Thread: Shaved Off My 1000

Can't get a good shave off an 8 k?? Going up the grit doesn't make it any better , just a little smoother, the razors I've had honed to 8 k in the past were done right , it was a very nice shave. Tc

Originally Posted by Hart

I've got the same progression with a 3 instead of the 5 (something else to buy). I've noticed a good bevel on 1k would shave arm hair well but after the 3k there is some reduction in the aggressiveness of the edge. I put it down to the saw like edge of the 1k bevel grabbing the hair.

I received the 3k yesterday and did some work with that today. The bevel looked very good and the TPD felt much better than off the 1k. It shaved arm hair easily. When I shaved with it, it did quite well and better than off the 1k but did not feel quite as good. Hard to describe how it did not feel as well, it did shave better. Not sure why, perhaps as Hart said the aggressiveness of the blade was less, even though it is sharper.

Will be doing the 5k and then testing on that also.

Very helpful thread, guys! I have the Naniwa set-up, 1 k to 12k as well as loupes and other stuff. So far, I have only tried to hone twice, once not successfully and the second time almost successfully. I sent that one to Lynn and he assessed it and honed it, giving me some tips along the way. I'm going to take one of my "lesser" razor, in terms of value and go to a careful bevel set on the 1k, then try a shave and see like Shaun did. Once I'm ok with the appearance and a short test cheek, I'll try vary carefully moving up the grits.

My issue, I think, is that I'm not a very patient person. I'll try, breathing deeply and being patient, and report back.

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

My issue, I think, is that I'm not a very patient person. I'll try, breathing deeply and being patient, and report back.

Patience is KEY to Everything about this Age Old ART!

If you start to want to 'hurry things' step back and go wash your face, listen to some music etc. Then go back and start again.

I find this Especially Helpful when honing. If it isn't going like I think it should, I put things aside, do something else and then give it another go.

On a side note but related. Back when the now ex wife decided that she wanted to something else beside be married after 25+ years 'we' had both of our children see a counselor just to have someone to talk to outside of the family.

My son had been diagnosed with ADHD in middle school and so there were some interesting times. To say that he had no patience would be an understatement. When I introduced him to using a straight at the age of 17 his counselor called and asked WHY??? I told her it was because it made him concentrate. He couldn't just rush through shaving and he understood that he could cause serious blood loss and scarring if he did.

She then actually approved of it. Sometimes I get things right.

Hang in there an please use patience.

Shaved off the 5k today, shaved pretty darn good but is still harsh. Will go to the 8k and try with that.

Learning quite a bit by doing this.

Originally Posted by apipeguy

Shaved off the 5k today, shaved pretty darn good but is still harsh. Will go to the 8k and try with that.

Learning quite a bit by doing this.

Are you shaving right off of the hone or after stropping? I would recommend doing both and to throw a curve ball in there, try it right off the hone, then off of the cloth and then off of the leather.

I have been stropping, next time, I'll do both.

This thread is kind of timely, and it's giving me hope.

I was recently challenged to hone only to 8K. That, to me, as a newbie, was quite intimidating, but decided I would try it regardless.

This thread is giving me more confidence. Thanks, gents!

I have done the sequence - 1k to 12k. It was an eye opening education. I quickly learned that if you don't set a good bevel to start with all else is garbage. Not only did I learn the quality of a shave at each grit level, I learned what I needed to do to achieve the acceptable shave. I now hone to 8k and use a 12k as a finisher. I have yet to see using a 16k and up finisher adding much more to a quality shave. And I have, far from a steel face and beard, a sensitive reacting face. Yeah, I know, a lot of guys are chasing the ultra smooth edge/shave, but I feel that in combination to a properly set bevel your shaving technique is the second most important factor to getting near to the ultimate shave. Maybe after that a 16, 20 or 30k finisher (or an elusive natural) might add a couple percent to that aim.

Just shaved off the 8k after stropping. Huge difference compared to the 5k, as far as comfort and closeness. Really a good comfortable shave, very happy with it. From here I was just going to dull it and start over but have decided to go to the 12k and get the whole progression done.

Through this I have learned (thanks, Frank) to not worry about lap counts and to just concentrate on the feel of the blade on the stone, how the water is coming up the blade and most importantly, have all the scratches from the previous stone been replaced by the scratch pattern of the current stone.

This has been far more beneficial than any practice that I've done so far.

Feeling very good about how I'm progressing.