Thread: Minimal and cheapest way to maintain an edge.

Hello

I did read a lot recently but still have a few questions.

Let's say I buy a shave ready (really shave ready, honed by someone that knows what he's doing).

I don't want to restore razors (at least for the moment). So when the leather will be useless and the razor will need some honing, will I be ok with simply a 8k slipstone and a 12k to finish?

(IMO there should be a sticky with minimal hardware suggestions like this).

I do plan to get a Norton 4k-8k stone, but for the moment I'm really low on cash.

Thanks

Another question:

What I was talking about above was "refreshing" an edge like Lynn said on the DVD (segment found on Youtube).

After how many "refreshing" does a straight need to be honed, and after how many shaves does a razor need to be refreshed?

I got by for years and years with just a swaty-type barber's hone. You'll probably get a sharper edge with the stones you mentioned but don't forget that there are other costs, such as flattening stones, prep stones, etc. You can probably find a barber's hone on eBay for about $30 and it may be all that you ever need. A good resource for honing product information is The Perfect Edge.

I got a 4 sided pasted strop with 3.0,1.0,0.5,0.25 diamond pastes and use that to refresh my blades between honing which about 3 or 4 months apart. I hone with a DMT 8EE which is a 3 micron diamond plate, that does not have to be lapped, when the blade will not hold an edge for any length of time. I expect a blade to stay very sharp for about 7 shaves YMMV. I like coming off a 0.25 paste and my beard will puncture tires so there you have it. I like the bare essentials and being able to hone reasonably good razors.

Take Care,
Richard

Originally Posted by Chimensch

I got by for years and years with just a swaty-type barber's hone.

Was this without any other form of honing or was the barber hone was only between more important honings?

Originally Posted by cybrok

Was this without any other form of honing or was the barber hone was only between more important honings?

In 1980, I decided I wanted to learn to use a straight razor. Of course, there was no Internet, so I went to Chicago Cutlery and asked the clerk what I needed. He sold me a new Dovo 5/8 stainless steel razor and a hanging strop, telling me that it was all I needed. My first shave ripped up my face, so I went back to the store. The clerk told me I wasn't stropping enough and sent me away. The razor continued to rip up my face. I went back to the store again, but this time a customer overhead my discussion with the clerk and interrupted to tell me that I needed a hone. The clerk said it was impossible because Dovo razors come shave ready from the factory. The customer said, no, that razor isn't sharp enough, he needs a hone. I bought the barber hone and that solved my problem. I used that razor, barber hone and strop for 28 years until I found SRP and learned how much I didn't know. I've now bought a Norton 4K/8K combination stone, Norton flattening stone and Norton prep stone, for a total of about $110.00. Yes, I think the Norton gives a better edge, but the barber hone edge wasn't bad either.

If you do not damage the edge (i.e. chip or nick it or rust it) you can keep your razor going with only a finishing hone. Whether that be a coticule, natural Chinese 12K (fairly cheap), a Thuringian, a fine barber hone, a Norton or any man-made hone. Some barber hones even have a coarse and a fine side. You don not need any fancy lapping stone for your hone. I use a piece of sandpaper on the kitchen work top.

I have never used a paddle strop but they say you do round the bevel a bit with them so eventually you'll need a hone.

Many of us are straight razor enthusiasts and equipment freaks and some of us(myself included) have more money than sense and keep buying, looking for the holy grail in honing and shaving, which we tend not to find as it is as elusive as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The up side is that we can sell our stuff again on the B/S/T forum.

I'm checking with Tilly for a hone. This should do the trick until I can afford a 4000/8000 stone.

I saw some 8k slipstones at woodcraft.com, but they ask a ridiculous amount of 28$ to ship that tiny stone to Canada

I've been doing this off and on since the late '70s and never needed anything more than a barbers hone. I am currently getting ready to restore some razors and that may change. Also Ive never spent more than 10$ for a hone.

Originally Posted by cybrok

I'm checking with Tilly for a hone. This should do the trick until I can afford a 4000/8000 stone.

I saw some 8k slipstones at woodcraft.com, but they ask a ridiculous amount of 28$ to ship that tiny stone to Canada

I am afraid Tilly is out of business (redtrader99).