Thread: How often do you hone?

Hello! This is my first post, but I've been lurking since December (when I ordered my first straight razor). Thanks for all the helpful info people have already posted.

Here's my question... how often do you hone your razors? I know it varies by razor and person, but I wanted to hear from other ladies (who cover a lot more real estate) to find out what other people are experiencing.

I got a restored, sight-unseen razor from Whipped Dog right around Christmas (and I'm really happy with it! I would totally recommend him). I didn't necessarily shave regularly during the winter, but I've averaged at least a couple times per month (and at least once a week for the past 2 months). I recently noticed that it takes several passes to get a good shave, and that stropping only slightly improves the performance. I have a wooden strop with green and red powders applied on each side (I'm too lazy to look up their real names right now!) But at this point, that doesn't help much either. Also I just heard about the hanging hair test, and when I try with my newly-stropped razor it fails miserably--I have to tug on both sides of the hair to cut through it.

I'm pretty sure my initial stropping technique didn't help things along, but I'm wondering how 6 months compares to other people's experience. Is that fast?

I'm sending my razor off to Whipped Dog for his honing service in the next week or two because I'm not ready to try honing on my own. Hopefully I've made enough progress over the past few months that I'll be able to maintain my blade much better this time around

Lately, I seem to be honing mine after each shave - I've developed a nasty habit of bopping the edge against the faucet

Seriously though, I do a touch up about once a month on an 8000.

while you are learning correct shaving angle and stropping, the edge can dull quickly but as soon as you get good at it an edge can last much longer.

since you will only be refreshing the edge you should start considering a finishing hone like the naniwa ss 12k. honing can be quite simple when you have a trouble free razor that just needs refreshing.

I hone only when the Shave isnt good enough, means when its too rough or not close enough.
Usually i use my Coticule and my Thuringian for Touch up.

As has been said go with the Naniwa 12k and watch the videos that Lynn has on honing and go slow, you can do it, or get a second str8 and send the other out. Either way I commend you on using a str8, can't even get my DW to even think about it.

As soon as the razor starts to pull and tug. With three razors in my rotation it takes a couple of months to happen, with only two razors it seems the edges dull much quicker. Somehow the edges need a rest.

Most days. Either touching up my own or for others.

About 4 times a year. I have enough razors honed that I don't have to do it very often. Mostly, I'll rehone one I'm particularly fond of. I'm more motivated to do this since I switched to Shapton stones.

So far I have had my razors professionally honed by Larry at Whipped Dog, then I just refresh the edge every once in a while (probably every month or two months, whenever I think the blade starts tugging a bit) on a barbers hone. People talk crap about them a lot but I picked up the Chinese one Larry sells for $15 and it has been fantastic so far. I'm ready to move on to learn more, so I'm eyeing the Norton starter set for $135 on SRP. Then also *maybe* pick up a bigger Chinese stone off of Amazon for $25 (it's the bigger version of what I've already got) to use as a finisher since I'm not used to shaving off of an 8k edge (I want to be able to eventually, though). Hope this limited knowledge still helped you somewhat.

I'm not a lady, but, anyway...

This question comes up a lot on the forum. A little while ago I decided to keep a 'honing journal'; actually writing down how many laps on what stone, etc. The reason I did this was I guessed some people may actually be guessing, esp when it comes down to rotating razors. I have 6 straights, one DE. I don't use the DE a lot and don't OFTEN shave on weekends. I use each straight once a week.

However, since I'm guessing you are a lady, and I have no experience in being a lady (yet alone a shaving one) this really is a time where a 'your experience may vary' reply comes in handy. Even if we were both blokey blokes, still 'your experience may vary' as it's likely we would use different techniques for shaving, for stropping, have different numbers of hair follicles, different coarseness of hair, etc.

At the end of the day, can I be so bold (I'm not being rude) as to say "who CARES how often another person hones". How (as they used to say on that TV show 'Big Brother') does it affect your time in the house?

"Hone when you want to; when you feel you need to" which, now I've written it, sounds like the lyrics to a song...