Thread: Trying to get new Dovo into shave ready condition...

Originally Posted by BobH

What !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! simply unbelievable.

Bob

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100% for sure truth. Hart sent it like that to the retailer and the retailer never checked the razor. Just sent it straight to me as is. I did enjoy honing it though. Big blades are fun for me to hone. No hard feelings all around.

I received a new TI Spartacus from Invisible Edge today and it passes the HHT right out of the box. The bevel is beautifully straight and polished. I haven't tested it yet but it looks to be a very fine edge.

Jerry

That is OK for you but I can picture some poor newbie thinking he is getting a semi custom shave ready razor and being puzzled by their new bread knife's lack of performance. You are right though, if you know how to hone it is not such a big deal.

Bob

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

I received a new TI Spartacus from Invisible Edge today and it passes the HHT right out of the box. The bevel is beautifully straight and polished. I haven't tested it yet but it looks to be a very fine edge.

Yea, never had a problem either with razors bought from retailers known to hone the razors before shipping them to customers. I have bought a few from Phil at Classic Edge and they all came absolutely shave ready.

Bob

I know that I opened Pandora’s Box when I posted about buying the new Revisor and that it would shave and I fully realize that I’m going to get beat up by posting this!

With that said:

We really are getting off topic!!! John/ocelot27 is trying to learn how to hone! Let’s do what we can to help him!

While our personal experiences with factory edges are important, helping John get a great edge is more important at least in my mind!

I hope all will understand!

Nuff said. John, after reading all the post in this thread, is there any question to which you need a definitive answer. What puzzles you most about the honing process?

Originally Posted by mrsell63

Nuff said. John, after reading all the post in this thread, is there any question to which you need a definitive answer. What puzzles you most about the honing process?

After spending many hours reading threads and watching videos I think I have a good foundation on what to do. Just have to get good at doing it.

I shaved this am with the Dovo that I honed on one side and the Thiers from TAOS on the other - there was no real difference so I'd conclude that I did I pretty good job.

That said, I'm on a quest for the ultimate edge/shave and will continue trying different things to get there with the help of you guys of course!

I realized after watching the lapping video that my stones weren't lapped to perfection but I still wound up with a shave ready edge. Going to rehone after I get my shapton lapping plate and do the pencil lines and such 4 times. Also should be getting my 20k today. Going to touch up my razors on the 12k and then the 20k to see if I can get a better edge. I'm pretty confident that my bevel is good. I know my stropping technique is good because it always improves the edge.

Getting a strop with felt on one side - should I try the diamond spray or leave it alone?

-john

Originally Posted by ocelot27

Getting a strop with felt on one side - should I try the diamond spray or leave it alone?

-john

I would leave it alone and not use any pastes or spray at this point...not really necessary to stack so many finishers, especially with the 20K.
If you didn't have hones I would probably say yeah, try it just to see what it does, but you do so it's a tad redundant.
Lots of people do 15-25 stokes on the felt before their 50-60 on the leather. Lynn has vids for that too, just in case you haven't seen them. If

At about 6 min in he shows one of his strops where he's applied the crox on the inside of the strop.

Straight Razor Designs also has a modular paddle strop that comes with different pads and diamond spray. Maybe check it out before you get your strop and see if you wouldn't like that instead. It's good value if you ask me, but it's up to you if you want a hanging strop or a paddle. You may even end up wanting both at one point

Originally Posted by ocelot27

Getting a strop with felt on one side - should I try the diamond spray or leave it alone?

Can't see the point using .5 micron diamond on felt if you use a .5 micron 20k stone but the felt is useful earlier in the progression if your honing has created a burr tho the next stone usually does that job just as well.

You might like the felt /diamond spray as a touchup tool rather than wetting a stone.

What a great thread.

Ocelot please don't put the 'scope down and keep posting. I agree with OCDshaver that this is good way to followup (noted cudarunner in your wise words this isn't the be all and end all) your honing as surely a shave ready edge has certain visual characteristics and by seeing them, and knowing how to achieve them (amongst your 'experiments'), it must put you in a better position? A marriage of visual and physical (re: HHT / shave 'tests') must be the icing on the cake.

OCDShaver have you ever posted your images here?

Finally I'm quite shocked at the vids. No hearing protection (for the guy on the pneumatic hammer) , no breathing protection for the grinders. Just look at the machinery bodies to see how much muck these people must be breathing in.