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Question?
If I want to, "touch up" a razor that fairly sharp, will shave, but could just use that little bit extra, can this be accomplished using a Balsa Board already charged with Chromium Oxide?
And if it can, what is the best procedure to touch up the blade? Do you use a slow stropping type motion or slow single passes?
Appreciate the advice as always!
Cheers!
Weight of the razor only passes. Slow single laps, I would do 4, shave test then see if I want to go back
If the board is already charged, you should be fine.
Maybe this will help you too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
Have fun.
Wow - my life is now complete...the Master has spoken to me!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynn
Geez - thanks a lot Lynn, I've been very wary of entering the honing world, going to start with the refreshing aspect, ordered a kit from Phil, the one with the coticules. Heard lots of different stuff about the natural stones. Phil said to ask your opinion and listen to you.
Thanks again, will start with this video later and give it a try!!
Cheers!
You have to be real sparing with the passes on crox or the edge will get harsh. Don't use until the edge is starting to fall off, then just a few passes. Then strop and test.
Great video!
I didn't see any mention of balsa being used. Is it not very good in comparison to the other methods for refreshing?
Personal preference. I am not a fan, but a lot of people use it with good results.Quote:
Originally Posted by CMOT
Have fun.
I use a balsa bench strop charged with chrome ox, usually for at least a couple touch ups before heading to the stones. I start with 10 laps (because with this medium I find any less to be ineffectual) and check the edge with the TPT. You should notice a change right away and with experience you'll be able to tell if the razor might need a few more laps.
Thanks Lynn. Fun is probably the biggest part of straight shaving for me and it just gets better.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynn
Thanks for the info!!
Just did a CrOx refresh on one of my Wilkinson Pall Mall 4/8th razor, just did 10 passes on the balsa board (no pressure), stropped linen and leather, and the results were fantastic!
It brought the razor to a condition better than when I received the pair!
I thought 10 passes? Didn't seem to me to do much...but that's the info I got, can always do more....it was perfect!
It really is that easy to refresh a razor!
At some point, will try the water and coticule refresh in Lynn's video. At this rate, I can see it being at least a year until I have to send any razors out for honing!
It just keeps getting better!!
Can u explain that? Harsh is like toothy?Quote:
Originally Posted by eod7
as in too keen, just imagine the opposite if smooth
For me keen=sharp smooth=butterknife. I am just a beginner, so don't have a clue. Is the point too have the blade soo dull it don't damage the skinn, but still cut hair?
And it could get better yet - in theory you shouldn't have to send any razors out for rehoning at all. Pastes and finishers are all you need to keep a razor going indefinitely, as long as you do your part.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phrank
I was hesitant to say that...going to live life on the edge and try to refresh my other blade using the coticule and just water.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan82
Pasted the linen of my strop this morning when the DOVO white / paste arrived, so after the 5-10 passes on the stone with water, couple of laps on the strop with the paste. Looking forward to the results.
Thanks!
The concept of having a sharp edge that is smooth too is hard to describe but you know what it is when you achieve it honing. You will feel the difference between that and an equally sharp edge that is harsh, you hide will tell you the difference. I don't think it has much to do with dullness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Einar
Bob
That's interesting, I recently shaved with two razors that had just been honed. One was superb, blade floated over my beard. The other was sharp, and it was much harsher on my face. Both honed by the same person, different blades - but the difference was noticeable.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobH
So couldn't agree more with what you wrote, just experienced and you can absolutely tell, in my case, there was nothing subtle about it.
Thanks Phrank, I am glad I am not the only who has had a similar experience. Hard to say what causes it, maybe different steels reacting differently to the same honing routine or different finishers being used. Quite a few different combination of things I guess. Most of the 30 odd razors I have seem to respond real well to the Zulu Gray finisher I am using even with the pasted Crox balsa strop used last. I used to get harsh edges off a 12K Naniwa followed by the same pasted strop. Can't say if my honing just improved after switching to the Zulu Gray or what but if it ain't broke I am staying with it.
I think you will make out just fine maintaining your edges the way you plan to for quite a while before you will need a bevel reset.
Bob
Thanks Bob, just left a note for myself before I turn in to look up, "bevel reset".Quote:
Originally Posted by BobH
;)
Phrank
You should not have to look at a bevel reset for a long time unless you chip/damage an edge for some reason. If you can't get an edge back to shaving sharp with a finisher and pasted strop you may have to drop back down a few grits to build an edge back up from scratch. I am sure there are better explanations of bevel reset in the sites library. Have fun.
Bob
Well tried the coticule with just water, did 10 laps as Lynn did in the video, then 5 on the CrOx balsa board, then the linen strop pasted with white DOVO paste about 15 times, then the leather for 25 laps.
Was the blade improved?
Definitely...could it have been better? Yes.
So with it's twin Wilkinson Pall Mall, I'm going to do more laps on the coticule and the same for the rest.
If I suspect anything it is my technique on the stone, it's not the full width of the blade so I did half the blade on one pass, the other half next, and counted that as one pass. I suspect I should have used a X stroke.
Needless to say, it was a first good step, there was improvement, will try the X stroke on the other razor tomorrow.