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Thread: Touching up an edge

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    Senior Member dcaven's Avatar
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    Default Touching up an edge

    I am using a yellow Belgian coticule with water and have experimented with as few as seven half strokes followed by seven X strokes to as many as twenty five half and X strokes. This is followed by twenty strokes on felt permeated with diamond slurry then twenty strokes on balsa with chromium oxide. Finally, I strop the razor. I never seem to be able to bring the edge back to the condition it was in when first honed. What am I doing wrong?

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    Mental Support Squad Pithor's Avatar
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    For touching up at the very first signs of edge deterioration (less comfortable, slight pulling), the consensus is doing at least 30 x-strokes on water, followed by whatever stropping regiment you prefer. I just use linen and leather afterwards, for example.

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    At this point in time... gssixgun's Avatar
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    This like all re-touching is a factor of many variables..

    The Razor and it's actual condition
    Your Coticule
    Your honing technique

    IMHO it really really is dependent on if you are doing a scheduled "Maintenance" or if you are waiting for the edge to degrade to a noticeable point.. I found it much easier when I was "Maintaining" my edge for 20+ years to do scheduled by-weekly maintenance rather then waiting for the edge to de-grade.. Then it is way more set in the procedure..
    Otherwise the amount of honing is dependent on the edge of the razor, needs sharper ?? then do more honing, pretty simple really..
    Have you tried starting with a light slurry, then diluting out ???
    Last edited by gssixgun; 11-08-2013 at 03:35 PM.
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    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
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    Not seeing you hone it's hard to advise however with what you are doing if a touchup is truly all that is the issue you are in overkill territory already.

    You might consider your honing skills are what need to be touched up first.
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    Quote Originally Posted by dcaven View Post
    I am using a yellow Belgian coticule with water and have experimented with as few as seven half strokes followed by seven X strokes to as many as twenty five half and X strokes. This is followed by twenty strokes on felt permeated with diamond slurry then twenty strokes on balsa with chromium oxide. Finally, I strop the razor. I never seem to be able to bring the edge back to the condition it was in when first honed. What am I doing wrong?
    As Pieter said, 30 x-strokes on water or maybe 30 on very light slurry followed by 30 on water usually refreshes a Coticule edge.
    You should not need the diamond or CrOx in addition (I imagine this is what TBS is alluding to).
    I wonder what size diamond is in your slurry? Anything larger than 0.25 micron has likely convexed the bevel enough that the edge is no longer contacting the Coticule or the Balsa.

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    Learning something all the time... unit's Avatar
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    Default Touching up an edge

    What is diamond slurry and how do you obtain it?

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    Plausibly implausible carlmaloschneider's Avatar
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    I may be dim, but what's a 1/2 stroke?
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    Senior Member blabbermouth edhewitt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider View Post
    I may be dim, but what's a 1/2 stroke?
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    Quote Originally Posted by unit View Post
    What is diamond slurry and how do you obtain it?
    Diamond slurry would be diamond particles in water or oil, used for polishing - you could buy some on ebay if you wish. I expect the OP means diamond spray.

    Quote Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider View Post
    I may be dim, but what's a 1/2 stroke?
    http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...lf-stroke.html

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    Plausibly implausible carlmaloschneider's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by edhewitt View Post
    Str or oke, you can choose Carl it is the weekend after all
    No but really...
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