Thread: Overhoned my razor

Where do I start to rehone? Re set bevel? Do circle technique on my norton?

How do you know you overhoned?

Before I did multiple x strokes on my cuticle it was slightly dull. Now it is really dull I changed razors mid shave and the other razor shaved much better. It is so dull I can't feel much difference on the first pass and it is only one day of beard growth.

Don't know if it is over honed, but it sounds like the bevel may not be set. I am just a novice at honing, but I am sure others will chime in.

Sorry if this sounds overly critical, but 'overhoned' or 'poorly honed'. An overhoned razor I think will produce a very thin wire edge that will break off, simply because you've honed SO much that the steel is just too thin.

A poorly honed razor just produces a dull edge due to wrong angle, too much pressure, etc.

In my opinion 'resetting the bevel' and 'circle technique on my Norton' are both part of the same thing; resetting the bevel. I'm unsure why one would need to do circles UNLESS one was setting a bevel.

BUT, first things first. We need a heap more info:

• How long have you been shaving with a straight?
• Have you honed a razor before?
• How was the razor prior to the honing? (did you consider it shave ready?)
• Exactly WHAT Norton do you have? (4/8?)
• Have you watched any videos on honing yet?
• Have you red the Wiki (library) honing articles?

Also, I'd check out the JANorton thread. I always recommend that thread these days when a 'newbie' honing question comes up (sorry if you're not a newbie, just going by the number of posts)

Please let us know some more facts and we'll be happy and able to help you. Someone like Glenm might chip in with some REAL advice, too

Where to start depends entirely on what is required for that razor at this time.

But if it is actually *dull* and not just not shave-ready, then doing anything other than going back to reset the bevel will likely be a waste of your time. If the bevel is properly set, it will not feel dull. And if your bevel is not properly set, you're going to have an exercise in frustration trying to polish a non-existent edge.

To give more complete advice, it would be helpful to have a bit more info. What hones do you have at your disposal? And how much honing experience do you have? Was the razor ever professionally honed?

Have you "Touched up" many razors with this Coticule in the past ???

No, but I have finished honing on it.

Originally Posted by Chet

No, but I have finished honing on it.

Touching up a razor and finishing is essentially the exact same thing.. what that tells me also is that the stone is capable up achieving a shaving edge since it has done so for you in the past..

The advantage of using a Coticule and many other Natural stones is that you can touch up the edge pretty easy by just starting with a light slurry and diluting it out...



These are the One stone honing Vids I did a while back,,, watch the Coticule part since your razor should not need a bevel set


gssixgun Coticule 1 stone honing part 1.wmv - YouTube