Honing. Keep it up or you get rusty

Well, maybe it's just me.
I sat down last night and got out the stones. I had around 20 razors in my "Needs Honed" cup so I dug in. It's been close to a year since I had done any honing and to tell the truth I could never hone again and still have a sharp edge to shave with for the rest of my life but...

I have lost the touch.???

I haven't given up but I did last night. I'm going to lap all my stones today so I'm ready to try again soon. What I was doing wrong I have no clue as I haven't lost my mind or forgotten the details or the job. Just something has escaped my grasp in this. I know with a little more time and effort it will come back but Damn! I had never thought I'd just lose the touch.


The question of my post is...
For those that havent honed in a while...
Can you just pick it up right where you left off and make great edges after many many months, or do you have to work back into it?

Now you are worrying me.

Usually, I can find a reason to put a blade to the stones at least once a month, even if it’s just for a touch up on a finishing stone.

But it’s been several months since I have honed anything other than an axe and your comments have made me anxious about losing my honing mojo.

Hmmm....can't remember that ever happening to me. But, I've had a few edges give me the fitts.

I wasn't sure about this so I figured I'd ask. Its always possible its just me.
At least thats what she said. :rofl2:

Limit your time on bevel setting each razor. If you can’t make it in twenty minutes oo to the next blade in a line. If you just concentrate on your problem children then you will start to question your skill level.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

If you just concentrate on your problem children then you will start to question your skill level.

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Great words my friend. And oh so true. Thank you for reminding me.

With a couple comments from my friends I've figured out its not me loosing my touch. Thanks to Shaun for pointing out to me that most of the razors in my cup were problem razors. Meaning I had issues trying to get an edge on them to start with so they may not have been a perfect edge. And for another fine member who pointed out that with the amount of time it has been since I last honed I have no idea on the condition of my stones and they should get a good lapping as it cant hurt but only help.

I honed up two this eve after all the lapping and I'm happy with the HHT and TPT that I got from these. The shave test is the real test but with the test results I feel these 2 are ready.

Its just a reminder that a clean work station keeping the cross contamination from different hones to a minimum, a good lapping and knowing your razors will make honing come together.
I still have my Mojo! :rock::y

I noticed something similar. I've been using one razor for the last 2 years give or take, when I finally decided to break out the stones and touch up a couple of the other blades that have been out of the rotation the first edge left something to be desired. Part of the issue was honing blind, I assumed they just needed a quick and dirty touch up and closer inspection revealed some micro chips that needed to be worked out. I was probably being a little heavy handed too, the razor I was keeping up with on the barber hones is a touch thicker and doesn't require as light a hand to avoid warping the blade via pressure.

On the bright side, it's like riding a bicycle. The first time back on a bicycle in years might be a little wobbly, but by the second or third ride it all comes together and feels natural again.

I struggled to get the first edge in line, the following night everything came together and I knocked out 3 in an hour. I may revisit the blade I finished on my coticule, but that's primarily because that little yellow rock and I have a hate/hate relationship. It doesn't like me, I don't like it, and if it hadn't cost so much to have it shipped straight from Ardennes I'd chuck it into a lake and call it even.

:jedi:

So when you guys own and hone many many razors do they all get the same treatment? I sat down to put bevels on these clean ups I'm working on and got bevels set on 3.5 of them, but each seemed to need something a little different.

I think if I were better at a rolling x stroke, that may work on all (not sure, I'm new to impolite razors) but I imagine even with a rolling x you would have to change the amount of roll depending on the warp?

So, this brings me to the question of whether you remember the nuances of each, or if you diagnose it every time.

I have another wrinkle to inject. I just shaved with a straight this morning for the first time since my injury. I also only tried stropping once before today and after a small nick gave up before I was sorry. Just before I split my finger in half I ordered a large lot of stones. A few days ago I tried out a couple but could tell pretty quickly that my dexterity was not back sufficiently and again discretion became the better part of valor.
My concern has been that I can't separate what is rustiness from what is recovery related and what is new stone mystery.
I have decided that, for the time being I will stick with edges I have already sharp. Fortunately I have a bunch that I honed up when I had my ark-epiphany. Once I become more coordinated I will return on stones I know and am comfortable with first.

