Thread: Transitioning from tools to razors part ii

This original thread humbled me into learning that straight razor honing is not planer and chisel honing. For one, the stakes are so much higher on a soft target.

So now eBay delivered a nice kit of Naniwa 1, 3, 8 & 12k stones. I've put the DMT extra fine and Boy Scout stones away.I found an affordable loupe from Belarus BeLomo 20x (10 x would have been better choice) I have two strops and a piece of denim. One is a nice Illinois 206 and the other is pretty beat up for practice or maybe pasting?

My practice razor is a griffon xx taped. So far, I believe to be following directions well.

The main learning was to stop focusing on the 12k mirror finish ( it doesn't help ) but to start over and set te edge.

I'm following the honing guide https://shavelibrary.com/w/Beginner%27s_Guide_to_Honing and still need practice, but it looks great. Uniform slightly angled scratches on the 1000.

Long essay... but some questions

1) magic marker test - nice and clean except the last centimeter. I'll post a pic. Is it pressure? Practice? Smiley? Frowny? Lapping? Is it obvious?

2) ceramic naniwa 1k is a new ballgame for me. It seems to be building up? Ok right? Expected for fiftyish strokes?

3) I stroked t until it hums ... can't explain but it felt like a sharpening stone now it feels like smooth glass. That's a good sign but I don't know if I've got an edge or the same useless sharpness as before?

4) wet, right? (It feels right)

5) videos ? Is there a great video that we trust? I keep finding people demonstrating on paper

I don't want to progress up until 1k gets a passing grade.

One pic shows apparent buildup and practice razor
One pic shows clean green start
One pic shows AFTER four careful strokes on each side. The other side is clean.

Why did you tape like that ???

Out of all the vids on my channel that deal with honing this might be my Fav to show to newbs

It isn't me honing,,, just helping, back when Mark was new to this

https://youtu.be/vxrs5kFkmJg?si=Npzs3_0l5LYABHHS

Why tape like that? Dunno…. Just doing what I was told, sir. This blade’s shoulder already had significant wear and the blade width is worn all the way close to the logo, so it made a good practice blade. I understand heretofore throughout eternity I shall tape this blade when honing. I’m sure the angle is going to be quite steep.

I’m digging into the video now…thanks!

“First thing you do is tape” says the video. Did I tape it incorrectly? Maybe that’s what you meant?

Yes, it's taped incorrectly. It needs taped from just past the shoulders, to the toe.

The hone wear on that blade requires advanced taping techniques. To learn right, u need a razor with minimal, even hone wear, or a new razor.

Watch numerous videos and abstract the info that u commonly see and hear.

I'll say this...use an X stroke, over flat honing the whole edge all at once. That's the most common stroke for most razors

Found in every barbers handbook. Along with learning to shave a balloon to pass the test, for shaving customers.

Mike and Glen are always right!
Always, ALWAYS hone toward a smile and at least tape the spine all the way.Hang some off the grob.
Creative tape wear/adding tape is something learned but only after basics are grounded.

From Myself...

Don't begin with a train wreck. Those need advanced stuff. Good razor with fine geometry which won't quite shave.
That's what you want.

This is a worn out practice razor.
Focusing on the initial bezel is the focus and whether this blade makes it to shave-ready would require advanced skills. So let's just use it to get the bevel right.

I'll re-tape it . I did the x strokes on the 1000. It's not ready for any balloon test. I'm a little lost.

How do you know the edge is perfect, neither over nor under honed?
Whether the angle is off by thousandths due to size is of no consequence.

I don't want to practice on some of the nicer and older blades in this bunch. I'm trying to learn edge. Then hone. Then strop.

Then I'll Polish a nice one before starting it all again.

You now have a good quality set of hones, good job. With practice and lots of patience they will get a razor to shave ready, provided no heavy lifting is required with low grits. Make sure those new stones are flat, don't assume they are. Pencil a grid all over stone face and lap with a fine diamond plate. Repeat process to be sure. Before a honing session I always run a few laps across the stones with a fine diamond plate. Hones can dish faster than you think. As the other fellas said, run the tape from tip of toe to just past shoulders. Avoid bubbles and wrinkles in tape. Sounds pedantic but you gotta do the simple little things right. Check tape regular, it can wear through fast on 1k. Remember, be patient. Try avoid info overload, I found it useful to follow honing advice from just one or two helpful experienced fellas.

Get some Captan tape to protect your now perfect tape job

Note: be careful. I know two extremely experienced and talented honers who both got 8 stitches just from taping

Honing, is a very difficult thing to teach in person, let alone by description. That's for sure. Even more so when it's as fine a edge, as a straight. Were talking one step from surgical sharp, if not, here. It's something that takes time to learn, and a lot more to learn/create techniques for stubborn blades.

Go slow, take your time learning to set a proper bevel, as your doing. Depending on the condition of razor, it can take several hours of honing to achieve a bevel. I've had a few that took several days of on n off honing, before it was set for a progression.

The balloon test was for the barber. If he could consistently shave a balloon with a straight without popping it, he would achieve his certification in proper use and maintenance of straights. It teaches how light a touch it needs to shave, without irritation. Its not for testing an edges ability to cut.

I've been putting steel to stone for nearly 50 years, and almost 40 with straights. I learned to hone a knives, with rocks I picked off the ground, before I knew what a whet stone was. I learned to use a whet stone from a boy scout hand book. That's where I learned the X stroke.

The explanation in the hand book was.. lay the blade flat on hone, lift spine of knife off hone till you see the edge meet the hone, then act as your trying to cut a slice of cheese from the hone. Flip and repeat till edge starts to cut into a moistened thumb pad, by lightly pushing laterally along the edge. I learned how to not cut myself after several failures due to lack of knowledge. But even then, and still is for most edged tools today.....Xstroke it. Even a smiling blade will take to an XStroke just as well as a straight blade. About all I can teach of honing by conversation. All the rest is just learning for yourself.

At least u have the internet for info, which might be too much. GSSIXGUNS (Glen) has great videos on razor honing, as well as Lynn Abrams, from the late..SRP/SRD

Id advise these gents videos for you. ( I prefer Glen over Lynn )
Once u have a basic understanding, it'll get easier. Stick with it, don't get discouraged. If it was easy.. we'd all be doing it. Some just can't comprehend it.
And yes...there's videos showing how to see how a bevel looks thru it's stages as it's totally set properly, showing uneven bevels n all.
Sorry, I have no link, or remember where I'd seen it.

You seem determined, so keep at it, it'll all come together with time.