Thread: What is your touch-up routine?

I have got a razor that I have been using for a long time. Every so often I used to touch the edge up on a Jnat generic barber's hone that I acquired fom a member some time ago.
After a few successful touch-ups I have now come to the point that the edge won't get really keen with the same routine that has been so successful in the past. Especially the middle part of the edge is the problem area, near the toe and near the heel there is no problem.
Have you guys had similar experiences?

Do I have to reset the bevel with a slightly coarser hone?

I do 5-10 passes on a 6k water stone and finish with 25 passes on 20k jasper with water. Then strop.

Touch up.

Either half a dozen on 12k Naniwa SS or 20 or so on my Coticule with plain water.

Depends on the blade for me. Sheffields get about 10-20 dry on a coticule. American blades get 50-60 on a black or trans ark with water or Smith's solution (not their oil). German blades usually either same as American or sometimes Thuringian for 10-20.

When that will no longer do it I will go back to 4k, then complete the progression. Unless the bevel has been chipped or dinged that usually does it for me.

Originally Posted by Kees

Especially the middle part of the edge is the problem area, near the toe and near the heel there is no problem.

Do I have to reset the bevel with a slightly coarser hone?

A photo would help although it seems like you may have inadvertently created a frown.
Use a sharpie to mark the edge and do a couple of laps. If the middle still has pen on it you have a frown. You can also just hold the razor perpendicular to your hone to see if there is light in the middle.

For the last while I have been trying to maintain on a regular basis, not just when it starts to tug or when the shave drops off.
I think using the touchup hone after every shave is the way to go as opposed to when things are starting to degrade.

In use the edge gets beat up and when trying to use just a few strokes after 5-10 shaves it simply is not enough to fix the degradation.
It will makes most of it sharp again the first time then slightly less next time and so on.
I have found with VERY good barber hones 10-15 strokes is a minimum.
A Coti (mine - certainly not everyones) at least 40.
My most successful lately has been my HGH from RezDog. Doing 40 after each shave the edge is getting fully repaired and shaving beautifully.
I use a proper microscope for edge inspection normally and since trying the maintenance thing I employed it as well.

I would think that your edge loosing something in the middle is from edge damage from shaving on the most used part.
Good magnification will let you know.
My 2 cents.

With 200+ razors, I'll probably never have to do a touch up. I'll restore another, before I can dull the previous razor.

If the heel and toe are honing ok but the centre of the blade is not, maybe check the hone for some concaving through the centre. It will happen from usage over time. A straight edge laid across the hone will show. Just a thought

Originally Posted by outback

With 200+ razors, I'll probably never have to do a touch up. I'll restore another, before I can dull the previous razor.

My situation also. I don't think I've ever touched up a razor. Now I've found that I hadn't honed one very well and took it back to a bevel set. But I've never worn an edge out yet.

A pasted paddle strop with .005 diamond paste will keep a good blade edge serviciable based on my experience. However I have twenty blades in rotation. I'm retired and don't shave more than two or three times a week. I don't need to refresh edges very often. I pick up a blade on ebay once in a while just to keep my hand in it.