Thread: How many laps on a Norton 8k

The edge on my razor is just starting to dull and I'm wondering how many laps would you give it on a Norton 8k to freshen the edge?

I assume that there is a minimum number of laps that would be a good starting point?

Sorry mods. I didn't realise I had posted this in the wrong section. Can it please be moved to honing. Thanks.

A conservative honing pyramid would be a good start. There is a pyramid guide in the stickies, or archives or something.

Or just go until it comes back up to speed, being careful to not over do it as the norton has a tendency to over hone an edge in a few too many strokes.

I am a noob, bujt from what I have read I believe it is 5 to 10 on each. Then test the blade and see how it is.

Originally Posted by Black Beard

The edge on my razor is just starting to dull and I'm wondering how many laps would you give it on a Norton 8k to freshen the edge?

I assume that there is a minimum number of laps that would be a good starting point?

Sorry mods. I didn't realise I had posted this in the wrong section. Can it please be moved to honing. Thanks.

I don't know if there is a minimum, even if the razor is just starting to dull. Some people never lap such razors on hones, but strap them instead with and without abrasive pastes.

Here is a great resource for honing http://straightrazorpalace.com/basic...faq-index.html

Lynn's answer to this exact question is here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/basic...g-pyramid.html

If its just starting to pull, I would go 1-3, 1-3, 1-5 or something like that then test shave. Nothing really new to add....

Jordan

If it is just starting to pull a little, then you could address it with a little diamond paste. I sometimes use 0.5 micron and 0.25 micron diamond paste on one of Tony Miller's double sided paddle strops. On some edges the 0.25 produces a somewhat harsh edge and I finish with about 50-60 passes on newspaper. The newspaper is about 0.1 micron according to one source.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

Lynn's answer to this exact question is here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/basic...g-pyramid.html

Is the honing pyramid a solution for a blade that is just beginning to dull?

Yes, it can be used as such. There are many members that just do a few strokes on a high grit hone for updating.

This, to me, becomes a sort of "how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll" question.

The key to figure out how many strokes is to never think about it at all. You need to build an experience base to understand what stropping will do to a razor to achieve that last bit of sharpness.

Backing up from there you should complete a series of strokes, say 5 perhaps, and just add 5 strokes on the hone, test how you feel it shaves, add 5 more and see how that feels, add 5 more if you want.

Let the quality of the shave tell you how many strokes are needed for each blade, not the post count of the guy replying.

Your beard and your face will begin to tell you.

I will say that stainless razors probably deserve more strokes on 8k and carbon blades less, but that the actual number of strokes is hidden somewhere in the comfort and closeness of your future shaves.

Thanks for the input guys.

I've given it 8 laps on the 8k. I started initially on 5 and found it was nearly back where I wanted, then I added another 3. Having lapped it on the 8k I gave it 100 strokes on the latigo and it's shaving real nice again