Thread: Honing mysticism

I am lost, Dave! Make a video!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

I am lost, Dave! Make a video!

OK...will do. I'll do it with an NOS razor, and I'll get lots of harp music to make it sound real mystical.

I suppose I should do it with oilstones start to finish, right? I've got a whole pile of natural stones, but if I use an amakusa to set the bevel, someone will say "you didn't do that with an oilstone!!"

(I'm too lazy to find harp music, but it would be neat!).

I'll do soft ark, washita, hard ark, jasper and then strop it and show HHT. What's challenge time to do that, something less than 10 minutes? (I hope the razor I pick has a nice straight back!!)

I prepared a Nelson japanese razor two days ago using that process and got a shave at least as good as a kikuboshi that was already sharp, but I subjected it to a fresh coat of chromium oxide on a smooth strop to see if I was in the weeds (with my comments about edge quality).

I sold a japanese razor to someone in the classifieds last week (Two weeks ago?) that I used the same process on, except I used a non-cutting ozaki barber hone for the final burnishing (that the jasper does) and I thought it was super comfortable - better than any other razor I've unloaded so far - but you never know if someone actually uses a razor as shipped or if they run it across compound first. That's the only problem with all of this fiddling - you're working in a vacuum unless you hone for other people - and I don't.

Yes Dave, A video showing the use of the Arks as well as the jaspers would be appreciated.
Also could you include the proper preperation of the stones as well.

Yeah, I can do that.

I too would enjoy an Ark video! I have not done much homework on them and would love to see how it is done. As far as the literature concerning the Coti; did they say the same of barber hones and the worry of overhoning the edge? My theory is if it didn't work it wouldn't have survived much less thrived. I also think edges are relative and read a post about barbers would probably seek a smooth feeling hardy edge that would last a while vs. uber sharp and smooth needing a bit more maintenance. Plus I think men these days are a little softer than our older counterparts.....WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS NO WIFI?!?!?!?! I WILL DIE WITHOUT MY WIFI!!!

Well what a interesting thread. :-)

I can understand the frustration and feeling about honing mysticism. I have honed almost everything since I was a child and that eventually led me to straight razors.

Its all about practice and craftsmanship. Today I get a feeling of the razor being finished, rather then have to measure everything under microscope.

What I learned is that razors aren't that difficult to hone. Barbers scissors are much worse and difficult to hone. Often they require special tools, like my fast leather wheel grinder to go along with the hones.

I have a handful of coticules and a handful of thüringians. Thou many say thüringians are the best, I feel coticule leaves the best edge.

Not one of the hones are the same. Some are faster, some are harder, some are consistent and always performs. I can make a good edge with them all but I still prefer my favourite coticule.

The old barbers didn't have as many hones as I do. They had two at the most. Nothing fancy, just the best tools for their work.

Point is that you can hone razors on one or two hones. Nothing magical about that. But when honing becomes a hobby you may want more, and when honing many different razors from different times as I do, you will find that your favourite coticule isn't the best hone for all.

When I restore old razors, I learned that Coticule perform great on English produced razors, while thüringians hones are best on Swedish and German razors. I could just be my technique.

No mysticism, just experience.

Attempt #1 at a video failed!! My phone ran out of memory half of the way through. I've got three NOS razors left, though, so I'll give it a shot next weekend if the wife leaves - she doesn't tolerate dirty wood shop oilstones on her dining room table, and that's the only place I have the light to do a video.

Well, Come on, Dave! .................................
We need to see mystical, natural, absolutes with oil! (Or Not?)

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Well, Come on, Dave! .................................
We need to see mystical, natural, absolutes with oil! (Or Not?)

Rub razor on stone until it's shiny at the edge! that's pretty much it.

I was also scared away from honing by all the talk of stones,edges,slurry no slurry paste no paste. So I just decided to learn from "THE MAN" I contacted Lynn and asked if I could fly out and learn how to hone he invited me out spent the day together and all the mystery is gone.I hone on Naniwa stones with a 20k finisher (which I tried at Lynn's) and my blades are just fine and shave wonderfully end of story.

Thank you Lynn