Thread: I sharpen My Razors!

I think that this is a good thread. Because, just like you might maintain your own car or bike, I maintain my own razors. So, the only razors I am sharpening is my own. So the question is do I need the same stones and pastes in comparing to honing other razors?
I read a thread on here where someone just used a barber hone and a pasted strop, and he was cutting atoms with a smooth shave. Maybe because He was sharpening his own razors all the time?
So is it a question of what works for you or is it a question of what really works?
I would like to hear comments on this thread,,,
Thanks and having fun doing this..

I do my own razors as well. I use 2 different stones, a pasted paddle strop, than the hanging strop.

1200 King
4/8k Norton
1.0-0.5 diamond pasted Tony Miller paddle strop

So far I have been able to get a shave ready edge consistantly with these products. Depending on the steel, it may take me longer...

I'd like to add to this set up but I'm to broke at the moment to pay attention so that will have to wait till another time...

Originally Posted by richard12550

I think that this is a good thread. Because, just like you might maintain your own car or bike, I maintain my own razors. So, the only razors I am sharpening is my own. So the question is do I need the same stones and pastes in comparing to honing other razors?
I read a thread on here where someone just used a barber hone and a pasted strop, and he was cutting atoms with a smooth shave. Maybe because He was sharpening his own razors all the time?
So is it a question of what works for you or is it a question of what really works?
I would like to hear comments on this thread,,,
Thanks and having fun doing this..

I am not sure if I understand your question? Are you trying to ask if one can sharpen any razor with the stones that they use to just maintain the edges on their already sharp edges? If that is the question then I would answer that it does take different stones to sharpen an ebay razor or antique razor that is very dull and/or slightly damaged than what it takes to maintain a sharp edge. I use a belgian coticule and or escher to maintain or touch up an edge. If I need to remove a lot of metal to sharpen a razor initially I use a Norton 4K and Belgian Blue because I don't want to spend forever with very slow cutting stones. These stones have worked equally well on all the different razors that I have sharpened. Sorry if this was not your question.

If you will only be owning and sharpening up to 5-6 razors, your equipment might be quite different than if you get RAD and end up buying many, but not by much.

Have fun.

Lynn

Thank you for the replies. Apologize if I wasnt clear. I only intent to have maybe 3-5 razors. So , the question was what works for those razors. Not, that I need a host of stones for different razors or do you really need the same stones and pastes for any razors?
I think that the last reply answered it with "not much different setup"
I was very curious on what a regular honemesiter might have as compared to someone that only has a collection of 5-6 razors.
Thank again,,

I'll say you need what works for you. The Norton combo works for me and I've never had much luck with the barber hones.

X

I have about 6 shave ready razors. What works for me is the norton 4k/8k followed by the chinese 12k. A lot of members here use different stones and combinations of stones and paste's. Learning to hone isn't easy but when the majority of members are using the same stone (norton 4k/8k) its easier to get insight on common problems. Like others have said i don't like barber hones because there hard to lap and they cut extremely slow. honestly the only way your going to know what works best for you is to try different things.

The set up I use is just what I had on hand for doing my kitchen knives. I'm still battling myself over getting a coticule stone. It would just be for the razors and I'm to broke to get new specilized equipment at the moment...

I think anyone wanting to get started in honeing should seriously consider the Norton 4/8k stone. Basicly because so many have tried it and like it. It's a versitile stone that doesn't cost more than it's worth.

One of the fun things about straight razor usage, aside from running naked steel down your throat, is the sharpening! There are many ways to sharpen anything with an edge on it. I like natural stones followed by natural leather. The artificial stones are fine and you can good shave ready from them but for that last 10% of performance that can be wrung out of a razor, I like the coticule from Belgium. I own and use dozens of other stones for all kinds of honing, deburring, shaping, etc. and after doing LOTS of sharpening over the course of the past 40 years, my tendency is to use what I know works and part of that means it does the job fast and with minimal mess. Fast is important as the more you hone a blade the more likely something will go wrong! As far as the mess goes, I like to make a mess as much as the next guy but don't like blood in the mess much anymore.