Thread: Can't get a sharp edge off Shapton 8K and 16K

Originally Posted by shooter74743

Have you lapped your stones since you used shaving cream on them? If not, I would recommend it. Shapton GS's shouldn't bead water. Some shaving creams will makes stones bead water. Honing isn't something you will get overnight, you will get it!

I lapped lightly two or three times and used a natural nagura about as many times. The beading is mostly gone, though the 16K may need some more treatment. It's too bad, I like the super smooth edge I got off the lathered 8K, but I worry about the 8K more. I will be nicer to it and use water only.
Can liquid dish soap be used? I know I read about it, but I don't remember what.

Originally Posted by Laurens

Can liquid dish soap be used?

Definitely not according to Shap Pro instructs but I can't remember re the GS. Both are ceramic so I'd play it safe. I remember not using washing soda on my GS when I transitioned from Kings.

I will tell you what I have done for about 4 years with my Shapton GS's and you can make that decision from there. I use a spray bottle like a window cleaner or all purpose spray cleaner comes in. Give it a good rinsing out, including the sprayer. I fill it 3/4 full of warm water and then add ONE drop of dishwashing soap. We use Dawn here at home. I keep my hones pretty wet when honing, but a full spray bottle will last me through a honing session of 5-6 razors no problem. The instructions do say not to use soap...gotta throw that out there in case your stones just evaporate into glass plates if you add a drop of soap to the water...

Originally Posted by jjsrp

I am new to all this, and myself I am concerned about over honing.
How does one fix an over-honed edge?
I ground a chip out of my blade with a barbers hone - and I may be suffering this.

The experts will chime in here in a minute, but I've seen someone take the burr off the edge by taking the razor on the hone and gently moving the razor up and down the hone in the stropping direction. I believe the person may have only done 1 or two passes. But then, they had to touch up again.

Originally Posted by Siguy

The experts will chime in here in a minute, but I've seen someone take the burr off the edge by taking the razor on the hone and gently moving the razor up and down the hone in the stropping direction. I believe the person may have only done 1 or two passes. But then, they had to touch up again.

Is this done with the spine touching the stone or not?
Jody

Please don't try it without confirmation first whether this is a sound way to deburr an edge as I'm inexperienced, but the spine and edge was flat on the hone, however, the leading edge was the spine(same direction that you'd strop).

Can't find the vid, but didn't want you to try it without confirmation.

Cheers... Love the sig

Something I noticed in this thread that i don't see commented on otherwise: that you are going from shavette to SR. In some video somewhere (Lynn's Beginner Shave IIRC) Lynn talks about BIG DIFFERENCE in angles one can get away with on the Feathers (when removing whiskers)--that do not translate to a solid-blade, stone-honed, razor. Basically that one must keep the "real" razor much tighter (more parallel) to the skin than the Feather-powered shaver.

Also, I wondered about your tape. Tape wear can "soften" the angle enough to "confuse" the edge. Keep your tape fresh.

that and sometimes less is more. cheers HTH.

Lauren is this a Gold Dollar razor ? I know by conversation that some hones favor certain steels. I do not discount this as an excuse to own 400 hones :<0)

Originally Posted by WadePatton

Something I noticed in this thread that i don't see commented on otherwise: that you are going from shavette to SR. In some video somewhere (Lynn's Beginner Shave IIRC) Lynn talks about BIG DIFFERENCE in angles one can get away with on the Feathers (when removing whiskers)--that do not translate to a solid-blade, stone-honed, razor. Basically that one must keep the "real" razor much tighter (more parallel) to the skin than the Feather-powered shaver.

Also, I wondered about your tape. Tape wear can "soften" the angle enough to "confuse" the edge. Keep your tape fresh.

that and sometimes less is more. cheers HTH.

That's a new fact to me, thank you! It makes sense that Feathers react differently because of their teflon coating.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

Lauren is this a Gold Dollar razor ? I know by conversation that some hones favor certain steels. I do not discount this as an excuse to own 400 hones :<0)

Not only Gold Dollars, but ERNs too. 400 hones, eh? I'll settle for a quarter anytime.


A more experienced member here PM'ed me and asked me to send two razors for him to evaluate my honing skills. He would then put Jnat edges on them for me to compare. I received them and shaved with both and we have reached the same conclusion: My honing isn't as bad as I think. The edges are sharp, but they probably became sharper gradually and I failed to notice. When I compared an SR to an Astra blade recently, they felt remarkably similar, unlike when I did the comparison a few months ago.

As of now, I will revisit my shaving technique and lather making skills. Especially the latter has a much greater influence than I first thought, I tend to make my lather too wet.


Thank you all for your help, you keep me going when I'm losing my spirit

Honing really is simpler than shaving

yo.