Thread: I need some Honing Help

I received a Shave Ready DOVO Bismark, a DOVO Pearlex, Strop and the World of Straight Razor Shaving DVD for Christmas.

Long story short... The "Shave Ready" DOVO and the Pearlex are not shave ready. So, I need to learn to hone. From the DVD I know I should purchase the Norton 4k/8k wetstone to develope the edge. I know I finish with the Strop. What I'm unclear about is what to do between the wetstone and strop.

Also, I've tried to get this info from Classic Shaving but no answer to phone messages or emails so... I need to get a recommendation of where I can make my purchases. Any help will be appreciated.

Some like to use a "finishing" hone and/or a paste between 8k and the strop.

Some vendors:
Sharpening
Sharpening - Woodcraft.com
0.5 Chrome Oxide JapaneseKnifeSharpening.com

On honing:
SRP faq index http://straightrazorpalace.com/basic...faq-index.html

A barbers manual:
Standard Barbering 1967.PDF http://straightrazorpalace.com/downl...?do=file&id=67

Be sure to get something to lap your hones with.

Welcome to straight shaving.

Have you got previous experience stropping and shaving with a straight razor? In the hands of an inexperienced a straight razor can feel like it isn't shave ready through improper face prep and/or a lack of proper shaving technique. In addition unless you are experienced in stropping a miscue with the strop can dull a shave ready blade.

Since you mention trying to get hold of Classic Shaving I assume they were the vendor ? If you ordered one shave ready razor and it turned out to be unsatisfactory I could see it but two ? Not saying it couldn't happen but just pointing out variables.

If it’s “Dovo Decreed” shave ready from the factory, it is in all probability not. Ditto with Theirs Issard, and most any new blade of high quality. Just typical of the beast. If you paid extra for “pre-honed” or “pre-sharpened” then you have an issue with the vendor. UNLESS you stropped the blade and destroyed the edge on the strop. This a common thing to happen until you learn how to strop correctly. If you did not pay to have the blades pre-honed, then you need to either send them to a honemeister to do the job, or get your own hones and start learning how to do it yourself. Kudos to you if you are so inclined to learn how. Only problem is, this takes time to learn. The process is trial and error. Even if you have a good example of a truly shave ready blade from some who knows what they are doing it’s still going to take a while for you to achieve the same results. Yes, you will probably get it eventually no matter what. 4000/8000 is a great stone choice to start with. Some guys who have been doing this for a while say that’s all you need. Great for them, I’m assuming it’s true. I personally need another step in either a finer grit stone or a paddle strop with abrasive powder or paste smeared on. The paddle strop, in effect, does the job of a fine high grit stone. It is just much cheaper to buy and much easier to get the good results than using another stone. One paddle with .5 micron Chromium Oxide will get you from 8000 to wicked sharp. Then stropping before and possibly a number of time during every shave with a plain leather strop is business as usual.

Between the wetstone and the strop, I usually just dry off the blade.

IMHO, if your not up on your honing skills, I wouldn't experiment on a nice new Dovo. They're great shavers. I have two Bismarcks in my rotation. If you have the means, I'd let one of the more experienced members put an edge on it for you, then you'll know what sharp is. That way, when it starts to drag, you can just hit your pasted strops, some Diamond pastes or Chromium Oxide and your good to go. Look in the classifieds on this forum, or ask Lynn or Don, Lynn put a wicked edge on my Dovo. My wiskers run when they see it. As far as after the Nortons, I'd hit it with a Coticule or a Chinese 12k. I love both stones, but nothing beats that Coticuled edge. It's such a versitile stone, no soaking, just splash some water on it, or use a slurry. There's an array of finishing stones out there, Every member has his favorites, but I think they'll all agree about the Coticule. Also, most members on this forum will gladly help you. Great bunch of guys. PM me if you need info on the Coticule. Rich

so i think the big question is how serious do you want to be. from your description you sound like you want to get into honing, which is great, but for now i would send the razor away to have it honed by a pro so you have something to gauge off of in the future. this also makes sense if you are planning on getting some more razors because again you will be able to compare and learn all the sharpness testing methods (TNT, HHT, etc) on a professionally honed blade. i didn't wait and bought the Norton 4/8k and started honing and would have probably been better off having one blade honed by a pro as i had more then a couple shaves with blades i sharpened that were not shave ready. but i did learn in the end so either way works.

my set up is as cost effective as i could get but works great for me.
norton 220/1k combo (bevel setting)
norton 4/8k (bevel refining)
chinese 12k (polishing/refining i guess and i use it with and without slurry)
CrOx strop (for smoothing things out)
leather strop

as far as the amount of laps on each one goes i have no clue and it is always different. i do know that i have noticed a big difference in my shaves when i do atleast 50 laps on the leather pre shave.

now, if you bought the norton 4/8k and a good strop you could get away with it but the best thing to do would be to paste the other side of the strop with CrOx or something around .5 micron or .25 micron paste to give you someting in between.

technique and practice is everything but it really isn''t that hard as long as you put the time in.

good luck
wes