Thread: Think I really screwed up my Dovo...

OK, I purchased a Dovo 6/8 full hollow ground shoulderless straight razor from thesuperiorshave. I used it for my first ever straight razor shave. It was wonderful, really sharp, no tugging, no nicks or cuts-phenomenal. The second time I used it, after stropping, it was much more dull. I tried to hone it with nortons and a naniwa and now it is a disaster. the bevel does not look straight across the bottom and it is not comfortable to shave with. What do I do? I am incredibly frustrated and very angry with myself. I tried the 1k norton to reset the bevel and it only seems to be getting worse. Please help!

Put the razor down and step away from the stones.

Check out the "Classifieds" and "Member Services" sections for a member who can right your wrongs. Don't beat yourself up about that though, that will only lead to more frustration. Get comfortable learning to shave with a straight razor first, pay attention to your stropping technique and all things related to a good shave, ie lather, prep, stretching, etc. Honing is a whole new ball game, but will come in time with practice once you know what a shave ready razor should feel like when shaving.

Listen to ReardenSteel.

Honing is something you should wait on till you get a bit more experience.

Send it out to get honed. Buy a cheap back up shave ready razor from classifieds so you have a back up. Practice your stropping...watch videos again and get down the feel...can use a butter knife, etc. Sounds like your stropping was the issue to begin with.

If you have a second razor, you can come back to honing a little down the road once you're used to handling the blade while shaving and stropping.

Good luck!

OK, I will send out my razors for honing. One problem remains, how am I to learn how to hone? I read many articles and watched many videos. Can someone suggest a razor that I can buy to practice on?

This sounds a lot like my story. I also bought a dovo that I tried to hone on my water stones. I shipped my dovo out to Lynn this morning for honing and I purchased an ugly duckling from the whippeddog for 28 bucks as a back up an learn to hone SR.

Try to find someone in your area who can show you the ropes, it's much easier sitting next to somebody, something nice to drink might help too!

These guys are right on every point. In fact, look on whippeddog.com, larry has a link where he wil send you a dull razor, you hone it strop it and send it back to him and he will give you his opinions on how to improve your skills, and if you want, try again. May cost some bucks, but its cheaper than ruining your good razors learning, and less trial and error cause he will guide you through it. Heck he even incourages you to call him on the phone! God bless Larry!

Never had a problem sitting down with someone for a nice drink and if I can learn something, even better!

Originally Posted by EdG

Listen to ReardenSteel.

Honing is something you should wait on till you get a bit more experience.

Send it out to get honed. Buy a cheap back up shave ready razor from classifieds so you have a back up. Practice your stropping...watch videos again and get down the feel...can use a butter knife, etc. Sounds like your stropping was the issue to begin with.

If you have a second razor, you can come back to honing a little down the road once you're used to handling the blade while shaving and stropping.

Good luck!

+++++++++1 on this advice.

A properly honed razor shouldn't need to go back to the hones anywhere from 6 mos. to a year after it is first used.

My advice...Get a balsa strop pasted with Chromium Oxide if you want to refresh the sharpness of your blade before honing. Its a lot cheaper than a hone and less wear and tear on your razor.

Just my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by TSWisla

OK, I will send out my razors for honing. One problem remains, how am I to learn how to hone? I read many articles and watched many videos. Can someone suggest a razor that I can buy to practice on?

You say ‘One Problem Remains’ how am I going to learn to hone?

One Problem??????

My friend, this Ancient Art of using and maintaining a straight razor takes something call PATIENCE!

My educated guess is that you ‘turned the edge’ while ‘attempting’ to strop the blade. Stropping is to improve not destroy the edge! With proper stropping that edge should have been just as good or better than when you first received it!

You need to learn to ‘walk’ before you can ‘run’!!

Heed Readon’s wise counsel! I waited over a year to learn to hone and I’m glad I did! While it cost me a few dollars to have a pro hone for me, it allowed me to have a ‘gauge’ for when I gave it a go!

A few years later when I had custom scales made for my son’s Friodur for a Christmas present, I asked the Pro to use what I have here at home to hone it so I could have a comparison; not bragging but I felt my edge was just as good as his!

Take your time, learn to lather and strop the honing will come later!

When you do learn to walk and then start to run, I hope you run like the wind!