Honing is Super Easy

Until its not. Yesterday it was not easy. After my wild success with touching up my Boker using Aaron's (yes Aaron, it is now forever your method!) progression on an Arkie finisher, I couldn't wait to start on the other 10 razors in my current rotation. Next up was a little near-wedge Christopher Johnson that my brother (my picker, he loves flea markets) found for me. This pretty little razor in bone scales was my first almost wedge and cleaned up decently and took a surprisingly easy edge when I first got it (one layer of tape and what a nice, silent shaver). Another 20 minutes or so and more shaving bliss.
Well, that little wedge sucked down on that dry translucent so hard before I knew it up came the spine and whoops; what the heck just happened. Nothing to see here folks, pretend that didn't happen and lets move on. Well, if it grabbed on the dry stone it was like glue when it sucked down on the water. Yep, flipped her again. Nothing a few more strokes won't fix right? No. Remember Ground Hog Day when Bill Murray is racing through each repeating day trying to recapture that magic date? Well, that was me. Three cycles of dry to oil and that sweet little shaver wasn't happy with me. I had to walk away after over an hour (probably two). Hanging hair test? Yeah, no. Even added another layer of tape. Not happening. Today I had hoped to post more success pics and shave happiness. I did have shave happiness but at the edge of a different razor.
Tomorrow I'll do a reboot and try again.
I took a pic of my fail; we do like pics! The darker arkie is my hard; I brought it out on circuit 3 to see if a few strokes on that would bring the edge back. No.
Even a bad day on the stones sure beats mowing the lawn.
Attachment 293992

You should check it with a loupe and give it a good squint in order to decide how to fix it. You may have to make a few steps back in this dance.

Yikes, Paul-I hope I didn't cause this. But yes, a blade (some grinds more than others) that is already close can start to dig in surprisingly quickly with this method. That is when you have to start being more careful, and maybe add a couple drops of dish-washing liquid before proceeding. These finer arks are so hard and dense (and your edge is so fine before we even get there) that there is not much room for error.

Sounds like yours might need to just go back and reset the bevel on a 4k or something before proceeding again with caution. I'm sure you will sort it out.

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Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Yikes, Paul-I hope I didn't cause this.

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Aaron,
Pretty sure this one is all on me!! The method is sound, its the execution needs work.
I'm an all arkie guy and only use 4 stones and a Norton Crystolon that I use for prepping them (thanks Steel). Heavy work is done (slowly) on a Washita and then I progress up through a soft, hard (prepping these stones with the cystolon is the key, and gives me a mini progression with each stone) and then the translucent. The edge is actually pretty close so today I was going to prep the hard with the fine side of the crystolon (the hard is well burnished at the moment) and use two layers of tape and normal oil based honing. That should do the trick. Then I'll go to the trans dry and carefully finish it off.
I think that little wedge will be happy with me again :) (I hope).

I'm a four stone guy, as well. I bevel set with a Chosera, but the rest of the progression is all naturals which consists of the Washita, Thurigan, and Escher B/G. B/D

I must say, there's something magical about the Washita, and its abilities to act as different stones when used with different lubes. ( water, oil, lather, glycerin, dry, edge leading, spine leading, ect. )

Got to spend a little time today on that Christopher Johnson and Co. The hard brought the edge right back and all went well. Popping hairs easily and I'm anticipating a nice shave.
I find a little booze helps too
Attachment 294020

Interesting thread, and delicious-looking stones. I've used the Arkansas line for a while and have not tried the Crystalon combo to "dress" the stones, using emery cloth instead. If you want to experiment further with oil, I would suggest trying first cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil for something heavy and Singer sewing machine oil for something light. My stones with razors are always hand-held, so the idea of a 6" x 2" Crystalon combo appeals to me on the 6" x 2" and smaller Arkansas stones I use. And once the fine side of the Crystalon combo has been broken in, it may be good for grunt work honing as needed.

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Originally Posted by Paulbuck

Got to spend a little time today on that Christopher Johnson and Co. The hard brought the edge right back and all went well. Popping hairs easily and I'm anticipating a nice shave.
I find a little booze helps too
Attachment 294020

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Oh, man-Were we separated at birth or something? That is probably my favorite bourbon, and I'm overdue for a bottle! I too sometimes like a little splash while honing.

