Thread: To Hone or Not to Hone.....

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum and to straight shaving.

I just got my new Dovo back from Lynn a few weeks ago and everything was great. This razor was deadly sharp and I was getting great shaves. Until yesterday. I was rinsing off the blade and accidentally nicked the edge on the facet. The nick is very small and I shaved with it today and didn't really notice it but it pains me to look at it.

Now, for the remedy. I have a Norton 4k/8k and have been practicing on some other razors but I am afraid to ruin the professionally honed edge. Should I just leave it alone or try to remove it myself? Would a few laps on the 8k stone get rid of it? I will try to get a pic of it, if that helps but any advice would be appreciated.

Ouch--we feel your pain.

Taking out a nick can sometimes require extensive honing on the 4K side of the Norton. On the other hand, the nick has already ruined the edge; depending how deep it is, it could suddenly decide to give you a nice cut. (Firestart got cut by a nick that wasn't visible to the unaided eye.)

I would suggest either sending it back out or rolling up your sleeves and giving your Norton a good workout.

Good luck,
Josh

Hmmm, I am leaning toward just leaving it. It is close to the end of the blade and I don't want to risk ruining the edge furthur. I don't mind taking my chances on getting cut. Besides, chicks dig scars.

Been there, done that. Happened to me a few years back with a just purchased NOS Puma "High Class" 6/8. Now I use the straight razor cleaner that I sell and my razors no longer come near the water faucet. It's not the prettiest thing, but neither is a chip in your razor blade.

BTW, I honed out most of the chip. I can still barely detect the spot with my thumb nail, but the razor shaves just fine.


Good luck,

Scott

I wipe my blade on a towel instead of rinsing it. Towels don't ding.

Josh

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

Towels don't ding.

Nor thumbs.

And thumbs strop, some say.

Dylan,

I'm not that brave. I've seen videos of other guys doing this, but I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it... Ironically, I enjoy knives and straights, but sharp edges really freak me out.

Josh

Something about using hot water to rinse and warm up the blade does something for me.

Thumb strop?! You guys are hardcore!

Rinse very carefully. It helps to have a tight pivot pin to avoid mistakes in where the edge is during rinsing. Then wipe with thin towel. The blade stays cleaner and stain free if you end your session with rinsing, wiping carefully. drying with a hair dryer, and finally stropping.

Monte

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

I'm not that brave. I've seen videos of other guys doing this, but I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it...

Originally Posted by Willis

Thumb strop?! You guys are hardcore!

I don't get it, guys.

Your thumb is rounded. It fits very nicely in the hollow of the blade. You put your thumb in the hollow, pad down firmly on the face of the blade but very very gently on the bevel, and slide. Actually, you don't even need to touch the bevel if that freaks you out; you can wipe 99.99% of the lather off without touching the bevel. But then you don't get the stropping effect.

You can also put your forefinger on the other side, and "squeeze" the blade between thumb and forefinger, and slide. You'd have to be willfully klutzy to cut yourself with this method.

I believe I am SRP's slowest learner and possibly its biggest wuss. But I've done this thumb-stropping intuitively from my second shave onward, after I whacked my Wacker on the faucet. It is the easiest thing in the world. It also means most of your razor – including the pivot area – stays very dry throughout the shave.