Thread: Honing practice today- what have I done here?

Fooling around with different techniques today- and something strange (for me) happened. This is a micrograph after bevel set on a 3k Naniwa Pro stone, but instead of cleaning the stone off after I lapped it I left slurry on the stone and did x strokes like I would on a Jnat. To me this looks like a Jnat edge?

I am progressing to 5k now and going to try the same thing, but I was going to check with the wisdom here to see if I'm just wasting my time here or if I can use this as a technique?

You say it's a bevel set - does it pass your bevel set tests? Does it shave hair at skin level from heel to tip? If so, you may be able to move forward. However, slurry is normally used to enhance cutting speed/efficiency, and it is common practice to follow up the slurry with plain water and finishing strokes to get the cleanest bevel with the shallowest stria possible before moving to the next step of the progression. Also, your photo appears to show a slight change of shade and/or texture right behind the edge, which may indicate that you are not honing all the way to the very edge. Again, does it pass all the tests for a fully set bevel? I myself would not consider that a finished bevel from a Naniwa 3k.

Originally Posted by sqzbxr

You say it's a bevel set - does it pass your bevel set tests? Does it shave hair at skin level from heel to tip? If so, you may be able to move forward. However, slurry is normally used to enhance cutting speed/efficiency, and it is common practice to follow up the slurry with plain water and finishing strokes to get the cleanest bevel with the shallowest stria possible before moving to the next step of the progression. Also, your photo appears to show a slight change of shade and/or texture right behind the edge, which may indicate that you are not honing all the way to the very edge. Again, does it pass all the tests for a fully set bevel? I myself would not consider that a finished bevel from a Naniwa 3k.

Does this look better? I saw that there was quite a bit of honewear on the spine, but it was pretty even so I used two layers of tape and re-set the bevel on the 3k Naniwa Pro. The edge now shaves arm hair at skin level from heel to toe. Move on?

Yes, I would say so. The main thing to remember is to check along the entire length so you won't have any surprises further on. Looks nice!

The problem with using a heavy slurry that does not break down, is it beats up the edge.

And why are we honing the bevel?

Oh, yea to get a straight edge… Whatever you use to set a bevel, try to get the edge as straight as possible.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

The problem with using a heavy slurry that does not break down, is it beats up the edge.

And why are we honing the bevel?

Oh, yea to get a straight edge… Whatever you use to set a bevel, try to get the edge as straight as possible.

Lol- you are right as usual! I am determined!

After making sure the blade shaves hair from heel to toe off of each stone, making sure everything looked good under magnification I was rewarded with my FIRST CONSISTENT HHT3!!

This is with my wife's very fine hair

I am doing some research on what a HHT4 is I may be close. Unfortunately my high frequency hearing is shot so I can't hear a "ping".

Here is the final result after stropping- this edge passed HHT3 with flying colors using my wife's very thin hair. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE ACHIEVED THIS! I am still trying to understand the difference between 3 and 4 but the HHT was so strong it might be close? Unfortunately my high frequency hearing is shot- so I can't hear "pings and tinks".

Too try and squeak a bit more from your edge, strop on linen and leather, do a quick lap of your finish stone to get a clean stone face and do 10 very light X strokes.

Strop on leather and give it a try again.

HHT is very subjective, and may not translate to the shave. I look at the edge, straight down on the edge, with magnification, looking for any reflections or imperfections.

HHT will not pick up a microchip. Nice straight edge.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Too try and squeak a bit more from your edge, strop on linen and leather, do a quick lap of your finish stone to get a clean stone face and do 10 very light X strokes.

Strop on leather and give it a try again.

HHT is very subjective, and may not translate to the shave. I look at the edge, straight down on the edge, with magnification, looking for any reflections or imperfections.

HHT will not pick up a microchip. Nice straight edge.

Agreed - still some deep striations on the bevel, you want to get that so you can see yourself smiling on that bevel....mirror clean.....

Originally Posted by Phrank

Agreed - still some deep striations on the bevel, you want to get that so you can see yourself smiling on that bevel....mirror clean.....

I think those deep striations are left over from the lower grits even though I am using less pressure and torque. It seems that either I am not getting the technique right or I am not spending enough time on my 5k and 8k to polish everything out.

I am participating in a razor exchange with another member and he was curious about my Lakeside barber hone, so this edge is after the barber hone.

I realize that barber hones are for touchup, but the Lakeside is extremely fine.