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Well I finally did it. I was able to get a really nice shave from a blade I honed. I used a Norton 4K then a oil stone which I feel is around a 6K then used the 8K side of the Norton and it worked great. I've tried before going from the 4k right to the 8k side with no results. To test it I just picked up a Boker from another member and I was successful again. It feels good to be somewhat self sufficient.
Congrats, that sure is a great feeling when you finally succeed in getting a nice shave from a self honed blade. It only gets better, enjoy.
Bob
Great job, congrats.
Great shave off the 8k: never stops feeling good. Congratulations!
Joseph,
Congrats!! A great feeling and milestone in self sufficiency. :tu
Clean that blade good after that oilstone!
Regards,
Howard :)
Congratulatons and likewise on all of the above. After shaving I like to dip my blade, not the scales, the blade in very hot water and then wipe it dry and a couple passes on linen helps to prevent rust.
Keep it up,
Alex
The next step is... wait for it...consistency. Each razor is different so each will have it's own way to be honed. You can devise a regimen that gives you a good starting point but then it is a matter of "reading" the razor and how to proceed with it. Consistency comes from doing hundreds of razors and achieving satisfactory shaves each and every time. Not trying to rain on your parade, quite the opposite, I want you to revel in what you have accomplished but realize that there is more to come. Congratulations, feels good don't it?
Congratulations! It's a great feeling to do it yourself. Keep up the good work and try to hold off the temptation to buy "just one more stone" for a better shave :angel:
Thanks guys, I will try to "Hone" my skills :rofl2:
Congrats Joseph,
Being self sufficient is a good feeling.
The first time I got an edge I though "now I can be the best, shaved, looking guy when the apocalypse occurs".
I wonder how many men got into str8 shaving because of Y2K fears?
Yep, nothing better than getting great shaves off of your own edges. Now you can really work on tweaking that 8k Norton edge before falling down the rabbit hole of more finishing stones.
For instance, when I think I'm done on the 8k, I like to add a drop of dish soap, then do about 10-12 more perfect, ultralight laps on soapy water. That and a vigorous stropping session is all you need.
I have found that my stropping has had the most significant effect on my shaving. When I first started I wasn't stropping the razor enough and it felt like I needed to have the blades redone, but it turned out that I was under stropping and the blades were just fine. Same with the honing now, when I feel I've done enough passes I do a bunch more lol.
Yep you crossed one of those milestones for sure. I stayed where your at for a year and don't regret it one bit. Once you get the basics down you won't be posting """ What did I do wrong? I took it to the 16k but.... """ Those that skip the curriculum and test out miss a lot of the little lessons you learn along the way. Most of which is learning good habits and motor skills. Good luck with the rest of the learning. :<0)
I totally agree! Since I got a custom English Bridle strop made by Kevin/Hidestoart and just started stropping more for the sheer joy of it (150 laps minimum between shaves on each blade), I've gotten the best shaves of my life.Quote:
Originally Posted by JosephHoffer