Thread: How long does it take you to hone a razor.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Myself I always answer this the same way every time somebody asks it...

Once the bevel is set, it takes me about 15 minutes including stropping..

The bevel set is where the difference in time comes in, that is where all the variables and about 90% of the work occurs... Might not be exactly the answer you were looking for, but it is the truth :P

Basically setting the bevel takes as long as it takes after that it is all pretty fun

A much more accurate answer than mine. I was giving a ballpark average figure of my experience.

Originally Posted by JMJones

I know it depends but lets just say you picked up a razor at an antique store and the edge is not shave ready but not damaged either. How long be for you are shaving?

I tried an experiment the other day.

I don't hone my own razors.

However, I've been refreshing my razors using a coticule and CroX balsa board, then linen strop, then leather. Works great to refresh an edge on a blade.

I received two blank felt balsa boards and pasted one with the Dovo Green paste (paste for the least sharp blades), pasted the other with the Dovo Red paste (paste for somewhat dull blades), then moved to the Crox, then to the linen, then to the leather.

Now, I have ZERO experience with any stones other than a coti for refreshing, so I thought this would be interesting for me to try. Did 10 laps on each of the 3 boards. 20 linen, 50 leather.

The blade I used wasn't terribly bad, it was sharp, I know it had a set bevel (bought from a member here in the Classifieds) so I gave that a try and it worked perfectly. Shaved arm hair no problem, and was a perfectly fine shave. Very smooth. That was the first blade I shaved with that hadn't been honed by a pro.

Probably not the way to do things, but I bought all these pastes in the grips of an AD episode and figured I'd try them out...was surprised how well it worked!

How it worked? Guess the pastes, with their different grits, can act somewhat like a stone(s)...but thats just pure speculation on my part...I'm sure the experts can provide some more insight.

For this procedure, took me about 30 minutes....

I did eight in one night and it took me 6 hours from bevel set to strop... I just did 1 and it took me 1 hour 15 minutes from bevel set to strop used lapping films... You do save some time doing multiple razors at the same time but not a whole lot...

Shaved with the one I did today and almost have bbs ... Missed one spot in touch ups.

Ok, I just did an old WB. Hadca slight chip. 220 for about 10 minutes, 1000 for about 10 minutes, bevel set. 4k, 8k, edlis barbers hone, 15 minutes each, 15 or so on tge Swaty.
Mind you half the time is spent wiping, checking through loupe.
Stropping, rechecking, not satisfied, back to the Swaty.
90 minutes and final stropping set for tomorrow.
Guess I underestimate my timing...

As a noob I did 10 razors of various condition, size & shapes in close to 6 hours, from bevel set to final strop trying to get them all to the buttery feel when shaving using the following system (I think it was either Glens or Lyn's system I watched in honing vids)
Naniwa 1k bevel set minimum 40 usually but up to 100 circles with 40 - 60 X stokes as required
Norton 4k 40 circles with 20 - 40 X strokes
Norton 8k 20-40 X strokes
Naniwa 12k 20 - 30 X strokes (first time use of this hone)
3" Big Daddy - Felt stop 40 strokes
3" Big Daddy - English bridal Leather 80 strokes
All counts both sides as usual
No pastes etc in my current set up
The higher counts where on my couple of smiling blades learning the proccess on the curves more than anything else but the straight blades where the lower counts as a norm
Also agree with souschefdude time spend wiping & checking edge with a 30x loupe takes up time also
Followed by 2 x 5 razor shaves this week to test them, thank god all but 1 half hollow smiling W&B came out feeling smooth even ATG so a bit more touch up required for 1 is a great outcome for me.

Fastest time (razor needed a bevel set but was not far off) was 8 minutes from chosera , 1k,5,10 suehiro 15 and 20. crox and strop another 2. So 10 minutes.

That seems almost unreal! 10min. Impressive

My time won't set any records, either, as it is about 60 to 90 minutes, slowly but deliberately.

Originally Posted by PensacolaTiger

My time won't set any records, either, as it is about 60 to 90 minutes, slowly but deliberately.

You Guys are slugs
Speed honing with a dremal,1.6 mins.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

You Guys are slugs
Speed honing with a dremal,1.6 mins.

I can shave that down considerably by using the grinder we used in the Navy to grind down deck plates.

My answer is...there is no answer. I probably spend more time cleaning the thing up than honing it (in many cases). The type razor and overall condition will dictate the time.