Thread: Stupid honing question

If I have a razor with a nice equal bevel...How often would I have to 'reset' the bevel.

If I do a few passes on a blue followed by coticule and cr0 every now and then...when would I have to go back to a low grit stone to work on the bevel? ( Assuming I don't drop and ding the razor on anything)

thanks,

JF

Once the blade has been honed correctly (assuming that the bevel is set correctly), it should never have to be set again. When the blade gets a bit dull, simply go to the coticule, and then the cr0.

Though I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong

Steven

If the bevel is set and the razor is sharp, you should never have to reset the bevel. The only reason you'd have to go to a coarse enough stone to reset the bevel is if you got a chip in the blade. Once the razor is shaving sharp, you shouldn't ever have to go lower than a coticule to touch it up, even chromium oxide should be enough. You would only have to go lower than a coticule if you abused your razor or let it get pretty dull, by which point it would NOT be nice with to shave!

That's what I thought. So I guess I should be set with my BBW/Coticule, swaty and cr0. I only have 4 razors that are all shave ready. I thought using the cr0 alone would eventually lead to a poor edge..

Would you recommend using the swaty followed by the cr0 or the coticule followed by the cr0 when I need touch ups.

I also thought that using a stone as well every time you use some paste would help to prevent that rounding from happening.

I have that same fear. I have pasted strops, but never use them solely as a touch-up, always a fine stone first. I feel that if there is a slight bit of convexing at the edge due to the paste, then whenever I use a stone first for a touch up, then paste, the stone was correct that little bit of convexing each time.

I have NO scientific backup for this claim, it's just what I believe!

Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave

I have that same fear. I have pasted strops, but never use them solely as a touch-up, always a fine stone first. I feel that if there is a slight bit of convexing at the edge due to the paste, then whenever I use a stone first for a touch up, then paste, the stone was correct that little bit of convexing each time.

I have NO scientific backup for this claim, it's just what I believe!

How often have you done that on a razor without seeing any kind of negative effect on the edge?

I haven't seen any negative effects. I don't really like using pastes that much. The razor I've been using lately, a nice ERN, only had 5-6 laps on chromium oxide. When I initially honed the razor I took it through several stages of stone, 1000 then 4000 then 8000 then coticule with just water then y/g escher. I actually shaved with it for a while without using chromium oxide at ALL, and it shaved very well. I only did 5-6 laps on chromium oxide this time to see if it would be a little bit smoother. It is a LITTLE, but not much.

The point of what I'm saying is that I only using the chromium oxide to smooth out the edge a little, but only a very little bit. IMO you should only use paste on an edge that already shaves well, and should be used minimally.

For touch-ups I typically just do a few laps on my y/g escher. Then if I want to, I throw in a couple laps (I mean only a couple) on chromium oxide. But I haven't seen any adverse results using the chromium oxide afterwards though. Using the chromium oxide minimally after a fine polishing stone has worked great for me, and NO negative effect on the edge.

You have several toys to use, i.e. coticule/BBW and a swaty, so I'm sure you'll find some hybrid system that works great for you. Razor honing is more of an art than a science to me.

I love the cr0. I could also probably shave off the coticule or even the swaty but I like the feel I get from my pasted paddle strop. (from good old Lee Valley)

I tend to do quite a few passes on it. It's pretty small so it requires a bit more to get it where I want it. I sometimes do about 50-60, especially on my stainless steel razor.

I have one of those paddle strops from Lee Valley too! I use my Tony Miller 4-sided one more for various pastes. You do a lot of laps on the paddle with the paste, I really don't think you need to do that many. My guess is that if it takes that many laps to see an improvement with the chromium oxide, you probably need to do more laps on your hone, i.e. coticule with just water. But hey, whatever works for you!