Thread: First bevel set and great shave.

Wasn't exactly sure what forum to put this one on so I just went with hones. Got a set of combo water stones from Norton quite a while ago, 240 and 1k, 4k and 8k, and a swaty I got several years ago, but just now put the challenge to myself to figure them out. After lapping all of them with my DMT, I watched some bevel setting videos by Lynn and gssixgun, and went to town. I should also note that what got me started was a recent forum about shaving off a 1k stone which was very informative (and a butchering of a shave that left me wanting to throw my razors and stones in the trash). That's all I initally started out to do. Any way once the bevel was set I thought that I'd go ahead with the rest of the stones and finishing passes... more videos, causious and premeditated strokes on the stones and 2 hours later, and I had my razor, a Coroneta, in the best state of shave readiness its ever been in. While in my possetion anyway. I've always thought my technique was pretty good but I could never seem to get that baby butt smooth feel. I had the razor honed by a "reputable" guy around Columbus, Ohio. Initially I took my razor to a barber supply place in Columbus and they take it to this guy. This was prior to my being affiliated with SRP and the wonderful advice forums. Back on track. After the 8k I did a test shave on my right sideburn, typically there has been 1/16" of stubble left on the WTG pass even with preassure. But on this test pass there was nothing visible. I could feel it if I pressed and went against the grain but this was the best I've ever had it. So I took it over the swaty barber hone, then stropped it and that's when the magic happened. I was reluctant to do a full shave because I had a wedding to attend that evening and I didn't want to show up looking like I stuck my face out the window at the carwash, but things went so well I did the full shave. Only had a little bit of trouble on the ATG pass below my nose, but even that trouble spot was minimal.

With my confidence renewed I feel like I can now move on to purchasing a decent bowl and brush. Before I was hesitant to make a purchase on something I felt I wasn't getting the hang of. Now that I know what a shave ready razor feels like (at least compared to what the state of my razor had previously been in) I am excited about the prospect of really getting a nice set up.

Just wanted to share my excitement to continue and that it takes determination and to not let the sore faces in the beginning detour your goal. This is what I imagined the shave should feel like, and until now had not recieved it. It also gave me the thought that I should have had one of the honemeisters tune up my blade before I waited this long to figure out my hones. Also reaffirmed my conviction to keep my SRP razor when it is delivered. Also wanted to say thanks to Lynn and gssixgun for the very helpful tutorials on youtube.

I did pretty much the same process when I first started honing (Big Thanks to SRP member FTG for being available to help and letting me come around.) Naniwa 1k, 5k, 8k, then a couple laps on a swaty with soap and water. I got what i consider to be a shave ready edge doing this but when thinking about it later I suppose when using the swaty as the finisher you can't really tell if the 5k and 8k stones really contributed to the edge attained or not. Correct me if im wrong somebody because I've been trying to work out if this is the case or not. The Swaty is a fast cutting man made stone (right?) its original use was for touch ups on its own so i'm not sure if there was any point using the other stones apart from the bevel set if required.

Am i making sense at all? I'm just trying to work out if theres a chance that all the work that I did on the razor before the swaty was necessary or not. Anyway nowadays I have started finishing on naturals, coticules, thuringian and I recently tested out a mystery hone that is suspected to be a water of ayr stone.) So now my progression would be Naniwa 1 3 5 8.. then sometimes i just do some laps on one of my coticule with plain water and then that is enough sometimes. I haven't worked out what to use as my final finisher yet though I have a c12k stone also along with the vintage thuringian and some otheres.

Anyways.. Good job on your first bevel set + shave ready edge!

Willie, Bravo!
Maybe the biggest victory was in a sound bevel set. It you hadn't gotten that right - none of the rest of it would have mattered. Keep giving lots of attention to that part of the honing & you'll thank yourself. I've gone from the norton 8 to a Swaty - and was pleased w/ the shave from the norton - and surprised that the Swaty left it even more smooth. 'Fairly impressive. You have what it takes to enjoy shaves the rest of your days.
Saitou - Your edge from the nani 8 may not be improved by the Swaty. That little Swaty impresses me alot, but the edges from the n8 are amazing. I have many more blades on a nani than the norton - so it may be a skill/familiarity thing - but still the nani 8 edge is so good, the only improvements will be from a very capable & fine stone.
If you get consistently comfortable edges from this 8k level - you're able to explore the higher grit stones. Bang for the buck, I'm a big fan of the nani 12.