Good plan Paul.
And as far as remembering the difficulties of each blade, no way man! Too damn many of them plus a short memory dont help. I use a spread sheet and keep notes. PLUS, when you put it on the stone it only take a couple laps and you feel if it warped and how to go about it. I also keep track of what finishing stone i used and how i finished it meaning slurry and such. The amount of tape too.

Sure, i could just grab up a razor and put it to the stones and figure it all out again in a few laps but with a little info saved i know im not guessing.

Glad Im not alone Marshal. Good to hear. Thanks.

Being an almost complete honing n00b, I’m experimenting with my recent $2 acquisition. When I can successfully shave with it, I’m going to be looking for a nice vintage razor. Until then, at least I can rest assured that I won’t be ruining a nice blade.

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Originally Posted by Gasman

PLUS, when you put it on the stone it only take a couple laps and you feel if it warped and how to go about it.

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Couple of laps, huh? Gotta work my way up to that, or down to that, I suppose.

Thanks for the tip.

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Originally Posted by planeden

So when you guys own and hone many many razors do they all get the same treatment? I sat down to put bevels on these clean ups I'm working on and got bevels set on 3.5 of them, but each seemed to need something a little different.

I think if I were better at a rolling x stroke, that may work on all (not sure, I'm new to impolite razors) but I imagine even with a rolling x you would have to change the amount of roll depending on the warp?

So, this brings me to the question of whether you remember the nuances of each, or if you diagnose it every time.

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I only have about 6 or so that are in such a condition that they can be shaved, and none of them are terribly warped or require a particularly different approach. I pretty much use a rolling X stroke on everything I hone. I've found it simplifies things because it just works for every blade I've owned.

I do like checking everything with a loupe, magnification reveals things that I wouldn't notice otherwise. And in some cases wouldn't even expect. Beyond that, each blade gets what it needs based on what stones I feel like playing with at the time. For example, the Dovo I've been using almost exclusively has been maintained on a barber's hone. If it feels like it's tugging, I soap up the barber's hone and give it 5 strokes, then check how it shaves. I don't need to check it under a loupe because of how recently it's been used and the nature of barber hones. They're fine, but also really fast. You can move a surprising amount of steel in a short amount of time with a Swaty. If it's satisfactory, I finish the shave. If not I'll give it 10 strokes, then check again. Rinse/repeat until satisfaction is achieved. But more often than not 5 strokes will do (and if they don't it's because I rolled the edge on the strop).

Honestly I find the stones require more nuance and variation than the blades themselves do. There's a large difference between honing with Norton synthetic hones, Welsh slates, and Arkansas stones while the difference between honing my Gold Dollar and my Dovo is slim - the Gold Dollar is just softer and takes slightly fewer strokes to finish up.

Thanks Marshall. I should probably start my own thread and let Gasman have his back. I'll work on my rolling x and see what I can figure out.

Thanks

I think honing is a skill and once you learn it, it's always with you. I stopped using a straight for 2 years and it all came right back.

As far as different razors, I've found over the years if you be talking in service razors probably 80% need the same routine. The other 20% are let's say different razors maybe the steel or the grind and they need extra attention but I know those since there aren't that many of them. Of course if you be talking Eboy Specials or if you have a razor with a damaged edge each one is an individual requiring a thorough analysis and deciding on how to approach it.

I haven't added any new razors in years and sold off a good number so the ones I have left I'm very familiar with. That makes it easy and I don't have that many hones either, maybe 9 or so.

I agree that once you acquire the skill it stays with you. I will sometimes buy the occasional eBay razor after a long hiatus just to keep those edge restoration skills fresh.

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For me it does require a razor or two to get the mojo back.