Thread: Touching up

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.

Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER

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.

Originally Posted by MJC

+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)

Originally Posted by Utopian

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.

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.

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

Originally Posted by Euclid440

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.

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?