Thread: Giving up on honing and straight razor shaving...

Then I believe you are right. You probably need a coarser hone. Where did you get this "shave ready" razor?

I bought the razor via the Internet (something like "eBay"). It was not used (but i don't know where he got one)

If the bevel is set and the stone is working, you've put a wire edge on it with that much honing and it won't cut well and raze your face like mad. I suggest you get it professionally honed and strop carefully. Don't give up yet, you've just hit the first bump in the road. It's a big bump, but still easy to land safely from.

X

Have you tried stropping it ? If not, I would try 50 to 60 laps on the leather before anything else and see if it passes the hair test or if you think the edge got better.

If as you say, the bevel is not the same on both sides there could be a bow in the blade. Have you used a marker on the bevel to see if the bevel is OK ?


McKie

Originally Posted by McKie

Have you used a marker on the bevel to see if the bevel is OK ?

FWIW, even if the marker test is passed (metal being removed in the right spots) it does not give a positive answer as to whether the bevel is correctly SET and SHARP. You mentioned getting it from eBay and using the TPT (blade sliding over the pad smoothly and not cutting in much)... I would put money down that you do not have a good bevel set on your razor. You will need more than a 12,000 grit hone to set that in less than a few hours. I seriously suggest in your case sending the razor out to be honed. I don't think you'd regret it. In a best case scenario someone might offer to do it for you for free. I however cannot, sorry. Really though I think you should send it out. Don't just give up yet.

Originally Posted by kekon

Unfortunately 12000 grit was the only one i could get (maybe i will look for 8000 but it seems it will be very difficult). I lapped the hone (i hope i get this right - my native language is Polish and i understand "to lap" as to "keep it in the water for some time" - right ? Please correct me if i'm wrong).
The strange thing is that the sensation i feel when drawing the blade along the thumbnail doesn't change at all.

The razor is DOVO 5/8. The hone producer is unknown but i think you are right that the grit is too fine to start honing.

Lapping a hone: when people here say you should lap a hone what they are saying is that it should be given a perfectly flat honing surface. This can be done by placing some 800 or 1000 grit wet & dry sand paper on a sheet of glass and rubbing the face of the hone across it. (use water on the paper)

You can check for flatness by making a series of pencil marks on the surface of the hone before you start. once all the pencil marks are gone your hone should have a nice flat surface (provided that the glass (or backing) you layed the paper on was flat.

and as has already been said DO NOT GIVE UP!

P.S. Dovo's are NOT shave ready from the factory...

I think you have about enough advise for one post. However, I would just like to encourage you not to give up. Given a flattened hone and a light touch you should be able to achieve your goal. I would suggest a slightly coarser hone to tune your blade. 12K is really for final polishing.

are there any old barber near where you live. if there is then you could probably go and talk to them, the guys in their 70s usually know how to hone a razor and would probably hone it up for you, as they dont see anyone anymore that is interested in straight razor shaving. my barber when i told him i was interested gave me an old razor that needed some work and a barber hone to sharpen it with, i took it home and worked on it untill it was right and honed it took it back to him and he was tickled about it, i have been trying to get his 7 day set of friodurs from him he bought for $50 from a returning soldier after ww-2

I advise you to send your straight to Lynn for honing. Then you will have the sharpest blade you ever had in your life, and will know what it's truly like to shave like a man.

I'm not giving up yet, you encouraged me in this thread, thanks
I stropped the razor (about 50 strokes after honing) but it didn't have any effect.
However, before i make my straight razor work correctly i must shave with my old multiblade razor for some time. I will look for a barber or someone else to hone the razor for me. Anyway i need to buy any 4000/8000 hone (i'd like to learn how to hone).

I advise you to send your straight to Lynn for honing

That's impossible because i live in Poland and it would cost much more than my razor itself.

Again, thank you for all the pieces of advice; i'll try to keep you informed on my progress.