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Hi all!
Again thank you for being so helpful! A quick question on touching up. When I feel my razors have begun to lose their keeness should I back up to my 12k naniwa and then proceed to suehiro 20 k or just use the 20k? Thanks!
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Always try the last hone in your routine first, no sense going to far back if all it needs is a couple licks on the SG 20. If it needs more after that then drop to the 12k, but from what I've seen the 20k will do some work too. Tc
Tc hit the nail on the head. Try the last hone in your progression.
Since you are asking this OP I presume you are fairly new at the whole straight razor game or you wouldn't be asking about touching up a razor. That's a pretty expensive stone for a beginner the SG 20k so you must be very interested in straight razor shaving to make such an investment. Good for you. Try 20k if edge doesn't improve drop down to 12k. I'm sure someone with a 20k will be along to shed some light on a touch up routine they use.
In no time you'll figure it all out.
+1 to TC's comments..
Remember that if it was honed with tape it needs to be touched up with tape...
And "Less" (pressure, strokes) is "More"...(results)
What TC and Solitarysoldier said is correct. Since you apparently have the SG20k, do 5-10 strokes on that and then strop and shave. Repeat as needed. Because it is a fairly aggressive hone, it is likely that you may not ever need to drop down to the 12k.
Quote:
Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER
Quote:
Originally Posted by MJC
Yeah I'm the type of person that once I decided I liked the straight razor shave I was all in. I didn't want to rely on pastes if a stone would give me the same result so hence the guacamole 20k :). Good advice I appreciate everything. Lots of help from you Utopian so I am very grateful. You will be happy to know I can now set a bevel properly and my razors have been turning out extremely sharp and keen once again. Lynn Abrams actually personally called me after I emailed him for some help and I talked with him for like 15 minutes about honing. He seems like a very good man and really nice to talk with.Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
Look at the edge first, then decide what it needs.
Chances are if it is feeling rough, there is some micro-chipping or larger.
Look straight down on the edge with magnification and strong light. If you see shinny reflections, it is micro chipped, then look from the side to see how deep the chips are. Lightly joint the edge and re-set the bevel on the 20K.
If the chips are larger, Joint or breadknife to remove the chips and re-set on a 1k and work up the progression.
Can’t tell you how many razors I have had in for a “Touch Up” with chips the size of half the bevel.
A new guy to stropping, you probably rolled or chipped the edge.
If you've been shaving with it and you start to notice a just a small diminishment in the quality of the shave, then the minimal route is all that you need. As long as it continues to shave to your satisfaction using that minimal touch up strategy, then that is sufficient for you.
What these guys have said & try a good stropping first before going to the stones. A strop removes little metal but just smooths things out where a stone will remove metal. No need to remove more than you need.
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by Euclid440
This may sound naive but wouldn't jointing the edge even on a 20K completely ruin the bevel? Why wouldn't I have to go back to a 1K to reset it?
No it would not ruin the edge if you use the weight of the razor only.Quote:
Originally Posted by TJB
Nope,
Yesterday did 10 razors on the GS20, jointed each edge coming off a pristine 12k super stone bevel and edge.
and 10 laps later the edge was back… An extra 10, is the edge I like,
In this instance I have chosen to quote myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
“This may sound naive but wouldn't jointing the edge even on a 20K completely ruin the bevel? Why wouldn't I have to go back to a 1K to reset it?”
Because, the bevels are already flat and set at the proper angle. All you do by jointing is remove the very edge. So that, you now have a straight, super thin edge, where the bevels are not meeting.
You only have to remove a microscopic amount of steel from the flat bevels to get them to meet again, (usually 10-15 laps).
It is not bread-knifing, it is a very lite touching of the edge on a single point, the corner of the stone, usually enough to remove a micro-chip or weak steel.
When we hone a razor from a bevel set, the goal is to,
1. Flatten the bevels from heel to toe and from the back of the bevel to the edge in a single plane.
2. Set the proper bevel angle from edge to spine.
3. Grind the bevels to meet in a straight edge from heel to toe.
BTW No. 1 is where most new honers fail. And if No. 1, does not happen, 2 & 3 can’t happen…
Once all 3 goals occur, then it is just a matter of polishing the bevel to produce smaller stria, that will make a straighter (more comfortable) edge.
So if the bevels are flat and at the proper angle, you just need to make them meet, and that can usually be done on a high grit aggressive stone. You don’t need to bevel set it and certainly do not need a 1k.
A oldtimer once told me "It is easier to keep a razor honed than is it is honing a razor." Sage advice still. Proper shaving technique,correct stropping and catching the edge before it has deteriated too far is the secret to long blade life.