Thread: I need help from experienced razor sharpeners and maintainers

Originally Posted by PaBlum

I need help from experienced razor sharpeners and maintainers.


I've read lots of people's techniques and came to the conclusion that there isn't one right way but many right ways and people do what they are comfortable with and/or are familiar with.

So, I combined what I read but have fallen a little short. Close but no cigar.


I prefer circular honing to x-stroking. So, I start with 7 circles on each side and repeat three more times to simulate about 25 strokes, and then proceed down the pyramid.

I then do 7 circular strokes on each side with the 12000 stone and repeat


So, the question is, how can I improve on this to get a razor-sharp razor, shave after shave

Read your own statements here that I pulled out, you are asking for help yet in your own post said you won't follow it

Not one person I know of uses Circular strokes for all SR honing, in fact we use them for a heavy bevel set and little else, there is solid evidence of why the edge forward X style stroke works best for a CCS and has for about 300 years

The instructions that you find in the JaNorton thread will probably help you the most
Then you need to learn the X strokes and how to use them effectively and follow ONE set of instructions until you achieve consistency in your honing before you decide to create your own system


Just reading what you typed nothing more

@PaBlum: if you bought your razor shave-ready from CS you should not need the 4k/8K unless you have damaged the edge badly. A 12K is all you need. Using the 4K/8K too often you remove more metal than you need.

Originally Posted by PaBlum

So, I put in Virginia and it comes back with 92 members. How do I know which ones are close to me and which ones are experienced honers?

Refine your search by using your town/city. It would help if you put your city/town under your name. Local members then know to contact you with one-on-one help.

This forum was/is built by experienced members helping those who need help.

Thanks, all. Some comments on the last few posts.
-- I never intended to say or imply that I wouldn't follow advice. Sorry that I gave that impression.
-- Thanks to the tips to finding a mentor, that would seem to be my best approach.
-- In trying to combine techniques, it appears I used the wrong ones at the wrong points. Consequently, I probably took a good blade and made a bad one out of it.

Been there done that

Wet shaving with a SR is a long journey. Getting everything right and all the stars in alignment takes a bit of time.

Don't get in a hurry and only try what you are comfortable doing.

Ask questions.

I have bought a number of razors many so called shave ready,on only one was the bevel set correctly,new Dovos are the most confusing as they have a factory edge,which is a t the wrong angle only when this is overtaken by your correct bevel will the razor be any good,in fact you know your getting close when the razor becomes quite blunt,soon after a super sharp edge is quickly established by default,an established bevel on a 8000 stone is sharp by definition.I think of honing as either re establing the bevel a very quick process indeed,or establishing a working bevel on a recently acquired razor various time.
I have an old oilstone very fine i use for establishing a working bevel as i can hear and feal where im at during the process.I use both index fingers gently on top of the razor favouring gently either end never the centre 95% of my honing is a circular motion in the wrong direction clockwiseup and back anti clockwise up and back which constitutes for me one pass,re establishing the bevel normaly 2x passes my Le Grelot one more,i finally and super gently put the final edge on honing in the correct direction.Everybody has to find their own way this is mine.One thing that confuses me is after re establishing the bevel on my razors,i do all of them together,if i do my normal 10 flax 50 leather i get a very edgy or too sharp an edge in fact 10 flax and 10 leather much better thereafter back to the normal 10 flax 50 leather.Sorry if what ive just written is against received wisdom,but it works for me.I have a japanese razor which i use regularly lovely to shave with that has never been honed on the URA side,there is a fine but perfect bevel on the URA side which has been stropped the same way as my other razors and only honed the one side,i have had no burr issues,and the URA side has never been near the hone.Take from that what you wish.
adductum

Only to clarify either end means either quarter.Sometimes i think i have got the perfect bevel honing in the wrong direction as above and when i try to put the final edge on in the right direction the edge comes off it tell me im not there yet two more passes as above usualy gets me there.As for pressure not much at all but some, difficult to explain, a bit more for the Belgium stone create slurry makes it more abrasive use just water for final edge.
adductum

Sorry to clarify i have each index finger over the centre of each half and never the centre.
adductum

I think you need less analysis and more do at this point. It's important to be able to hone a razor to shave with, but once you get to that point, it's not as complicated as your making it sound.

The subtleties, unfortunately, are better learned with experience than discussion, and that's what makes them hard to communicate and makes a simple process sound like more than it is.

Sorry to sound complicated but really if one can get an idea of whats happening to the razor your there really,just do what the razor asks of you if you know what i mean,the bevel is the holly grail,not some crude goal to be achieved with some crude 1000 grit stone.use your 8000 grit it will get you there it has with all my razors takes some time though not a problem for me,once there you have some sharp razor,and never round the blade with abrasive paste totaly counter productive,after achieving your perfect bevel protect it and not leave it too long to gently re establish the bevel 6 or 7 shaves long enough.Dont move untill youve got the idea,dont listen to this Know all i expect your saying, i dont mind,i am only speaking my mind because people make money out of peoples ignorance and i dont like it,and unless you have some idea you wont know whether your coming or going
i dont think experience will get you there,and i dont think it matters how you do it there is no right or wrong way of getting there,if you good at sex your good at honing its all feel and touch