Thread: Need Advice for My Stainless

Dups, you might want to re-read Bart's excellent tutorial on setting the bevel with the coticule here. After you set the bevel using the coticule with slurry you can begin to get the edge sharper with the blue with slurry and then the yellow with water only. If the TNT ain't working the bevel isn't set AFAIC. as far as how many passes, you have to use the TPT and maybe hair popping and use whatever amount it takes. It is a progression of honing with the tests to see how you are progressing.

Originally Posted by Dups

I never got the thumb nail working for me

Can you explain how it wasn't working?

Don't do the TNT after using a hone above 4K grit, you'd risk undoing what work you've done.
Do the TNT by trying to "slice" into the wet nail, using very light to zero pressure.

Passing the TNT means the whole length of the blade moves evenly across the nail with some drag.

If it has rough spots anywhere it failed.
If at any point it glides smoothly without drag, it failed.

It shouldn't be a difficult test, though I guess individual differences may affect it. For example my hair is no good for doing the HHT or cutting arm hairs at a distance from the skin. Even using a fresh Feather DE blade those tests simply don't work for me.

It might be worth washing your hands to remove oils from the nail.

If you started out with a razor that didn't shave arm hair, and If that razor now shaves arm hair along the entire edge, and you have not done anything that could mess with the flatness of the bevel panes (such as using a pasted strop for finishing), then you can be absolutely sure that the bevel is good.
The only thing that needs to be done, is refining that bevel. The BBW is capable of that. Light slurry, 50 to 100 laps. Keep slurry on the Blue (don't go to plain water on that hone) Strop the razor on clean leather for 50 laps or so. See if you can pass a HHT, with a clean thick hair, held at the root side. That should not be a problem.
Finish with 70 laps on the Coticule with water. Strop again and perform another HHT. Should be better. If not, strop 60 laps on linen, and 60 on leather. Probe with the HHT again. Time for a test shave. In time you'll learn to read your HHT, and know what to expect of it during the various stages. There are several little nuances to witness on how that test performs and I use it, in combination with the TPT to know where I am with the keenness of an edge.
Provided that I didn't overhone (which never happened to me on a Coticule or Blue), if a razor pops a hair after the Blue, I know I'm on a good course of getting an outstanding edge. Light strokes seem to make a difference there.
If the razor is not sharp enough after the BBW, don't expect to make it sharper while finishing on the Coticule with water. Coticule with water is just that: finishing. It adds very little keenness to an edge, if any. When you run into trouble somewhere during the progression, try test shaving of the Blue. It should provide a decent shave. If not, you need more laps on the Blue. You don't need to test shave your whole face. Just wipe of the lather and get back to the hones. I often used to hone with half a beard.
The stroke you perform makes a huge difference on a Blue. You need to get the maximum out of that hone, to get enough keenness. There's only a very narrow landing zone. Make the final 30 laps on the Blue your very best. If fatigue keeps you from doing those right, call it a day and do them tomorrow. Finishing on the Coticule is less critical: a light steady stroke without lifting the spine will suffice.

If you still can't get sufficient keenness after going back 2 or 3 times to the Blue, as a last resort, you can add two layers of tape to the spine and cut a secondary micro-bevel with 30 laps on the Coticule with water. Because you're working on an extremely narrow strip of steel, the hone will for once "keenify" the edge. It gives you a whole new shot at reaching the keenness you're after.

Bart.

I just tried some passes on some 800 grit sandpaper followed by the coticule with slurry. Still not much going on there. When I run in accross my nail i can see a little line like it's somewhat cutting in the nail but not much really.

Hey bart,

I got the razor so shave leg hair after the coticule with slurry. it doesn't exactly pop hair but removes hair somehow. Should I then move to the coticule with slurry?

Originally Posted by Dups

Hey bart,

I got the razor so shave leg hair after the coticule with slurry. it doesn't exactly pop hair but removes hair somehow. Should I then move to the coticule with slurry?

Yes, if the razor shaves leg hair, the bevel panes are fully developed. Make sure you check it on the heel, toe and middle part of the blade.

You could try to maximize the keenness you can get of your Coticule by performing a "diluting slurry" cycle. All possible tests should improve: the TPT should be more sticky, the arm hair test should perform more effortlessly. Don't do the TNT, it will make your edge less keen. Should you get awesome results and even get the HHT going, I would only strop (60 laps) and test shave.

If not, you can go to the Blue with slurry. Use a watery slurry and don't ever let it become too dry. You can also skip the diluting stage on the Coticule and go to the Blue straght away.

By al means, since you're having trouble, I really urge you do a bit of test shaving after the Blue. (strop it first). Next finish it on the Coticule with water, strop and test shave again.

it shaves and not pop off the coticule with slurry
is that okay?
also if i notice that it doesn't cut all along the blade, how can i target specific areas or will simply more x strokes eventually develop that paert as well

thank you!

Off the undiluted slurry, no edge will "pop". The goal is to shave arm (leg) hair, or cut a hand-held hair at the holding point.
If a certain part of the edge doesn't develop well, you need one of the alternative X-strokes and patience to remove the steel that needs to go.
Here's the wiki entry on honing strokes:

Strokes for honing a razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Ryan, sorry for your thread so much.

Bart.

sorry Ryan!
didn't mean to detract from your question
i just thought2 canuck with a new coticule would share some questions

Don't worry about the hijacking, as I'm absorbing all this info for my purposes too. The difference is that I don't have a BBW, so all my honing work will be with a yellow and slurry stone. However, I do notice there is some conflicting advice going on here. Don't get me wrong, all the advice is wanted and appreciated, and I am by no means disputing anyone's experience or techniques, as I have next to none. I am curious as to why some members are advocating full out bevel setting, yet Bart is saying that if the razor does shave arm/leg hair then the bevel should be fine in theory (sorry if I misunderstood you Bart)?

I should also mention that my regular go-to shaver will not shave arm hair suspended above the skin, yet it provides a comfortable close shave.