Thread: the adventure continues

As I practise honing and begin getting good results, my confidence is growing. Yesterday I test shaved a Heljestrand I picked up for cheap a little while ago, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how good a shave it was. Very smooth, very close. Unfortunately, there was some irritation afterwards.

This irritation is something that I find often happens after I hone a razor, and it usually only goes away after 2 or 3 shaves with lots of stropping. I have fairly sensitive skin, but I'm not using any different products or techniques, so I can only assume that I'm doing something wrong in the honing process. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Joel

Sounds to me like you may be getting it a little too sharp for the sensitivity of your skin? what are you honing on?

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

Originally Posted by joelkerr

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

Hmm, then you got me stumped. I'll leave any "advice" for the more experienced folk, but I've never heard of 8k being too harsh of an edge for anyone.
My first guess would be micro chips in the blade or some sort of edge imperfections, but if it starts to smooth out after a couple of shaves that doesn't equate in my mind. Have you tried skipping the Chrom Ox?

Originally Posted by Butzy

Have you tried skipping the Chrom Ox?

I have, and it made it much harsher.

When I look at the blade under the microscope, everything looks fine - although, as stated, I'm still pretty new to this, so my eye isn't very practised.

Have you had comfortable shaves with this razor before?

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.

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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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.