Thread: Honing With X-Pattern and Lapping Wiht a Naniwa Lapping Stone

I purchased both of my razors from SRD and they have been rough to shave with with the exception when I got some theirs is said paste. The ti paste made the shaves better. I just need to use a polishing stone with these razors and I need to develop my technique that much I am sure of. You may be correct about my stopping technique. I have some older razors that I need to set the bevel so I am going to get the Norton combination set. But the razors I purchased from SRD don't need repair. Do you think it's my inexperienced honing? My shave was still a little rough but my beard is tough in my opinion. However with this shave it cut more hair than any other shave.

If you got the razors from SRD they WERE shave ready!
Did you strop BEFORE you shaved with it?
I ask this because you said they were always rough to shave with.
You could have dulled it from your stropping?

With a properly sharpened blade there should be NO tugging or pulling of ANY kind.

This most likely is technique related.
Being either:
1. Improper Stropping
2. Improper Angle
3. Improper Skin Stretching
4. Improper Honing
5. A combination of ANY or ALL of the above.

It is a BIG learning curve to SR shave, plus put in the learning curve to maintain your razors and you can see how easy it is to have less than desirable results!

Keep at it and keep working on proper technique. If you can find someone to mentor you that will put you WAY ahead of the pack in the learning curve.

Good Luck Bro!

I’m not talking about what the edge looked like when you got it.

What did it look like when you first put it on the stone?

And more importantly, what does it look like now, because the edge from before is like Jerry Garcia, “Gone man, he’s gone.” It does not matter who honed it or how they honed it.
The edge will tell you what needs to be done.

The importance of stropping cannot be overrated. You can repair an edge by stropping, Leather and Linen, stropping on paste, touch-up honing, re-honing stepping down in grit and by re-setting the bevel.

If they are not shaving properly, it is either your shaving technique or the edge is no longer straight and bevels are meeting (it is Damaged). You don’t have to bang it on the sink to damage the edge.
How you repair the damage depends on the damage.

The blade looks the same then as is does now. I don't have a microscope.