Norton 4k/8k... then what?

Howdy all--

When I first got my straight, a DOVO, off of SRP it came with a strop and a Norton 4k/8k. It was shave ready it shaved like a dream. Several weeks later, though, I discovered that it had somehow gotten a slight bend in the edge, which I posted about here.

I honed it on the 4k/8k, but for obvious reasons, it has never returned to the "shave ready" level. I can certainly shave with it, and have been doing so for several months, but it pulls a bit and I'm having some trouble with getting a totally clean shave.

Should I be looking into buying pastes on a paddle strop? What's the most economical next move for me to get closer to that wonderful edge I had at first?

Thanks a bunch!

You should be getting a shave-ready edge off of the 8k side. You can go to finer stones or pastes after the 8k, but I suspect you're not getting the most out of your 8k. I would just practice more on the 4k/8k stone you have now, and make sure it's lapped (flattened) properly.

By all means you can buy fine pastes to use on other strops and finer finishing stones, but my advice would be to master the 8k first, then expand your horizon. Once you do master it, you WILL want more stones.....don't say I didn't warn you...

+1 on that dave

+2 here or is that 1+1
I don't know but Dave is dead on :)

That's what I was afraid of. I'm not going to do any long-term damage to my straight by using the hone a bunch, right? That is, assuming that I'm not putting tons of pressure on the blade--which I don't think I am. Is it possible to use TOO light of a touch?

Tell us more about this slight bend in the blade????

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shibsky

That's what I was afraid of. I'm not going to do any long-term damage to my straight by using the hone a bunch, right? That is, assuming that I'm not putting tons of pressure on the blade--which I don't think I am. Is it possible to use TOO light of a touch?

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I don't think it's possible to use too light of a touch....as long as the blade sits flat on the hone during the stroke, the lighter the better generally. You might get a bit of extra hone wear from honing it a bunch, but as long as you're not using a lot of pressure it won't really do any damage.

This is the post I put here. The little nick is mostly worked out at this point.

There are fast ways to correct this but I think Dave is right stay with nice light even strokes and it will come back, once you are sure that nick is out of the blade perhaps you should actually try the Norton pyramid guide in the wiki... There is no better way to learn how to actually hone a razor... Really it does work, it goes slow and easy, so you can feel the edge progress...

1 layer of electrical tape is not a forbidden thing, it will save the spine, and actually push the edge ever so gently for you....

Oh, thanks, but the nick has already been completely worked flat. There is only the slightest of valleys, in plane, on the edge. Since I worked it out I have tried to hone the blade using a standard sharpening pyramid: 1 - 1 - 3 - 5 - 10, then back down. (And with 5 on the 8k in-between each.)

Practice is all I can suggest, but it sounds like you're doing just fine so far. :tu

I personally don't do pyramid honing, I just move from the 4k to the 8k when it's ready. But I have nothing against it! It's really what works best for your blade. I don't even bother counting honing strokes anymore, since each razor reacts a little differently.

You'll get the hang of it, it just takes patience! (My girlfriend thinks I'm crazy for spending so much time honing razors, she doesn't know how I can be so patient with it!)

Toss in 60 passes on 8K then strop lightly. See how that works.

Also, make sure that the stone is straight (has been lapped). Could make a difference.

I went for the 60 passes on the 80k then a strop, and preliminary results are promising. It's still not nearly as nice as the first couple of shaves I had on it, though. Am I just doomed to not have as nice of an edge until I get another stone?

i don't know may be someone already said what i am going to say .if that is the way sorry.if not then
to get what you need to have tools at first
second to know how to get out of your tools maximum
third patience.if you have it you will get there.
Now norton then go to Belgian coticle then escher then1 0-20 chro02 lastly strop.
now if you don't have all this you will need to work a little harder.'example chro2 i s cheaper and very easy to find.coticle cheaper then escher if you find right coticle you can leave without escher.Lastly try buy some barber hones 2 side course and fine it will do the job too.
i know this is all general information but you need to let us know what you can get then we could help more.good luck
be patient