRP, I am new also only shaving for just over a week now myself. Hang in there buddy it will come the thing is like the others have said there are many things to learn and many variables that could cause a shave to not be good.

    I see that you wrote it would be nice to have someone local to you to hone your razor, where are you?
    Aloha,

    ED

  10. #18
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    @dustoff003 I am in Buffalo, NY.

  11. #19
    Razor Vulture sharptonn's Avatar
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    Welcome, Adam and remember that patience will overcome your problems. On the wide strops : In my opinion, X-strokes are desirable in stropping. For me, mandatory. Regardless of strop width, long x's are the most effective of stropping strokes. It is absolutely no harder than stropping straight on a wide strop. Obviously, you guys have no smiling edges to strop or you would quickly see. Ask yourself why hones are not made in 3 inch widths. Ask yourself why 3 inch strops(after hundreds of years) are a relatively new product. JMHO, YMMV, etc, and so forth.
    Last edited by sharptonn; 11-06-2012 at 05:58 PM.
    gssixgun likes this.
    "Don't be stubborn. You are missing out".
    I rest my case.

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  13. #20
    Senior Member Steelstubble's Avatar
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    That's interesting Sharptonn. It's true I don't have any blades with smiling edges, perhaps my improvement in shaving quality wasn't due to my change in technique but simply that my new strop is just better. After all my old Illinois strop had lots of noobie damage and my new one is getting used properly.

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