Razor Honing Record

Razor Honing Record

The other day I found a 1930-40’s, 7/8 Colibri #70 in the Shave Ready cup. I keep 3 cups in my shaving cabinet. Shave Ready, Test Razors and razors that need more work. Maybe 20 razors, a fraction of the collection. I really don’t have a “rotation”. I shave with new to me razors and keep them in the cups until something new comes along or a favorite comes out of the collection.

I will often clean a “new” razor and hone it before restoring, usually test shave the next day, but if the edge is exceptional, I may shave with it for a week, two or more. Additionally, I test shave customer razors, so at times I run out of beard.

I shaved with the Colibri 70 and it had a smoking edge, shaved a dream. Problem was I do not recall how I finished that particular razor. I am always testing stones, Naguras, combinations, strops and pastes. Customer razors get a pretty standard progression and finish on proven stones and nagura. I experiment with my razors.

So, I have decided to keep a record of razors I hone. Information about the razor, how honed and most importantly finished, stropped and the shave test. I want to keep enough information in case it turns out to be important, but not so much it becomes laborious and I won’t do it.

I know a few of you keep a log/record, and looking back on it, it seems like a good idea, a very good idea, especially for new honer.

I want to make it as easy as possible, so that I will do it every time and I can quickly look up information for reference.

I plan to use a 5x7 journal and write down the information. Here is what I was thinking of collecting. I will keep a Journal with an index using the Bullet Journal index method for quick searchability.

Page Number
Date
Razor, Brand, Width, Scales (for ID)
Bevel Stone
Transition Stone
Finish Stone
Nagura,
Strop, Paste
Test Shave
Notes

What information do you keep, how and why?

I keep info like what i paid for it, who it came from. But that could go in your notes. I enjoy having my log on the computer. I just wish i knew more about how to use it as id make so.e changes. But for now its fine. Id send ya a copy of mine Marty if the damn black box wasnt so much smarter than me.

I've thought about it too. Most all of mine are honed the same as the last. But there are a few I finished on a Swatty, that shave a real treat, but for the life of me, I can't remember which ones they were. I'd have to look with a loupe to find out, and at roughly 200 razors, oh well..!!

Instead of going thru all the that just print up slips like this and keep with razor.Attachment 312909
Attachment 312910

I would classify myself as someone who fairly recently graduated to the "intermediate" level of honing. Keeping a log helped me move up from the "beginner" level, without a doubt.

I'm still developing my system, but I use two methods. First, I have a notebook where I just keep the date and shorthand what I've done. The razor, honing progression, shave test results, shave test date, and any relevant comments. I also keep an online database of my razors, strops, stones, brushes and soaps, which serves as my "inventory". I use Airtable, the free version. It's easy to use, you can link tables, add photos, and because it's online it's easy to access from whatever device I'm using. In this database I note what finisher was used on my razors (if it was a razor I honed myself), so that I don't need to go flipping through pages of notes.

My eventual plan is to set up a form in the database so that I can track what I use for each shave, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. The idea is based on the Shavebuddy app, which I felt was a good idea but very limiting. I felt I could build something better myself.

Super geeky, I know....

I've tried numerous methods for doing this with various notes, tables and spreadsheets, and agree that it is a great and useful thing to do. Problem is, I almost never remember to update my notes when I'm actually honing, and then I sometimes forget how I got my best edges (though these days that's usually going to be from one of my Arks, a thuri, or the Vermio as the final stone-the waterstone progression to get there is almost always the same: Chosera 1k, Norton 4/8 and Nani12-then the fun starts!).

I do not keep records. If I cannort remember it probably wasn't worth remembering. I usually have a small rotation of razors that were honed the same day the same way and use those till the edges starts to annoy me. Than I think of a way to hone them and do so. Or I take 3-4 different razors and hone then in a way that I fancy.

I think I have successfully avoided HAD and as a result, have a pretty standard honing progression.

If I have to work up a new bevel, I use a Shapton Kuramaku 1000 or an Atoma 1000 if there is a lot damage or chipping. When I first got it, I used to go old school and start with heavy slurry on my coticule, but not often and not recently.

Then I continue the bevel setting with my Norton 4K/8K combination stone. I know there are better stones, but I don’t hone for a living and don’t have to reset a bevel very often. And, I have a certain loyalty to this old workhorse of a stone.

Most of the time, once I feel the bevel is where I want it, I use a natural combination coticule because I feel I have finally figured it out and it seems to work well with all my razors. I almost always finish on my Vermio although sometimes I try a small Thuringian I recently acquired or an Oozuko Jnat. The last two are used when I feel like trying something different.

I know I should, but I don’t keep a record of the honing I used with a given razor - that would be too organized and I don’t think of it until I pick up a razor and can’t remember how it was honed.

I'm old fashioned, I write everything down with pen and paper; then again my collection is probably not as grand as some of yours

Number of shaves on a blade is also good to record.

I store in cardboard boxes with 10-20 razors per box. Also love to experiment with stones and therefore feel summary record of what I did the previous time is essential for me E.g. for each razor (on one handwritten sheet per box):

Razor brand and width (if two of the same or similar in same box, I add distinguishing features like stamps, tarnish level, scale inscription etc)
Stone progression (from bevel set to final finisher)
Paste (if I used it and if yes which one)
Tape (if I used it and if yes how many layers)
Three stars to rate first shave (1 star = good, 2 = great, 3 = exceptional) (ok ones get re-honed immediately :))

Have thought of doing this on a spreadsheet but scared of it becoming a chore (or maybe it's just fear of deleting/losing the document).

