Thread: 1st comfortable 8k shave!

I finally had my first comfortable shave off my shapton 8k. I tried as best as I could to set the bevel on the shapton 1k. I begin feeling paranoid in analyzing the edge wanting to make sure that it was set. When I was convinced that I could see no reflection at the edge.

I moved to the 4k for about 25 laps then moved to the 8k. And after 25 laps I went to the crox for 20 laps but made a mistake, but I stropped and tested. Didn't cut through one Wisker before going back to the 4k. Done 40 circles each side and 25 more laps. Moved to 8k for about 30 laps.

I looked under a set a loupe to make sure there was no microchips. Done 35 laps on crox then 50 linen and 80 latigo. Test shaved and it felt smooth.

(By the way I can't seem to do any "tree-topping" until after a stropping)

So I thought I would go ahead and take the week's growth off. It was a very comfortable shave. Really enjoyable. I couldn't get my 100% BBS on my ATG. But it was decently close. I had to strop at least once before my ATG to get it cutting again, but still not quite what I want. I want to get better closer shaves with the edge lasting longer, but this close is definitely livable and I can see that you can live off a 8k edge.

Quick question though. Is not the shapton 8k finer than a norton 8k so would this be slightly cheating while I am chasing a comfortable 8k edge?

Oh H&LL, it's in the ballpark so don't worry about it. If you have Shapton then work with Shapton.
The point is to get a comfortable shave somewhere between the bevel setter (which can shave but not very comfortably) and the finisher.

Congrats. As long as you are shaving comfortably you can refine it on your future attempts. Just enjoy the comfy shave moment

My experience with the 8K Norton and Shapton is they both pretty much do the same job but the Shapton cuts faster and has better feedback. Don't be afraid to go back to the 4K and work your way back up to fine tune your razor. It seems the big job is done already. [Bevel] bj

Hehehehe People tend to put way to much faith in "Grit Charts" that are at best inaccurate and at worst downright deceptive...

The Shapton 8k is without a doubt a higher grit hone then the Shapton 6k

and

The Norton 8k is without a doubt a higher grit hone then a Norton 4k

How the Norton 8k and the Shapton 8k relate to each other in grit ratings is very much in Doubt toss in a few more brands of 8k and that whole grit chart gets very doubtful...

Yes you should be able to shave quite well off of the Shapton 8k

Here is another fact that I have no doubt of "The more razors you hone, the better your edges will get"

Congratulations. Tree topping and other hairs tests vary from person to person in part because the hair varies. The all need to be calibrated, depending on the hair your ability to tree top may or may not be relevant. Use a known shave ready edge to perform the tests and note how the edge cuts the hair and compare your edge in the test.

Great, the 8k edge is way under rated, especially now that the 12K Super Stone is so popular.

Personally I believe the second most important stone is the stone after the bevel setter.

Typically new honers use too much pressure and create deep stria on the bevel set, usually a 1K.

So polishing the deep 1k stria will pay big dividens and make a much smoother edge and make subsequent polishing grits go a lot faster.

Do extra laps on your 4k and flatten as much 1k stria as possible.

The 8k will make even shiny stria and a super straight edge.

Finish each progression with 10 weight of the blade laps.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Personally I believe the second most important stone is the stone after the bevel setter.

Typically new honers use too much pressure and create deep stria on the bevel set, usually a 1K.

So polishing the deep 1k stria will pay big dividens and make a much smoother edge and make subsequent polishing grits go a lot faster.

Agreed, and that is why I always try to use a 2k after the 1k.

35 laps on CrO is excessive & may be part of the longevity issues. The other part may be why you 'need' to do 35 passes on CrO.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

35 laps on CrO is excessive & may be part of the longevity issues. The other part may be why you 'need' to do 35 passes on CrO.

What is "the other part"? I'm not getting what you meant, but I do see where it probably is too much. 10-15 laps sound better?