Success

[AlanQ]

Little background first. I've been having trouble learning to hone. It just hasnt been working for me. Ive watched the videos read the threads but it just didnt seem to work. Using a loop everything looked good but I just couldnt shave with anything I honed myself. So I took the advice ive seen and decided to just focus on the 1k as several people said you could shave off a 1k.
Out came my Bengal and off to work I went only I didnt really seem to be getting anywhere so I kinda put it aside for a bit.

Then Outback sent me back my gradfathers razor that he restored (He did an awesome job BTW). Well of course I'm eager to try it out and much to my surprise it sucked I mean really sucked! I even had visible stubble, it was worse than anything I tried to hone myself. First thought was that I rolled the edge stropping. But after inspecting under the loop it was fine. This had me perplexed as I was sure there was no way he sent me a dull razor. Then I remembered he said that it required a different angle than the other razor he sent me. So I tried again playing around with the angle and the clouds parted, the heavens opened up and my world was transformed.

What does Outback giving me a great razor have to do with me learning to hone you may ask.
I'll tell you.

The other day I decided that maybe my honing wasnt so bad that maybe it was just my shaving tecnique. So I pulled out the Bengal stropped it and started to shave. And I mean shave, not just scratch my face. It wasnt the best shave or the most comfortable but it wasnt the worst or even that bad. I did give up around my chin and pulled out my grandfathers to finish off. Still this was off a 1k hone and I really am not very good around my chin yet anyway.
Only visible difference to me is that the Bengal and my grandfathers are both square tips. Not sure how/why or if this affects the angle but playing with the angle made all the difference in the world. I plan on doing a progression 4/8/12k to see if I can make it more comfortable now that I know I can shave with it.

[handjam]

Nice breakthrough. Which way did you change your angle; did the spine get closer to or farther from your face. Just curious because I feel my angle is probably off.

[Grazor]

Nice breakthrough. Which way did you change your angle; did the spine get closer to or farther from your face. Just curious because I feel my angle is probably off.

Yeah it is hard to visualise 30 degrees when you are looking in a mirror. About two widths of spine off your face is easier. Most problems are because of too steep an angle, for me it was anyway.

[AlanQ]

Nice breakthrough. Which way did you change your angle; did the spine get closer to or farther from your face. Just curious because I feel my angle is probably off.

Had to get the spine closer to my face, flatten it out a bit.

[Utopian]

Yeah the problem is almost always too high of an angle, never too low. I've never liked the use of "30 degrees" to describe the angle. I think "with the spine not quite touching your skin" would lead to less mistakes for beginners.

[BobH]

Yeah the problem is almost always too high of an angle, never too low. I've never liked the use of "30 degrees" to describe the angle. I think "with the spine not quite touching your skin" would lead to less mistakes for beginners.

Yes, that was my problem in the beginning also, too high of an angle trying to do the 30 degree thing. First it is hard to visual a 30 degree angle and secondly I'll bet if you actually measured the angle with at most straight razor users shave it would be very much less than 30 degrees.

Bob

[AlanQ]

Agree with 2 prviosu posts peopel shoudl say 15 degrees in the future.
Strange thign is my Dovo, GD and no name from Outback all allowed with round noses me to shave at higher angles. than the Bengal or Sansouci with square noses. I havent tried any of my round noses with a flatter angle to see if they will work better yet. Will ahve to experiment a bit.

Has anyone else noticed need for different angles for different razors? Is the square/round nose a factor or is it just coincidence?

[Benz]

Has anyone else noticed need for different angles for different razors? Is the square/round nose a factor or is it just coincidence?

Yes on the angle and I don't even think about it anymore. I've shaved with straights, different brands and widths, for so long it's like I have developed a "feel" on the first stroke for which angle is best. Round vs square? Well, I like them all, just that one of them makes me a little more cautious.

[eKretz]

Personally I start every shave with a different razor nearly flat to my face, then bring it up as I go until I find "just right" for that razor. Usually I have it dialed right in by the second or third stroke. This is very helpful if one has a lot of razors and/or does a lot of honing. Some stones can put on an edge that gives a great shave nearly flat, others need some more angle.

[AlanQ]

Just an update on my success.
Finally got some time to hone up the Bengal a bit more.
Took it progressively through 3k, 5,k, 8k and finally 12 K naniwa.
Then onto a pasted strops using first Dovo red then black paste followed by a shave.
Shave was great! Smooth, clean no problems at all.
The Bengal has now entered the rotation and now I'm going to start honing my grandfathers King Cutter.