Thread: How long between touch ups/rehoning?

I know I've raised this question on the forum before so please forgive me for asking again but frustration is setting in. The last time I asked, if I recall correctly, the responses ranged from 'it doesn't matter as long as your getting a good shave' to 'it depends on your razor's metal.' While those responses may all be true, I still feel like I'm missing something or doing something wrong.

At the time I first asked the question, I was shaving with a DD Goldedge. I hone with the Norton 4k/8k, a yellow coticule, and 50/100 linen/leather. I also do 25/50 laps before each shave. I would get the edge to a point where it was as sharp and smooth as I could get it with my setup and it gave me a very close and comfortable shave, but only for about 10 days. Then I began getting razor burn because I found myself increasing pressure to get the razor to cut hair.

A couple of weeks ago I finished up a Wost & Son and went through my honing process to get a beautiful edge (I see why so many love Sheffield steel). Now, two weeks later, I'm getting razor burn and a less than close shave again.

Maybe I should just hone the razor and quit whining. If so, tell me. Otherwise, any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated.

You must have really coarse hair....

Well, it could be really coarse stubble, as Dups suggested. If this is the case use some quality hair conditioner as a pre-shave & give it plenty of time to do it's thing.
It could be that you suck at stropping, though this seems unlikely if you have the ability to hone to your satisfaction.
Finally, the only thing i can think of is that your other half is using it for her legs, or peeling potatoes.
That amount of honing is rather a lot!

I don't think there is a standard number of shaves, etc., that anyone can recommend. It depends on your beard, types and numbers of strokes (WTG, XG,AGT). The real answer will lie in the feel. Is the razor beginning to tug instead of cleanly cutting? If stating to tug I use the following:

1. Pasted strop until that doesn't help
2. 4K/8K hones using a light pyramid

Unless you've damaged your edge you shouldn't have to put a new bevel on it. Just refresh your edge. I do plan to buy a Shapton 16K to add to the 4K/8K sequence.

A good target would be 10 to 12 weeks between hones/touch ups. I too suspect your stropping my be the culprit. Does your strop draw? Some strops that are very shinny often do not do much for improving the edge. At a minimum, warm up the finishing side of your strop by rubbing your hand over the strop just as you would if your stropping your razor except with pressure to generate some friction. You might try an "X" pattern when stropping. I will generally finish stropping with the X patter regardless of the width of the strop. It is hard to diagnose stropping issues without knowing what kind of strop you have. No matter what kind of strop or make you should notice an improvement from stropping as opposed to not stropping. Some old world barbers would strop their razors with nothing more then the heel of their hand. So however you can do it, you need results.