Thread: need honing help...

Hi guys... I have a 7/8 carbon razor I got from a member here a while ago (i don't even know who by now). In the beginning it was giving just amazing shaves with it. That deteriorated in time, so I got 2 hones, the Spyderco Fine and UltraFine. I tried honing maybe 5 times now and it got better after 3 times honing (though never to the point it was at before), then got much worse till now I can't even shave with this razor cause it's too painful! Is there anything I can do with the stones I have, or do I need a different stone? I also don't want to damage the razor anymore than it is cause it was my favorite before.... maybe I should send it to someone who knows what he/she is doing?

Any help will be appreciated...

Originally Posted by eanzenberg

Hi guys... I have a 7/8 carbon razor I got from a member here a while ago (i don't even know who by now). In the beginning it was giving just amazing shaves with it. That deteriorated in time, so I got 2 hones, the Spyderco Fine and UltraFine. I tried honing maybe 5 times now and it got better after 3 times honing (though never to the point it was at before), then got much worse till now I can't even shave with this razor cause it's too painful! Is there anything I can do with the stones I have, or do I need a different stone? I also don't want to damage the razor anymore than it is cause it was my favorite before.... maybe I should send it to someone who knows what he/she is doing?

Any help will be appreciated...

If the razor started to get better and then got worse I'll guess the edge got ruined some way. I don't have any experience with the Spyderco Fine, so my suggestion is to read up on the Progressive Honing guide, or if you don't want to do that , send it out.

This are the suggestions in the Progressive honing guide:

Spyderco M, F, UF: Medium: when setting a factory edge/bevels, use marker and TNT, check the edge every 5 laps.
Fine: 15 laps, every 5 laps thereafter. Ultra Fine: same as the fine. These hones are fairly fast cutters.

Hope this helps!

Tell us where you are (a honemiester could be right around the corner) and tell us alittle more about what you mean by "3 times".

What did each of these times consist of? And if you don't know, just estimate.

It sounds like he has overhoned the edge. He needs to perform the thumbnail test to find out.

Recommend you have a honemeister restore this blade to its original condition. Use it as a standard and get yourself another razor to practice your honing. Just my .02 cents.

Hi guys... I'm in Boston Mass right now so if any honemeisters are out there in the area, I'd love to meet up. Anyways, my regiment for the honings was something like, 15 laps on the Fine, 30 on UltraFine, then stropped. I did this 5 times in a row before I shaved, and the shaves got better until the 3rd time (but not as good as when I first got started) then went downhill fast. Let me know if anyone can help...

Sounds like overhoning. Do you know how to correct that?

What happened right before it "went down hill fast" ??

With the money you'll have to expend to send your razor out, get a DMT-8E (1200) mesh, and start from scratch setting the bevel.
Then you can go to your Fine and Extra Fine stones.
And get yourself a cheap razor, like a Doble Arrow and play with it.
This is the price to pay to learn. Before you know it you'll be a "honemeister"
There're plenty of videos on the net to help.

Originally Posted by Navaja

With the money you'll have to expend to send your razor out, get a DMT-8E (1200) mesh, and start from scratch setting the bevel.
Then you can go to your Fine and Extra Fine stones.
And get yourself a cheap razor, like a Doble Arrow and play with it.
This is the price to pay to learn. Before you know it you'll be a "honemeister"
There're plenty of videos on the net to help.

The thing is, I don't want to ruin this edge by overhoning it over and over again... It was a really nice razor to begin with. I don't know how to set a bevel or correct for overhoning with my stones either. I don't have much time in my life right now to learn this sort of skill, and I'm using disposable Mach's in the meantime which I dont like doing. I do eventually want to learn how to hone, which is why I got the stones in the first place, but I don't feel I have time right now. I do have a practice razor handy so I could try to bring that up to par but I feel like it'll be a while before I'll want to play with my nice razor.

When I said "went downhill fast" I meant that the next shave was painful, much more so than the last. I tried to fix it by honing more but the pain stayed.

Anyways, if anyone is in the Boston area I'd appreciate it very much for your help. I could also ship it to a honemeister on the boards who is well regarded. Let me know your rates..

I have send 2 messages and said will help you.You never answered my messages.