Thread: Pitfalls in honing - experiences from a newbie

I took me about two months to figure out how to hone a razor.
Now that I finally managed to get consistent results, I thought I'd look back and share the pitfalls I ran into and the setbacks I had to pass before I could really hone a dull razor.

I use the Belgian natural hones (Belgian Blue Whetstone and Coticule) and a DMT-E (1200 grit continuous diamond hone), but I think many of my observations would also apply to those who try to figure out honing on the Norton 4000/8000 combination stone.
It's a long list of errors I made since I started straight razor shaving in October 2007. Within a few months I probably won't remember many of them, due to the human selective memory, that has it's own little tricks to make sure that we generally think highly about ourselves.
So here we go:

1. An experienced shaver can maintain an edge infinitely with only a polishing stone like the coticule (or the Norton 8000). BUT... inexperienced shavers are bound to mess up their edge, by faulty stropping strokes, wrong shaving angles, early honing efforts. Such an edge cannot be revived with only a polishing or a "finishing" hone. I would have saved myself a lot of frustration if I figured that one out sooner.

2. One needs to establish a good bevel, before anything else. The SHARPNESS of an edge is in its BEVEL. Polishing that bevel with a finishing stone adds shaving comfort to the edge.

3. The Belgian Blue is NOT a bevel setting stone. Although it is often rated 4000 grit (the same as the Norton 4000), it is simply too slow and too smooth a cutter to use it to set a bevel. (I have never used a Norton 4000, but I understand that it is a much faster and more aggressive cutter, so I guess setting a bevel can be done on a Norton 4000)

4. Once it it sufficiently broken in, the DMT-E is a great bevel setting stone.

5. ULTRA LIGHT strokes, most importantly during the 25 last strokes give a big improvement in the keenness one can reach on a DMT-E.

6. Always use the Belgian Blue with slurry. (It hardly does anything without) 50 to 100 strokes will do. (thanks to David - heavydutysg135)

7. Use the Coticule with only water, or with a very watery slurry.
50 to 100 strokes will do.

8. Do the X-stroke. Don't re-invent the wheel while you're learning a new skill. I repeat: Do the X-stroke. Please don't ask me how I know this...

9. During the X-stroke, look close at the edge. I have been honing on 7 different razors so far. I know that is not much, but there wasn't a single one with a blade that could lay completely flat on the hone and make contact along the entire edge. Cheating a tiny bit on the angle while dragging the razor over the hone's edge during the X-stroke was with 4 of those 7 blades the only way to hone the entire edge.

10. Use the magic marker test. Use a waterproof marker. Degrease the edge if it was previously oiled for rust-protection.
Inspect the edge under a good light source (thanks to Josh Earl for that advice). Look for odd reflections coming from the bevel, they reveal where the bevel is still out of shape.

11. Learn how to do the TPT and how to interpret its tactile sensations. I can't do it without making a little lowest pressure slicing motion while touching the edge with the tip of my thumb.

12. DON'T PROCEED to the polishing stage before a positive magic marker test and a keen sticky result on the TPT along the entire bevel. I guess with growing experience one will learn to rely on that experience and perform fewer tests, but an apprentice can't perform too much tests.

13. It may take many strokes before a good bevel is established.

14. It may even take some more strokes before a good bevel is established. Don't delude yourself with wishful thinking. An edge that feels... wel, eh... "semi-sharp" at the TPT may seem just a bit sharper on the next TPT, just because you WANT it to feel sharper... That little black residue from the permanent marker is not something that will solve itself after polishing stage... Again, don't ask me how I know this...

15. Rinse the blade with clean water between different hones. Using a towel or a tissue to pinch-clean a blade that has honing residue on it, may leave nasty cross-pattern scratches on the edge (and the rest of the blade)

16. Keep your lower grit hones from contaminating your higher grit hones (or even your strop or canvas).

17. Strop about 50 laps on clean leather after your finishing stone and try the HHT. I have shaved many times with a razor that would not pass that test, but I only had DECENT SHAVES with a razor that passed the HHT, even if it did so with some reluctance.

18. Keep the strop reasonably taut. (It is not a fitness exercise, though) and use just enough pressure to generate some drag.

19. Don't despair. Everyone can learn how to ride a bike. Everyone can learn how to hone a razor.

20. Don't forget to enjoy the journey.

Cheers,
Bart.

Nice post.

Thanks for taking the time for such
a good post.

John

Good job.

Well done.

Excellent post!

I've learned, too, that trying to even out a bevel by pressing hardish while having one's fingers too far forward on the razor may lead to the loss of finger-flesh, and hence is not to be recommended

Bart,

Great post. I agree about 99.9 percent. I do use a soft microfiber cloth to wipe blades clean between hones and for examination. Other than that...

You are correct in your assumption that a Norton 4K can substitute for a bevel-setting hone. It does take longer, though, and the only danger for a newbie is that he might get nervous doing so many strokes and figure he's ruining his razor. Or he might get impatient and use a lot of pressure to speed things along, and that can damage the razor.

I don't pay attention to the number of strokes while setting the bevel and cleaning up the edge. It has to be done right, even if it means a freakish number of strokes...

Josh

Where's a good X-stroke demo??

Scott,

Checkout randydance062449's avatar.

Thanks!! I thought you were kidding, but there it was!