Thread: Progression

To answer your question thoroughly we really need to discuss what the purpose of a grit progression is and what is happening to steel at the edge of the razor when you hone.

Basically you are wearing away steel with the abrasive particulates in a hone when you sharpen a razor. These abrasive particulates leave gouges in the steel, and not all of them are uniform in depth or width etc, particularly at lower grits. People often refer to striations in the metal, or a scratch pattern.

The generally accepted purpose of a honing progression is to get the two sides of the bevel as close as they can get to each other, and get those two bevels as smooth as they can get as well. In other words, try to smooth out those gouges made by the lower grit stones. As a side-effect of that smoothing process you are also generally speaking bringing the two sides of the bevel closer to each other as well, so that's a good thing.

So then, to answer your question. You should progress to the next stone when the current stone has reached its optimal cutting and smoothing potential. So unfortunately you don't know when to progress to the next stone. None of us do. We guess, basically. An informed guess, for sure, but a guess it is.

People with more experience are better guessers than those with less experience and therefore produce more consistent results. This is why beginner honers can get a great edge on one razor, but then cannot repeat it again - they fluked a good guess.

To aid in the guesswork we can use subjective empirical tests. Onimaru pointed to the Wiki link for a description of those, and it is well worth reading them. But just remember they are subjective - you need to work out how they work for you, which means lots of experimentation with lots of razors over lots of time.

The best guessers out there are called Honemeisters. It's barely a guess with them to be honest, but nevertheless, when talking about an optimal process, grit progression always has an element of guesswork in it. It's why some people talk about intuition, and why it is so hard to explain in words how to hone.

James.

I think James gave one of the best explanations that Ive heard so far. Coupled with the subjective tests (after they are calibrated for you) it is a thorough explanation. It really comes down to experience and trial.

I would say it is safe to assume if after the 1k you weren't able to cut a piece of paper the bevel is not set. I wouldn't drop back down and I would keep the pressure medium-light and spend as much time as it takes to get it "knife sharp" or bevel set at the 1k.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

The best guessers out there are called Honemeisters.

Only Lynn is called Honemeister. Everyone else is called a honer.

Other than that, Jimbo, your write-up was awesome!

And to the OP, setting the bevels is the the main key to the whole thing. If you cannot shave off of your 1k honing, then you are wasting your time with the rest of whatever your progression may be.

And starting on a 120 grit stone is a bit like doing a Ripley. Nuking the entire site from orbit to be sure

J

Originally Posted by Utopian

Only Lynn is called Honemeister. Everyone else is called a honer.

Other than that, Jimbo, your write-up was awesome!

And to the OP, setting the bevels is the the main key to the whole thing. If you cannot shave off of your 1k honing, then you are wasting your time with the rest of whatever your progression may be.

I know that the greatest deference is reserved for the founder of this site (something we are all grateful for) but can't we graduate some others? I know a couple guys that deserve the title.

Originally Posted by cbarker777

That leads me to my next question if I am doing it right when I am done on a 1000 grit stone should it cut. My razor does not even cut.

Then quite simply, you are not done on the 1K.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

J

I know that the greatest deference is reserved for the founder of this site (something we are all grateful for) but can't we graduate some others? I know a couple guys that deserve the title.

This is just my opinion, and my opinion the answer is no. There is no "graduation." The term was coined by Ray Dupont in reference to Lynn alone, so it is not a title or status for anyone else.

As I see it, the only way to have another 'Honemeister' would be for LA to anoint one. Being the only one who could accurately access this level of achievement, he could gently lay the open blade on each shoulder of the kneeling honer.
Perhaps, more reasonable, would be to have several titles for those that are below The Honemeister. Here is a sample list with a brief description (in descending order):

apedreado mano de afeitar -- Simply put, this is as high as anyone can go.
le bord effrayant -- This person can do anything that the apredreado mano de afeitar can do but no one has seen him do it.
der Chirurg der Rasur --cool, the medical/science officer of the Good Ship Shave
Le Petit Honito -- the water boy of honers

I like it!

The third one I don't understand, but I still like it.

I suppose I could be a Le Petit Honito, but I'm really not that small.

#3 -- German variant means: the surgeon shaving I forget what I was originally trying to translate, but this gets close.
I take liberties in low voter turnout threads.
I might be slightly down from Le Petit Honito
honer afeitar felizmente estúpido