Like the date and strop ideas (thanks much Euclid440) and will start adding these.

I use a spreadsheet that runs in Libre office, its free it might run on Microsoft office but office sometimes forgets the comments. The information is fairly obvious except for the space for hyperlinks to photos of the edge and the razor itself.I don't have photos for all of my razors. There is a cell for comments, the comment for my double duck is open. The image quality is bad and I can't figure out how to make it better. Attachment 312924

I too have pics linked in my speadsheet. Helps to find them when im looking for one in the big box.

I use an A5 sized hardbound notebook for razors. An A5 softbound with a cover would also be good. Usually I record the finisher and tomo, the date, and who I did them for if not my own, and whether I used tape and what kind. I haven’t found recording the bevel setter or intermediates that useful - sure that’s most of the honing, but the finisher and or tomo makes the feel. Who you honed for is important, if they contact you in 6 months and say ‘Boy that edge was so good, can you do another like it for me?’ the answer shouldn’t be ‘No, I didn’t record how I did it!’

Hones get a word processor file on the computer as I need images in that case.

I have no idea why this never occurted to me. As I am planning a honing session tonight I will also start a log tonight. Hopefully thi swill help me improve my honing but at the very least it will help me keep track of what I have honed and when.

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Originally Posted by Steve56

I use an A5 sized hardbound notebook for razors. An A5 softbound with a cover would also be good. Usually I record the finisher and tomo, the date, and who I did them for if not my own, and whether I used tape and what kind. I haven’t found recording the bevel setter or intermediates that useful - sure that’s most of the honing, but the finisher and or tomo makes the feel. Who you honed for is important, if they contact you in 6 months and say ‘Boy that edge was so good, can you do another like it for me?’ the answer shouldn’t be ‘No, I didn’t record how I did it!’

Hones get a word processor file on the computer as I need images in that case.

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“Ol Ugly” must be a great stone. :)

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Originally Posted by Steel

“Ol Ugly” must be a great stone. :)

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It’s the latest really good stone, so I’m using it a lot, but it is very good. Hard though, takes a while just to get a thin slurry.

Edit: this is ol’ ugly!

Well I have had 2 honing sessions since I started a log and it has already shown that it will pay off in a funny way. Did 3 razors each day (sort of) first day everything normal did same progression on my welsh slates for all 3. Next day one was definitely not as keen as the others, so it was separated from the ready to go and will get another session later.
Next session I used a stone of indeterminate grit that I got from an antique store and had recently lapped. Im guessing around 8k but will shave off of it or try to soon. The next was the surprise. While looking at through the loop it looked very smooth and sharp, so I decided to do the HHT. Well dang if it didn't seem like those hairs split before I even touched the razor! I can only assume I honed it at some point then placed it in the B box (those only in need of a honing and not any restoration) instead of the A box (those in regular rotation) because of lack of room. I tend to put overfill there so I guess I have to check them all out to see whats in B. The "third" straight that session I did on a progression of naniwas, it went well but of course the proof is in the shave so we shall see.

Now if I had used a log before would have known my clauss was already honed so system has already proved itself to me

I don't bother with a log, even for as many as I have.
All go thru the same progression of hones, only the finisher can be different. If I didn't like it, I go back to my usual finishers. .ya guys might want to add what strop, too. I've had blades that liked certain strops over others.

A edge doesn't end on the hone, it stops at the strop. :nj

I am firmly of the opinion that if something works for one edge, it works for all edges. As in: any hone or strop; the count may vary.

On topic: I used to keep rough track of my honing in an excel file. However, as I've been using pretty much one razor for the past year I haven't had much use for it anymore.

I’d have to disagree that if it works for one that it will work for all. The easiest example is a stainless or semi-stainless, wear-resistant steel, like SLD or ZDP. I have a 7“ Yoshikane SLD slicer, and if you’re using Naniwa SS, you’re going to be rubbing steel a long time. If you’re using a Shapton Glass HR, no problem, the HR Glass was designed to cut the cryogenic stainless Lie Nielsen A2 plane steel, so the right tool for the job is always the right decision. As far as jnats go, i can put this knife on two different stones, one will cut the SLD and the other just seems to burnish and round the edge.

I was on my third jnat finisher before I found one that my ice-hardened Sub Ceros liked, same for the Puma Inox frozen steel. Some hones work better than others on certain steels, both synthetic and natural.

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Originally Posted by Steve56

I’d have to disagree that if it works for one that it will work for all. The easiest example is a stainless or semi-stainless, wear-resistant steel, like SLD or ZDP. [...]

I was on my third jnat finisher before I found one that my ice-hardened Sub Ceros liked, same for the Puma Inox frozen steel. Some hones work better than others on certain steels, both synthetic and natural.

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I was mainly talking about razors. I've honed a bunch of Inox razors on coticules. Apart from a bit more time on the honed (nothing insane), I didn't notice any significant difference.

But that is just my experience, it's hard to make generalisations that hold water in all cases.

Regards,
Pieter