Thread: My Honing Epiphany

Gents,

During the past couple of months, I have honed more razors than I have during the 8 years or so I have used a straight razor. This is due to my new interest in vintage razors.

Adding a chosera 1k and a dmt coarse lapping to my honing routine has made things much easier for me and here are my conclusions.

a) lapping the stones is very important, especially the soft and porous norton 4k.
b) The honemeisters are right, setting a good bevel is the most important step. Getting a sharp hair popping edge on the 1k is really worth the time and one shouldn't move to higher grit stones until that bevel is as sharp as it can get off that stone.
c) After having set a good bevel on the entire edge, a progressive or pyramid method will get you to shave ready fairly quickly.
d) stropping on chromium oxide ( I use balsa wood) before stropping on the leather will bring that edge to that scary sharp level.

Lastly, for someone who only until recently starting using vintage razors, I have to say! I prefer them over new production razors.

There's nothing like shaving with a razor you've honed yourself...it's a great feeling!!

so true for me that big green brick is the best i am gettin the best edges i can b4 movin on to the next stone, i finish with dovo black on felt then strop...

Originally Posted by jpcwon

There's nothing like shaving with a razor you've honed yourself...it's a great feeling!!

There's nothing like shaving with a 150 years old razor that you've honed youself! it's magical!

amen brother

It's almost like the razor is thanking you for bringing it back from the dead

Sweet! Love to hear good news!

There is a strong sense of satisfaction in fixing a tool and using it daily.

It's like eating food you grew/caught/hunted yourself

Good on ya! It's not only fun to learn how to hone but it's rewarding and a real pleasure being able to maintain your own tools.

Check out my thread about stropping and the treatments. In the end it is personal preference but I like using a treated piece of nylon with CrOx on it rather than a piece of balsa. You can also consider more than one strop treated with a progression of ever increasing treatments to really polish out the bevel on that razor!

I would like to add that I have stopped using both hands when honing. I get much better results using one hand and hone wear is more even.