Thread: Who hones and who just doesn't want to?

It's just been in the last three months that I have been able to achieve razors to HHT, and I do not mean dark coarse hair but light blond hair from my daughters brush. It has taken me three years to reach this point and lots of trying with different razors and stones.I will never say it was easy but like when I was learning to tie fly's for fly-fishing, I persevered until I could do it. I think as with everything else if you have the time and enjoy it then all is good. The added benefit for me is the fact that if the wife/kids know I am sharpening something, they leave me alone.

I most certainly hone my own and have since I started cut-throat shaving. I had the honing down before I had the shave happening...Or perhaps they both progressed along at the same speed... Who knows. I prefer to be self sufficient. I've only ever sent out two razors for honing. One was a restoration early in the piece and the other was a problem I hadn't come across at that time, and had no idea what the issue was. I now know what the issue was and have since corrected two blades, belonging to others, that have had the problem.
I don't find honing as anything other than sleep inducing, but I do get satisfaction out o a well honed razor at the end of it all.


Mick

I hone,but I'm not very good at it, as a result My DE gets more use. I keep trying though.

I choose to hone my razors and get a great feeling of pride when I dial in an edge that wouldn't cut butter and take it to shave ready. Is it work? Yes. Is it satisfying? Yes. Is it worth it? Definitely.

I hone and it's my favorite part of the hobby. It's relaxing and satisfying to put a killer edge on an eBay-sourced ancient P.O.S. razor and then shave with it. I've honed and re-honed all my razors many times - I've reached the point where I can't get a sharper edge - and that edge is *way* sharp. I have a set of Shaptons which I think really make honing easy compared to my Nortons - everything is predictable and comes out great. I hone with taped spines and two hands - I like to have total control over the pressure on the edge and be able to vary it along the length of the blade if need be. Maybe some day I'll graduate to honing one handed but I've just about mastered it with intense practice over a two month period.

-john

Wow, I don't know why the polls results surprise me, because when I decided to start straight shaving I just figured honing was part of it. I wonder if a better question would be if persons do touch up honing or bevel set and progression.

I would think that, if your razor is properly honed off the bat, you shouldn't need to go to a full bevel set very often. Regular touch-ups would keep a shaving edge for a very long time, never mind having a rotation of razors on top of that. Who was it that was using one razor and a barber's hone for years?

I do it all because I wanted to "know" what I was talking about instead of passing on information I have read.

I personally enjoy honing. To me it's a very "Zen" process, and rubbing steel on stone is rather relaxing IMO...

Just as I enjoy trying new razors, I enjoy trying new hones even more. I went thru a synth phase, then a coticule phase, and finally JNATS. Lately I have been enjoying finishing on an Escher. Honing on an Escher w/slurry is something special - the silky smooth feeling of it is addicting. Now I am trying to refinish a lot of my razors (I have close to 40 of them) on Escher becuase I can't get enough of that buttery feeling!!

Yes, it's zen time.

Got a good rock collection mainly naturals some unknowns.
Would love to hone for others, to help out. I can't keep honing my razors if they don't need it.
Anyone know how to rate a stone of unknown grit