Too Many Strokes

I have spent the last couple of weeks ratcheting down on the number of strokes I take on my hones, and think I have move up to another level of sharpness.

I had been taking 30 and 40 strokes on the various hones moving up through the grits, but this has apparently been excessive.

Now I am limiting it to 12 - 15 strokes and getting much better results.

The most amazing was this AM when I found my Genco Easy Aces has gotten a little dull, so I gave it 6 strokes with my Dixie barber's hone, then stropped it, and suddenly it is as smooth as glass and shaving effortlessly against the grain again.

It went from uncomfortable, raspy, not shaving, to wiping whiskers off my face again.


I don't know why this took so long to get to. I just didn't believe it was possible until I tried it. Perhaps in the past, I was getting there much faster than I thought and then going past the point of "overhoned" and causing a problem.

I'm just wondering if others have had this kind of epiphany.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by toolarts

...
I'm just wondering if others have had this kind of epiphany.

---

Yes indeed! I'm a big believer in minimum strokes with minimum pressure. I really like barber hones, too.

Sign me up!

Just an off the wall question, Toolarts, but do you sell under the same name on ebay? If so I know I've bought more than one razor from you in the past.
Good show.

John P.

Toolarts has never sold a razor on Ebay. :confused:

Unless I am developing a bevel I stop after every 10 to check it. I hate overhoning and lighter is better.


Richard

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by toolarts

I have spent the last couple of weeks ratcheting down on the number of strokes I take on my hones, and think I have move up to another level of sharpness.

I had been taking 30 and 40 strokes on the various hones moving up through the grits, but this has apparently been excessive.

Now I am limiting it to 12 - 15 strokes and getting much better results.

The most amazing was this AM when I found my Genco Easy Aces has gotten a little dull, so I gave it 6 strokes with my Dixie barber's hone, then stropped it, and suddenly it is as smooth as glass and shaving effortlessly against the grain again.

It went from uncomfortable, raspy, not shaving, to wiping whiskers off my face again.


I don't know why this took so long to get to. I just didn't believe it was possible until I tried it. Perhaps in the past, I was getting there much faster than I thought and then going past the point of "overhoned" and causing a problem.

I'm just wondering if others have had this kind of epiphany.

---

Thanks Tool.........I think I'm going down that same road ! Was trying for a nice, big, fat juicy bevel......honing and honing and honing.

Just got two of my razors back from Lynn, and the bevel is not nearly
as broad as I thought it would be (and of course, the razors are WICKED SHARP). :bow

I NEED PRACTICE ! ! ! :shrug:

Marko....

Just thought I'd add a couple of points: First, "too many strokes" is relative. If the razor is already shaving and just needs a touch up, sure, a few strokes will usually bring it back around. But if you're working on a razor that you haven't honed previously, you'll probably get very, very old this way before you have a successful shave test. The important thing, as heavyduty says, is doing the "right number" of strokes. Sometimes that's a lot, sometimes it's just a few.

Also, the size of the honing bevel is mostly dependent on the razor's grind, not the number of strokes used. With a full hollow, you can hone away half the blade and the bevel size probably won't change much. On a wedge or other heavy grind, the bevel is going to increase naturally as you hone it. Sometimes on heavy-ground razors it's necessary to hone away a lot of metal to get to a clean, sharp edge, and in these cases you will end up with a wide bevel.

Just a couple of thoughts,
Josh