Thread: Going to be a long read, but I have success.

So I have been into this for about a year, just a few days shy actually. Within the last few months I have begun my honing journey. My first couple times were just touchups or me very carefully messing around. I have put more wear on a few of my razors then I should have but its in the name of learning and maybe a good excuse later to buy a new one haha. Well anyways, I had been happy with my touchups. They were comfortable (to me) and sharp (again to me). Well I had recently acquired a new razor that came to me shave ready (thanks to the give away). This new razor was honed awesomely and was just crazy smooth. I don't know what stones it was honed on but that first shave with it was awesome....

Then my wife dropped it whilst she was cleaning.... It got a chip in it and I was devastated because while I knew I had the tools and felt confident that I could get it too shave I was not confident that I would be able to get it smooth like it was in the first place.

I have been experimenting after reading a post in which someone suggested that after you hone to shave with it and then the next shave strop so that way you can see what the stone does and then see what the strop does. I didn't feel like my stropping technique was lacking I just wanted to see what my abilities on the stones (which I am not as confident in) would feel like. I wasn't doing so good right off of the stones but after I had pasted on stropped regularly they would be pretty good.

I used a DMT 1200 to get the chip out and reset the bevel. I remembered reading the 1k shave and so I decided that if I can get a shave from a 1k then it can only improve after than. So after I set the bevel I shaved with it. Not a bad shave just rough and not comfortable at all, but it did cut the hair so theres that. I then took my coticule which is my pet stone right now. When I first got it I did a touchup with it and got really good results but since then I have struggled with it (beginners luck I am guessing) and would have to use paste to get it to where I wanted.

After using the coticule to do everything after the bevel set I did my usual test which are the TPT and shave test. It was really good but I felt that it could use a good stropping. Before I stropped though I did the HHT which I know that there is controversy but people say that once you really learn how to use it it can tell you alot about the razor. Well it didn't pass. I did 40 on linen (I know that some people say linen isn't necessary after honing but its just habit and I figured it can't hurt) and then I did the HHT again and it would pass but more like violened the hair rather than pop it off. I then did 100 on leather and did the HHT again and it was slicing hair an inch away. I have never gotten that result before. I then did a shave test again and the results was a definite improvement. Not saying the HHT is the only test that I will use for now on or that is the one that tells me the most about the razors condition but it was cool to see the progress. I then did a full shave and didn't feel the need for any paste or anything else. It was shaving bliss. I feel like now I totally understand my coticule and that I have learned the required pressure needed for honing (I believe before I was putting just a tad too much pressure).

I am not saying that I am a pro by any means or that I am even good. I just think its cool to see the progress in skill I have obtained with practice and focus. Also with the help of SRP and its many skilled members and videos by you guys especially Lynn, Glenn (for the videos and many many many posts on honing) and Rich aka "zib" for the advice on coticules and showing me the options for buying one. Sorry this was such a long read I just felt like sharing my growth with you guys.

Ahhhhh See you just took the Controversy out of the HHT, You calibrated it to your hair and your honing so now it is a viable test for you

The controversy is what rears it's ugly head when a person that doesn't calibrate the test and uses it incorrectly tries to evaluate the edge.

Once you start having success with honing it all gets to be fun and enjoyable instead of a chore, much like the shaving part

There is a thread in fact a few centered around the notion that "Stropping is King" do some searches about that there is some very good reading back there

When I first got it I did a touchup with it and got really good results but since then I have struggled with it (beginners luck I am guessing) and would have to use paste to get it to where I wanted.

If your referring to one stone honing on the coticule I think I understand where your coming from.

Try spending more time on a thicker bevel setting slurry. I'll spend 10-20 mins on the bevel stage, sometimes even longer because I can take the edge practically to finishing because after reading about the 1k shave I thought about what could be achieved with a coticule bevel setting slurry and the results are very consistent soft edges that sometimes just need small tweaks on water with the coticule I have.

if the bevels not there some coticules dont have the cutting power to finish the edge so I make sure its slicing leg hair effortlessly before even thinking about finishing with a coticule.

congratulations on the progress you've made so far and happy shaving

Congratulations on your honing journey! I am still at the 8K stone for shaving, but hope to be picking up a finisher in the next month or so. Looks like you got some great feedback using a step by step evaluation of the work. I usually keep going and have that moment when I realize I wanted to do a few tests... 10 minutes to late.