Send blade away or try honing myself?

Hi all. I'm new to the forum, but have been straight razor shaving for over 6 months now. I bought a brand new dovo 5/8 best quality and it was not shave ready. I have never honed before and Bought a Norton 4/8 and am trying to hone it on my own as I'm a bit tentative about sending it away to have it pro-honed. However, I've spent about 15 mins total on the stone and am not seeing a tremendous change in the blade. My question is this: should I brave sending it away or continue honing on my own and be patient?

I cant stress this enough. SEND IT AWAY! If you want a processional edge. You will in all probability distroy the edge. Honeing a razor is one of those skills that looks easy but it a real pain to master, it takes lots of practice. also you will have the advantage of comparing the pro edge with your honeing skills. On any future razor you buy. Also it was unlikely the razor needed honeing. It is more probable it just needed a refresh. Just check out you tube. You will find loads of vids on honeing.

That is a very easy razor to hone, if you know what you are doing.

You don't.

Whether or not you send it out depends on a few things.

How have you been straight shaving for 6 months if your razor was not shave ready? Do you have others that are shave ready? If so, then they can serve as standards for your own honing.

Do you care if you damage this razor?

How much reading or video watching have you done to learn about honing.

If you provide your location then others nearby may offer to help in person. Alternatively you can search for members near you to help you.

15 min on the hone can be enough to bring the edge back to shave ready, or it could be entirely not enough, it all depends on the condition of the edge.
I'd send the razor out for honing, but then I'd get a second blade (something cheaper vintage in decent condition) to practice honing and used the pro-honed razor for reference.
If you want to learn how to hone yourself, if you have not already, start with the Wiki
Beginner's Guide to Honing - Straight Razor Place Library

Also see if you can find an experienced member close to you to show you how to hone.

I live in spokane, washington

Unless you are the one in a thousand shaver what you really want to do is practice on a brand new razor. That's usually not a good idea. Practice on an Eboy special but for now I'd send it out.

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Originally Posted by acmilanfootball

I live in spokane, washington

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Come on up :) We will accomplish two things, you will get a Shave ready edge, and learn how I did it at the same time

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Come on up :) We will accomplish two things, you will get a Shave ready edge, and learn how I did it at the same time

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You would be silly to pass up on an opportunity to meet up with a veteran of our sport like Glen. This way you can decide if you really want to hone or not. It's not like sharpening a pocket knife...but not rocket science either...just voodoo.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Come on up :) We will accomplish two things, you will get a Shave ready edge, and learn how I did it at the same time

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there is your answer to your ? i can hone to my needs but if i was close enough that is an offer i couldnt pass up !!

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Originally Posted by acmilanfootball

I live in spokane, washington

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You got an offer from GSSIXGUN, one of the "Obi Wan Kenobi's" of honing and straight razors, a chance to learn from a master, I'd be there faster than Bill Clinton on an intern.....

There is no feeling like honing a razor to shave ready the first time you do it. But ..... like the old Wide World Of Sports intro, there is "the thrill of victory OR the agony of defeat." I was extremely lucky in that when I got into this sport there was a honemeister 30 miles south of me who showed me the ropes. I picked up nuances of pressure and what not that I wouldn't have been able to get off of videos or tutorials.

So take Glen up on his kind offer if at all possible. Also, I picked up pro honed razors, new and vintage to shave with, along with ebay/antique store blades in excellent condition to practice on. I didn't fool with the pro honed razors, but used them to compare my efforts on the practice razors. That IME is a good way to approach this sport.

Ok guys. You convinced me. Going Friday to learn from the best.

Yes I would totally recommend sending the blade un
After you have accustomed yourself to shaving with the blade then you can maybe get some old razor and practice honing on it

Who hones the best on this forum
I have a few 1' NOS Dorkos that need to be honed
Any advise anyone?
I want to feel that effortless smoothness
I remember Sham sold me a 7/8 Frederick Renolds and I was literally in straight razor heaven whilst shaving with this razor
It was the absolute BEST and the MOST SMOOTHEST shave I have ever experienced