Thread: the adventure continues

Perhaps contact some of the many members in Montreal, and see if you can get an effort rolling. In a city that size I expect that interest levels would be high.

I would be willing to bet that you are producing a toothy or wire edge that is causing the harshness. When you strop you are smoothing and straightening the apex a bit which is why the razor gets a little smoother.

If you have a microscope look at the edge. Try to get it very straight and uniform. I lightly join the edge each time I move up a stone and I strop after each stone to help build the edge.

An 8k edge should be smooth and comfortable. It is not keen enough for me to go ATG in my sensitive areas for that I need more polish and refinement.

I'm not trying to say I know everything (or anything) just my experience so far.


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Originally Posted by joelkerr

ah yes, I forgot to include the materials. King 1k,
Naniwa 3k, Naniwa 8k, Chromium Oxide on balsa, linen, leather.

Got me stumped too.
You can try tape, one layer of tape then 5 not more than 10 hone strokes on the 8K
to add a micro bevel. This is a very light touch finishing trick...

You can try the same process you have been using only run circles up and down the 8K then with
the lightest touch 8 to 15 standard strokes.

My guess is you have a burr that takes a while to vanish.
Circles and four or five light stropping strokes on the 8K hone might
release the burr.

Always try the magic marker test to make sure your hone strokes
are allowing the razor and hone to do their thing.

You can use the previous hone to clean and flatten the next hone.
Just make sure to fully rinse and wipe the hone before use even with
a nagura I can feel grit from the previous hone that sticks to the
next hone. No slurry tricks... keep the hone well rinsed.
You can also use some lather on the 8K to float the blade and
it might hone more like a 9 or 10K hone.

Rub the 8k and 3k together after marking a grid with pencil.
The grid should vanish quickly if they are both flat.
If not alternate top and bottom using figure eight rubbing patterns.
The top hone will want to go concave and the bottom convex.
You want flat. If one is more concave than the other it should
be the finer hone not the reverse. Flat is easy with a lapping place.

Do try the Pyramid method using only your 3k and 8k.
Pyramid honing guide - Shave Library
Lynn has a youtube video on it...
I have no clue why it works but it works very well.

It sounds basic, but I have pretty sensitive skin and a tough beard, I was reminded by a member that it can (weepers and irritations) be a result of using a bigger angle of attack when shaving. Be really conscious next shave to really minimise your angle. I definitely noticed a difference for my skin. I think the more you shave the less you remember little things like that. Especially when doing the bulb of the chin, it's easy to trim things up with a near 90 degree angle, being a bit blase about the sharpness of your edge. This is more so when you have a real sharp newly hones razor where, it will cut with ease using a wide angle. Try going back to 20 to 30 degrees. It might be as simple as that.

I had a free evening last night, so I got back to the hone with my practise razor, with only the 1k, trying to get a decent bevel. I tried over and over again, using different techniques, some from this thread, some from the videos I've been watching lately. Couldn't get a decent bevel. Eventually tried the same with my Helje, same lack or results.

Then I tried it with a Boker King Cutter that I picked up this week for cheap, and I got a good bevel very quickly (using the method from gssixgun's videos). It was so easy! At least compared to the other two. So I went through the progression, 3k, 8k, chromium oxide, linen, leather, then did a test shave. Super sharp, I was able to get a good 3 pass shave fairly comfortably, with no irritation afterwards. The result wasn't nearly as good as some of the shave ready razors I've bought from members on this forum, but I'm very happy that I finally got a decent edge. It was a very rewarding end to an otherwise discouraging evening of honing.

I modelled my honing technique completely on gssixgun's Naniwa Progression video. It came out about five years ago when I was new to this hobby. Occasionally even now if I am having a bit of drama with a razor, I'll step back and have another look at that video. Some have criticised the 'dunking' in water for a few mins, but it has worked for me for years, and needs no tinkering.

Originally Posted by joelkerr

I had a free evening last night, so I got back to the hone with my practise razor, with only the 1k, trying to get a decent bevel. I tried over and over again, using different techniques, some from this thread, some from the videos I've been watching lately. Couldn't get a decent bevel. Eventually tried the same with my Helje, same lack or results.

Then I tried it with a Boker King Cutter that I picked up this week for cheap, and I got a good bevel very quickly (using the method from gssixgun's videos). It was so easy! At least compared to the other two. So I went through the progression, 3k, 8k, chromium oxide, linen, leather, then did a test shave. Super sharp, I was able to get a good 3 pass shave fairly comfortably, with no irritation afterwards. The result wasn't nearly as good as some of the shave ready razors I've bought from members on this forum, but I'm very happy that I finally got a decent edge. It was a very rewarding end to an otherwise discouraging evening of honing.

Try a slightly modified pyramid method of sharpening with your 3k and 8k hones.

Circles and the pyramid method go a long way.
Once you get good shaves with the 3k/8k piramid
add a 10k or 13k hone to your kit.

Always work on your latherin... an ordinary shave prep and lather
will not help the best razor.
A great shave prep will make an ordinary edge shave like "Butter".

Try it without the CrOx. Some folks like a CrOx edge and others don't.

Cheers, Steve

Originally Posted by joelkerr

I had a free evening last night, so I got back to the hone with my practise razor, with only the 1k, trying to get a decent bevel. I tried over and over again, using different techniques, some from this thread, some from the videos I've been watching lately. Couldn't get a decent bevel. Eventually tried the same with my Helje, same lack or results.

Would you please describe how you are determining that you are or are not getting a "decent bevel?"

Originally Posted by Utopian

Would you please describe how you are determining that you are or are not getting a "decent bevel?"

On my practise razor, even though the bevel is even, and under the microscope it looks uniform the whole length of the blade, it's unable to pop hairs the way it should after the bevel has been set properly. I've tried several methods, several times now, and am still getting the same results.

On the Heljestrand, it's different. There's something wrong with the blade at the heel, and I'm unable to get an even bevel. I can still get it pretty sharp with the 1k, though, and if I take it through the progression it will shave decently, even with an uneven bevel.

Because I was able to set the bevel pretty easily on the Boker, I suspect I may have chosen two difficult blades to practise on. Luckily, my work schedule will be calming down for a couple of months, so I'm planning on practising quite a lot more. I have to say, I'm really enjoying this process!