Thread: Newbie tip from another Newb

I had a lot of problems getting good edges on my razors, even thought the "basics" seemed pretty straightforward. Here are the 2 biggest causes of my problem:

1) I didn't lap my hone. Once I did this to my Norton 4/8 and all my barber hones, life got much much better.

2) Not enough pressure on the hone. I read and read about how light a touch you must use, but without some comparison, it was difficult for me to judge. Something a honemeister probably could have corrected in person for me in like 1.3 seconds.

Anyway, I was honing with literally nothing but the weight of the blade pushing it on the hone... I was balancing it to keep it perfectly flat, but applying no downward pressure.

My most successful hone jobs to date have been using very light pressure at the tip of the spine with the left hand (to hold it flat) while apply a little torque on the tang end. I would say I use about 1lb of downforce on the blade when using the 4k and at the beginning on the 8k. As I get close, I ease off and use less pressure on the 8k, then finish with very light X strokes or circles on a finishing/barber hone.

I'm probably too "green" to give anyone advice, but if you're having the same problems I did... maybe this will help.

Best,
Bob

I know the majority here feel the hones out of the box are not straight ready but personally I don't buy it. I think though they may not be perfect they are good enough to hone properly. I think the reason people think they hone better after lapping is they are polished and are smoother so they feel better. Some may be really bad and need it but I would consider that a manufacturing defect and send it back.

Keep in mind we recommend no pressure because truthfully most of us are hamhanded and even by not trying we apply pressure so if we said well, use 1lb of pressure people would be applying more then they need and that spells trouble. Most of the time you start with pressure and as you progress you lighten up. By the time you are finishing on the 8K or going higher you should be using no pressure, just the weight of the blade on the stone unless you have a real lightweight blade. But of course every razor is different so you have to adapt your honing strategy as you work.

Originally Posted by bobernet

... I would say I use about 1lb of downforce on the blade when using the 4k and at the beginning on the 8k. As I get close, I ease off and use less pressure on the 8k, ...

This is exactly my experience as well. I have a slightly different finisher with a 12k stone and pasted paddle, but the pillar of what the edge is, I build on the Norton.

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