Thread: High Grit Edge Refinement Over Time

Okay so this is admittedly a unique situation that probably won't apply to many, but I'd love the advice of some seasoned shavers.

I'm about 6 months into wet shaving, shaving once or twice a week with a straight. Just discovered this place however after posting in a shaving section of a knife forum (started there first). I've learned a lot already so thanks all for their input and time.

Now, I've been traveling since New Years and away from my kit and stones but did bring one straight and a hanging barber strop. Had a couple rough shaves recently and decided it needed a hone so I went to a local shop and picked up a Naniwa 10k SS. Things got better after 30 or so touch up strokes. I'm realizing now however, after seeing pictures of other razor edges on this forum, that the initial hone I did on this razor was rushed and I did not remove all of the larger scratches from lower grits in my progression (which was 1k, 2k, 5k, 8k, JNAT of about 10kish). The edge looks polished and reflective at certain angles, but under the right light and angle you can see some of the striations of coarser stones.

So, knowing that the most effective fix would be to go back through the progression spending more time at each grit until the edge is uniform, how beneficial (or not) would it be to use the 10k effectively as my strop until I get back to my stones? Maybe 20-30 laps each way, very light pressure, but doing this between every shave, and of course stropping on weave and leather to finish. My thought being that I will ever so slowly be buffing out those striations - again, acknowledging this is by no means ideal, fast or efficient - but with it being the only stone I have right now, wouldn't that, in theory, produce a slightly better(smoother) edge each time?

Thoughts?!

The big question that needs to be answered is how does it shave. If it shaves well nothing else matter.

Welcome aboard,,,,

RezDog made the point needed.

Trying to judge your razor's edge by looking at images of other razors under magnification is like looking up at the stars in the sky and trying to guess their age.

Magnification photos are fun to look at and for 90% of us, me included, it's just that,, fun.
Unless you use a microscope regularly & understand the mechanics involved in it's proper use, you are only confusing the situation at hand.

Originally Posted by RezDog

The big question that needs to be answered is how does it shave. If it shaves well nothing else matter.

So true, if it shaves well that is what is the most important thing. Too many of the junior shavers worry too much about learning to hone a razor when they should be most concerned about learning to shave and strop or worry about their razor passing the HHT when passing the test does not mean the razor will shave well. Bottom line....its all about how well the razor shaves!

When I find that I did a poor job of getting those 1k scratches to submit, I go back to 8k with slurry. I do about fifty circles and several reps of x strokes. By this time the edge will have backed off a good deal. Rinse the hone well and begin bringing the edge back on just water. Finish is your choice. I use this method on the rare instances where I feel I have a harsh edge too. The 8k slurry polishes and steps the edge back enough to take away any excessive bite.

Hey guys, thanks for response thus far. It shaves okay and I'm sure I've got a ways to go technique-wise, but I'm asking a practical question that's yet to be addressed. As I mentioned in OP, from what I know about edge refinement, additional strokes on the 10k should slowly buff the coarser scratches out. I realize that it would take probably months of doing what I've described to really get them out, but I'm asking for short term purposes as I will be back with full range of stones by end of March. I guess my main question is then: can anyone give me a compelling reason NOT to do what I've suggested?

Lets see if we can help you to your satisfaction; this quote of yours is confusing to me.

"So, knowing that the most effective fix would be to go back through the progression spending more time at each grit until the edge is uniform,Why is this most effective? how beneficial (or not) would it be to use the 10k effectively as my strop What do you mean, use your stone as a strop?until I get back to my stones? Maybe 20-30 laps each way, very light pressure, but doing this between every shave, and of course stropping on weave and leather to finish. My thought being that I will ever so slowly be buffing out those striations What striations? - again, acknowledging this is by no means ideal, fast or efficient - but with it being the only stone I have right now, wouldn't that, in theory, produce a slightly better(smoother) edge each time?

Thoughts?!"

What you may be experiencing is edge degradation due to the deeper striations, you say you've left behind. Nothing is sure without proper inspection and as already pointed out, the shave is what matters... So if you find that touchups every few days do the trick, then by all means, keep doing that. It will eventually remove the deeper stria.

I might try something different myself, instead of doing little by little every few days, why not just keep honing until all is removed? It might be slow, I might try slurrying that stone to speed it up a bit, and I would be watching closely to not overhone that edge.

There is a post about 1 stone honing and even videos about this method. This may benefit you since you are in the road and only have one stone.
These guys have nailed it, as long as you can get a comfortable shave then keep doing what you're doing with the 10k. I'd check YouTube and see about finding the one stone honing method I believe gssixgun and Lynn Abrams have videos on it.

So, you are shaving with this razor?

Photos of the razor would help.

If so, then yea, a 10k should be able to do a touch up and smooth out a bevel from your previous honing.

First lap the stone on a diamond plate or sheet of 320 grit Wet and Dry. Make sure to round or bevel the edges.

Put 2 layers of tape on the spine and do circles in sets of 20 until the bevels are meeting fully and all the deep stria is gone. Remove your tape, put on one new layer and do X strokes, until all the circle stria is gone.

Remove your tape and strop on linen and leather. Change your tape again, and do light X strokes, until the edge is straight and chip free. Strop on leather and shave.