Thread: Quick Hone Pre shave ??

So I hone my own. getting better. New to straight razor.

I strop on linen and cowhide before my shave,. Edge seems sharp.

Just wondering if a few passes on a Chinese 12k before strop is of any benefit or should i reserve this for when I hone only?

My thought is even though the razor seems sharp a few strokes on a 12K will keep it nice and fresh.

Am I wasting my time doing this ?

So I hone my own. getting better. New to straight razor.

I strop on linen and cowhide before my shave,. Edge seems sharp.

Just wondering if a few passes on a Chinese 12k before strop is of any benefit or should i reserve this for when I hone only?

My thought is even though the razor seems sharp a few strokes on a 12K will keep it nice and fresh.

Am I wasting my time doing this ?

If the edge is already shave ready, you are wasting not only your time but metal.

+1 to ace's advice. There's no need to go to any hone until you feel the edge has degraded. I.e. it is pulling, tugging, feels harsh, or just plain doesn't work well any more. Day to day just strop and shave

You could strop on crox or some other paste like 1x a week to keep it fresh. You have to be honest with yourself as pastes can damage an edge if used improperly. Leather can wreck an edge also, but abrasives more so.

Once shave ready, keep it that way as long as possible using only stropping on linen/unpasted leather. Remove no more steel than the minimum necessary.

When stropping effectiveness starts dropping off, touch up using a few strokes on a finishing hone (12K, etc.) Or a pasted paddle strop, restrop on linen/unpasted leather.

When touching up starts losing effectiveness, its time to rehone.

As shaving and stropping skill increases, the number of shaves one gets before needing touchups and rehoning often increases.

HTH

No you are not..

Barber hones were specifically made for this exact use..

If you figure out a maintenance routine, say once a week, once every 2 weeks, or maybe every other shave, You have to figure out what works for you and your razors, but you could keep your razor good to go for years and years using a Chinese PHIG

IME Every shave might be a bit much, but it is possible I guess

Originally Posted by gssixgun

No you are not..

Barber hones were specifically made for this exact use..

If you figure out a maintenance routine, say once a week, once every 2 weeks, or maybe every other shave, You have to figure out what works for you and your razors, but you could keep your razor good to go for years and years using a Chinese PHIG

IME Every shave might be a bit much, but it is possible I guess

Good questions spivey!

How many laps(?) would you do with a barber's dry hone? After how many shaves?

gssixgun Barber Hone.wmv - YouTube