Thread: My first honing attempts with photos

Just to throw in my 2¢, though it may not be worth even that.

In all your pics, you are not getting to the very apex of the edge in your honing attempts. But don't be discouraged, this is something that is going to take some time. And at first, as with just about anyone beginning honing, pressure is going to be the issue. And the question that will constantly be popping up is "Well, how much pressure?" And there really is no good answer, since, if you stick with it, 9 months from now the answer will be different from now solely based on the experience you will receive over that time when you start to get good shaves, and seeing what works. An experienced honer learns how to manipulate the variables at hand: razor, hone, pressure, amount of water, amount of slurry, and in some cases slurry breakdown (jnat). So there is an art in the science of honing.

So let's start with step one, the bevel set. From what I see it needs some work. Do you have a 1k bevel setter at all or only the dragon's tongue? If the bevel is not set, any after work will be nullified and useless. And when I say bevel set I mean having an even stria or scratch pattern all the way to the edge without seeing any visible bright line at the apex that differs from the rest of the bevel. But at first let's not worry about the microscope for now. Though it can be helpful, unless you know what you are seeing, it will distract from the goal of a good edge. First use your scope as a visual aid. Only use it to see if you have any chips, and to see how each step progresses. But mainly use other sharpness test to evaluate your progression. what I do when I need to be sure the bevel is set is to do a breadknife with no pressure to kill the edge and work from there. I stay on my bevel setter until it pops hairs off my arm at skin level without any effort all across the edge. At that point I don't worry about it and start to progress but only until then, and of course i look at the edge to make sure I don't have any chips.

I'm a jnat user and have not tried any of the one stone methods so I cannot give you any advise there. But I would focus on keeping you hone stroke consistent every time and keeping at light to no pressure. Maybe no more than 50 to 75 grams of pressure at most if you want a number to aim for. This will help you get some even scratch patterns, because in your after hone pics some of your scratches are too deep in comparison to your other scratches, which is a sign of too much pressure and inconsistent scratches or large grit particles, but because you are new lets go with pressure.

Hope this helps any.

God Bless,
Neil

So it this really possible to do, over hone with a barber's hone?

So say I do like 10-12 or so strokes, am I over honing and creating a burr on the edge?

Yes, maybe, some Barber Hones are very aggressive, and you can do too much, if you are maintaining an edge. Not all Barber Hones are the same. The number of laps is a generalization, a number of factor go into the performance and results, the razor grind, pressure, lubrication and most important , the condition of the edge. Your face will tell you if you have done too much.

The problem is most folks wait too long to go to the hone, and by that time it is not maintenance, but repair work that is needed.

But you can always kill the edge and start over. With a fine barber hone, a chrome Oxide strop, leather and linen you can keep a razor going for ever.

Everyone, thank you so much for the encouraging words and honest, factual advice.

I did use the marker to paint the edge black and had five strokes on each side with slurry to see that I actually was honing evenly along all of the edge. And also that I had double bevel. I honed some more and got it back to the state where it cuts arm hair at the skin level. Not exactly effortless but big improvement. Then I tried to shave. The middle part of the edge was almost bearable but near the heel and point was still dull.

A question to those who own Feather AC shavette and straight razors, is it possible to have the straight razor blade as sharp as feather blade? After my ten shaves with TI, I learned to shave with Feather and maybe my sharpness expectations are too high now?

At the moment I don't have 1k stone for setting the bevel.

The link to coticule.be seemed like a treasure chest of information, I will for sure continue digesting all sources I have found. SRP wiki, B&B forum, youtube celebrities etc. In the end it is me who needs to do the hours and learn a new skill by practicing. A lot.

Originally Posted by elmoensio

Everyone, thank you so much for the encouraging words and honest, factual advice.

I did use the marker to paint the edge black and had five strokes on each side with slurry to see that I actually was honing evenly along all of the edge. And also that I had double bevel. I honed some more and got it back to the state where it cuts arm hair at the skin level. Not exactly effortless but big improvement. Then I tried to shave. The middle part of the edge was almost bearable but near the heel and point was still dull.

A question to those who own Feather AC shavette and straight razors, is it possible to have the straight razor blade as sharp as feather blade? After my ten shaves with TI, I learned to shave with Feather and maybe my sharpness expectations are too high now?

At the moment I don't have 1k stone for setting the bevel.

The link to coticule.be seemed like a treasure chest of information, I will for sure continue digesting all sources I have found. SRP wiki, B&B forum, youtube celebrities etc. In the end it is me who needs to do the hours and learn a new skill by practicing. A lot.

I use a feather DX Shavette for my head but a straight for my face, and as of right now, FOR ME the answer is No. I've heard it is possible, but I think it takes more experience than I have, and you have to reach for more of a ultra high grit synthetic finish for such results. But most of the time people opt for the smoothness from their natural coticule or jnat rather than the keenness that comes with the feather. But believe me the edges are very much keen enough for an enjoyable shave.

Well a good question about Feather.

What is sharp? It's not just the bevel, or the grid in which the bevel is honed.

Must razor blades are sharpened with 3k, but some blades, indeed most blades I think, are coated with different materials, making them stronger, more flexible, or better gliding, like a tefal coating.

Feather is know for its sharpness. I use them to sometimes, and indeed they are very sharp.

Or rather they feels sharp.

My razors cut armhair 5 mm above the arm. The razor blade don't.

Most razors are honed above 8k, so in that perspective any razor should be sharpest.

But a coating of the edge of a razor will produce a edge that's feels sharper then a razor, when used at the correct angle on a DE razor.

I always used feathers with my DE but now I only straight razor.
I would say a straight can defiantly be as sharp as a Feather blade.
My shave s with straight are as close or closer than with a feather , although ive never tried a shavette .
I also thought that the point of Jnats and Eschers was to achieve the ultimate sharpness but have it feel like it wasn't sharp?
I could be wrong

Originally Posted by elmoensio

^^^After fourth hone. 500x magnification.

Is the darker area between the red lines where I am removing material? Why is this uneven? Am I using too much pressure so the edge is flexing? Has the razor been honed with taped spine before and I should do that too?

Maybe yes, to both or either. If the bevel is set & you have an even scratch pattern, the next stone will polish from the edge up especially if you lessen the pressure you used on bevel set. Very unusual to polish in the middle like that.

I didn't want to invest in more stones, nevertheless there's a King 1k coming my way now from Japan. How did this happen??

Originally Posted by elmoensio

I didn't want to invest in more stones, nevertheless there's a King 1k coming my way now from Japan. How did this happen??

I know from a minimalist standpoint it is unnerving to have more than you need, but I think 1k can be a good stone to have. Plus, the king stones are not very expensive, but they are effective.

Originally Posted by elmoensio

I didn't want to invest in more stones, nevertheless there's a King 1k coming my way now from Japan. How did this happen??

It all starts with one. Then another, and another, and another, and another, ect. The HAD shopping, I mean anonymous meeting is meeting here every friday, right after your paycheck is cashed.