I'm honing up a couple of razors on a Norton 4k/8k hone. Still not getting the close shave I feel I should be. Any advise would be very helpful.
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I'm honing up a couple of razors on a Norton 4k/8k hone. Still not getting the close shave I feel I should be. Any advise would be very helpful.
Go to this link right here and your problem will be solved if you do what it says to do. :tu
do you use only norton 4.8k?
if yes you will need a little more then this.
at least have chromium02 and strop.
after you done with 8 k use chr02 20 strokes and strop .if you have sharpened your blade right then it should give a good shave.What i have notice 8 k does give a good edge but not excellent one.it brakes the edge before razor gets really shave ready forum.
hope this helps.
The best will be get microscope and check the edge.30x is cheeap
:gl:
Should I be able to perform the hht off of the 8k side of the hone?
Some people may be able to but I am not one of them. If I can get it that sharp it will be after stropping following the honing. I rely on the TPT and when I am far enough along popping hair off of the arm or leg by brushing the edge lightly over the hair without touching the skin.Quote:
Originally Posted by bulldog
Yes and no....depends on your razor! You really shouldn't use the HHT test for blade sharpness, unless you've really standardized it (i.e. know exactly how different blades react with one type of hair when they are sharp). Some blades pass HHT, others don't. It's not a reliable measure for most, so I wouldn't be using it.Quote:
Originally Posted by bulldog
I can get my blades to pass HHT off of the 8k, but only after a good stropping. You should be able to get a good shave off of a 8k, but don't use the HHT as a test. A lot of people here get great shaves off an edge that won't pass.
The main area I'm having trouble getting smooth when I shave is my side burn area. Is it me or the razor? It seems to be uniformly sharp across the blade.
Chances are the razor isn't quite sharp enough. The sideburn area should be one of the easiest areas to shave smooth, since it's the most uniformly flat. I would follow Jimmy's advice and follow the 4k/8k pyramid instructions in the link he provided you. Honing can be a pickle sometimes...I know.Quote:
Originally Posted by bulldog
I would not waste my time with the HHT, it is nothing more than a parlor trick and of no use in judging the sharpness of a razor. The TPT is good, but there are subtle graduations to the feel of the razor from being just good enough to being truely sharp. You will only learn these through experience so my advise is:Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
Hone, TPT test, strop, TPT test, shave
Repeat if the shave is not good enough
Build up some memory as to what a really sharp razor feels like on the TPT both after honing and after stropping
For reference, with proper technique, a well honed and stropped razor will give you a smooth shave and no irritation with a single pass.
This is not rocket science, but there is a learning curve. My curve was very steep, but then I have always been quick to pick up manual skills.
Notice in what Randy says in the Wiki tutorial,"It is not unusual for me to take 2-3-4 honing sessions to dial in an edge".Quote:
Originally Posted by bulldog
Also, if just getting an already sharp edge smoother is the issue chrom ox on balsa or leather can improve the smoothness or if you have a Chinese 12k, a Shapton glass 16k. Or more stropping can help.
That assumes you have the bevel set correctly and have done what you needed to do with the pyramids. IME if the razor pops hair easily all the way across the edge it is good to shave with following a good stropping.
What do you mean "if the razor pops hair?"
Practice with a DE blade. Use it to calibrate your TPT. Your razor, when shaving sharp, should feel very similar to a fresh DE edge. Even better is to practice with a DE that has had one side slightly used.
Before pastes and our knowledge of polishing stones, I used to use the Norton 4K/8K exclusively. The key for me to getting shaves off it was the pyramid method of honing. By the time I got to 1 stroke 4K and 3-5 strokes 8K a couple of times, the razor was often there. Sometimes just a repeat in the pyramid from 3-3 4K/8K and then 1-3, 1-5 would do the trick or even 5 more strokes on the 8K.
Have fun,
Lynn