Thread: New to this

Ok so I know I'm new to shaving with a SR and everyone on here says to stay away from the honing until you've learned how to shave with it first. Got that. Now on to the point. I tend to have free time due to the nature of my job. I'm very interested in learning to take care of my own razors. To that end I bought a combo set of Norton stones on amazon a few weeks ago that we're going for very reasonable. They're a 220/1000 4000/8000 and a flattening stone. I am in the process of getting a naniwa 12000 for final polishing. I have a few questions. Are there any other stones that I NEED in order to take a razor from a child's play toy to a shave ready razor?


I have absolutely no intentions of practicing on my Dovo because it's still got a good edge on it. To that end I did a good amount of reading and then found a Sheffield England on eBay going for pretty reasonable. It's got a little rust on it that I'll try to clean up later but mostly bought this for learning to hone. I'll attach some pictures so you can see it. I've been watching a lot of Glen and Lynn's videos on honing and plan to learn to do this. If upon looking at this razor anyone thinks that I need to start out practicing on a different razor please let me know and let me know why. Some of the pictures look like the blade is chipped unbelievably but that's just the way the carpet laid on it and how my phone took the pictures.


it was mislabeled on eBay and therefore went for pretty cheap:














Eventually I will get new scales for it but that's not a very high priority for me for this razor right now. As I said I got this to learn to hone. and if this is a really bad razor that's fine too, I won't be out very much so my feelings aren't going to be hurt. Also if anyone knows any more about this razor I would be interested in knowing.


Thanks in advance!

Looking at the pics I see nothing that stands out that should hamper your honing lessons

Might I suggest using tape to learn to set the bevel, then after you have a solid bevel set accomplished you can decide which way you want to proceed

Your choice of honing set up has no holes in there either, you would be better served with a Lapping Plate like a DMT D8C / 325 but you don't NEED one they are just very useful..


PS: On a restore note those look to be Bone scales I would re-furbish them rather then change them if possible JMHO

Thanks I will, just one strip of black electrical tape should do right? And I'll look into the lapping plate soon.

I was actually going to send the razor, scales and all, to someone to do the scales for me. If they are indeed bone I might just have them restored instead of replaced. They are very thin though.

The most important first: Do not replace those scales, those are bone and will look great once cleaned properly, and they suit that blade very well.

Then to your questions: You have what you need, (and more) to hone a razor from scratch. Just use the 1K to set the bevel, and stop with the 8K, you don'need more yet.... when you have practiced enough to get pretty comfortable shaves of the 8K you can start thinking of stepping up to a 12K or similar.
The idea here is that to gain anything from a higher grit stone, you have to have made to most out of the previous stone.

From the pics it looks to be a pretty good practice razor, and since you already own one (or more?) professinally honed razors you have a benchmark to let you know what you are aiming at with your honing.

Good luck and kkep us posted

First off no expert here but I do think that is a pretty decent razor well worth restoring in the long run. I don't see much wrong with it but could stand to be corrected. The scales may even clean up with a little work.

Sounds like you have or will have all the hones you will need to. I think I have read on here that the Norton flattening stone is not the greatest and you might get better results using a piece of glass or ceramic tile and sand paper to level them.

Bob

Yes, looks like very little hone wear on that spine and no glaring geometry issues present so 1 layer of tape should do just fine, as it wears out just keep it fresh..

If you are wearing out tape really fast it will also serve to teach you how to "Torque" the blade toward the edge while honing, without wearing out the spine as you learn...

Yep I own one from SRD already. Thanks and after you and Glen said it I will plan on cleaning the bone scales up and keeping them!

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

I lap my Norton 4k/8k with a piece of 320-grit wet/dry sandpaper taped onto a pane of glass, and it's worked well.

If you haven't already, you might read/view through the JaNorton thread. Tons of info, as respectable honemeisters and noobs alike tried to see how much they can wring out of the 4k/8k without going on to a finishing stone or pasted strops.

Three good reads for new honers

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...-1k-shave.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...on-2012-a.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...bing-over.html

At first I was surprised in your original post that you were going to swap the scales. Glad to see a little further down that you are keeping them. The razor is nice but the scales are nicer. Looks like everything else that should be said has.