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Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Oh, man-Were we separated at birth or something? That is probably my favorite bourbon, and I'm overdue for a bottle! I too sometimes like a little splash while honing.

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But you shouldn't cut the 4 Roses 50/50 like you do with other hone lubes...

Who was the guy who got me to make a little coti slurry on top of my black? Was that you Hiker?

I still do it. It’s still all yum.

No, that wasn't me-I don't even own a coti. But I do like messing with various slurries on different stones to see what they will do-food for thought. And Kelbro-If I ever do decide to make a honing solution with a bourbon base, it will be with something much cheaper!

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Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Oh, man-Were we separated at birth or something? That is probably my favorite bourbon, and I'm overdue for a bottle! I too sometimes like a little splash while honing.

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Nice!! Next time you get out to the west coast come by; just might have a bottle of Woodford Reserves Masters Collection you might like to try out (I think the Double Oaked they put out is ok, actually like the regular better, but that once a year release is really nice).
So, I actually played around with the script a bit yesterday and finished on soapy water; did not go back to the oil for the final step. The shave was comfortable but my litmus test is always the upper lip and chin area; ATG on the upper lip was not as smooth as I would have liked. The next session I'll try thinning the oil for the last step and see if that improves things a bit.
Cheers!

Thanks-That sounds tempting. I haven't tried that expression of WR; I usually reserve my spendy bottles for the scotch shelves, but I do love the Single Barrell versions of Four Roses and Knob Creek!

And I think we should always be experimenting if we're looking for that ultimate edge!

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Who was the guy who got me to make a little coti slurry on top of my black? Was that you Hiker?

I still do it. It’s still all yum.

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Probably me :D

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Originally Posted by outback

I'm a four stone guy, as well. I bevel set with a Chosera, but the rest of the progression is all naturals which consists of the Washita, Thurigan, and Escher B/G. B/D

I must say, there's something magical about the Washita, and its abilities to act as different stones when used with different lubes. ( water, oil, lather, glycerin, dry, edge leading, spine leading, ect. )

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Are you to talking about a lily white washita, or the coarser washita?

Courser. Tops out around a 8-10 K, if you want to push it there. More like 5-6, with just water.

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Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

But yes, a blade (some grinds more than others) that is already close can start to dig in surprisingly quickly with this method.

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Looking on the SRP I can't find a specific thread on this method.
Can you point me?
:gwh:

"Looking on the SRP I can't find a specific thread on this method.
Can you point me?"


Copied from Aaron's message:

"I am slowly converting the 3-dozen or so blades in my rotation to a "Thin to Thick" regimen on my Surgical Black as I outlined in post #2434 in Hone of the Day, but here is the shorter version:
1. Start dry
2. Running water to the "sticking point"
3. Add a drop of dish soap and keep going
4. Wash thoroughly and dry; add oil (WD-40 for me) to finish

I'm getting my best edges ever playing around with this-I'd be interested in hearing how others do in trying this if anybody does it. Aaron

edit: I just realized from looking back through this thread that the 1st 2 steps of this I learned from JKatzman's earlier post, which I just expanded on to see how far I could push it with the dish soap and the oil-maybe overkill, but my face isn't complaining."

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Originally Posted by Paulbuck

Copied from Aaron's (aka ScoutHikerDad) message:

->Reveal<-

"I am slowly converting the 3-dozen or so blades in my rotation to a "Thin to Thick" regimen on my Surgical Black as I outlined in post #2434 in Hone of the Day, but here is the shorter version:
1. Start dry
2. Running water to the "sticking point"
3. Add a drop of dish soap and keep going
4. Wash thoroughly and dry; add oil (WD-40 for me) to finish

I'm getting my best edges ever playing around with this.
I'd be interested in hearing how others do in trying this if anybody does it.

Aaron

Edit:
I just realized from looking back through this thread that the 1st 2 steps of this I learned from JKatzman's earlier post, which I just expanded on to see how far I could push it with the dish soap and the oil-maybe overkill, but my face isn't complaining."

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Thanks, I've edited to help in the future.
:chapeau

Is this method just for Surgical Black Arkansas, or available for all super hard whetstones (i.e. Thuringian, JNat, ...) ??