Thread: First honing required

I just honed my Dovo SS with one layer of tape and it seems to be fine. Shaved with it and didn't have any problem mowing down my 3 days growth. I did however use two layers of tape on my Dovo Tortoise so I might just depend. Maybe adding another layer to the SS would make it better but I can't really see getting much better than it is now.

Hmmmm guys,,,, Lynn does not use tape when he hones, ask him yourself..
adding any tape to one of his un-tapped edges is going to change the bevel angle, and you would need a lot more honing... going to a steeper angle by adding more tape would create a double bevel on a convex edge (I am assuming this after 8 months of use)...

I would just start with 10 lap sets with a slurry on the yellow, once the edge is sticky sharp on a TPT go to clear water and finish her off nice and smooth.....

If that doesn't work then you are going to have to start from scratch anyway... But I would try the easy way first... JMHO here..

Better yet PM Lynn and ask his opinion...

Apparently Dovo puts the razor at an angle so that's why the tape is useful. Also I added one layer of tape to my new SS just to keep it in brand new condition.

Originally Posted by Dups

Apparently Dovo puts the razor at an angle so that's why the tape is useful. Also I added one layer of tape to my new SS just to keep it in brand new condition.

I am not referring to tape being good or bad, I use 1 layer on every razor I hone, but this is not a new razor, and it was honed by Lynn which means that the bevel from Dovo was re-set when Lynn honed it originally.... Which means that when doing a re-touch it is the easiest to start with the bevel that was set by the original honemiester...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I am not referring to tape being good or bad, I use 1 layer on every razor I hone, but this is not a new razor, and it was honed by Lynn which means that the bevel from Dovo was re-set when Lynn honed it originally....

Ohhh I get it now! Sorry! No tape it is then.

First, allow me to officially state that you should approach this conservatively. If you have little honing experience, it's easy to make a razor duller than sharper and difficult to get it back.

That said...

I don't think your razors are in need of a touch-up. You did your touch-ups on a pasted strop, which is fine, and you seem to have had good success with it. But one of the typical things of pasted strops is that they convex the edge a little. At first that puts some new keenness on the edge, but there's always going to be a point in time where the very edge becomes so convexed that it's almost round. That's not a fault. It's just the way of the pasted strop. At that time, it is time for honing. Something tells me that you probably have got the maximum out of the pasted strops. Am I wrong in assuming that the last pasted touch-ups did not nearly work as well or as longlasting as the first ones? If so, that's just more evidence that the very edge is pretty convexed by now.
It takes some steel removal to hone the "cheeks" of the convexed bevel into straightness again. It is very unlikely to achieve that on a Coticule with water. Hi_bud_gl shouldn't dismiss Ben.mid's advice so bluntly. 100 laps on a Coticule with water is nothing outrageous. 100 laps may be outrageous on many fast cutting synthetic hones, but certainly not on a Coticule with water. (slurry is an entirely different story) I also happen to agree with Ben.mid that it probably takes at least your Belgian Blue with slurry to deal with the situation and reestablish a good keen bevel with flat planes. If at one point you decide to go to the Blue, you'll actually need 70 to 100 laps on the Coticule with water to finish after the Blue with slurry. Keep the slurry on the Blue very light, a hint of purple in the mix is enough and work in series of 30 laps, checking with the TPT in between. Once the razor feels extremely sharp and shaves armhair extremely well, finish on the Coticule with water. Add a drop of dishwashing soap to the water (one drop for a small mug with water). Rinse the razor well between different stones. Strop 60 to 100 laps on clean leather before test shaving. If the shave is very reasonable but still below Lynn's standard, try about 10 laps on your pasted strop. Because all convexity is gone, the pasted strop will do its magic again.

Good luck,

Bart.

I wonder how may touch ups on the cr0 would convex the edge. Every time I do a touch up with the cr0 I usually proceed to do about 5-6 strokes on a swaty before going to the cr0. Would that change anything?