Thread: Critique My Honing Method!

great videos!
loved the shirt and tie, we should all strive to be as classy as you, sir

wish I was experienced enough to help you out, but I'm still learning honing too

Hey look. I'm overwhelmed by the response I got from this. A million thanks to all who took the time to help me out here.

At about 2:45am last night (well, this morning) I was on #srp and Slart-Work (aka, SRP furniture) gave me some similar advice about sticking on the 4k longer to set the bevel and I gave this a shot.

By 3:15, the razor was really getting somewhere and I think that's the best method. I tried some circles as well and had good results.

I've got a whiteboard marker I was using to check the bevel and there was a 1cm long section on the push stroke side which was not getting a bevel and I suspect had a burr from shonky x-pattern technique earlier.

I'm going to try, now that I've had 8 hours sleep, to work on the bevel today and lightly lap the 8k side, get it smooth as pants, then do 100 passes on the 12k, strop it and test shave.

Will post results..
Thanks again for all your help.



(Nearly off topic, but the stroke method IS important so I'm paying attention to the advice) Keeping the nearly political x-pattern vs straight stroke method on a 3 inch hone ethos out of the body of the post, from what I've read from experienced HMs is that the x-pattern, while it seems you're paying more attention to the toe, is the best way to maintain a consistant pressure along the blade.

I've tried both methods and I think the x-pattern seems to be getting the best results so far, but I'm keeping my mind open for both methods. YMMV and MMMV. Seems there's a thousand ways to shave a cat...

My heart is bleeding and broken














Thanks for the laugh!

Great thread and style! I've just started straight shaving (and with this I don't mean I have any history of shaving in a homoerotic sense. Good thing I can always blame being a non-native English speaker ) and have the limited luxury of only owning two Double Arrows, a $2 combo stone from the hardware store, a Chinese 12K, besides the strop and soaps of course. It's quite helpful in picking kit and looking at some techniques.

Mate , you crack me up. Thanx for the entertaining vids. i can't offer any advice on pyramids even tho I was born in Egypt.
I think you're a fast learner

Jigme, having seen your vids again, I notice I cringed when I saw you dry the blade. I got the strong impression you, although in a "spine-first" motion, wipe the whole blade, lightly but still, including the edge. Perhaps that's an issue?

In a few of your strokes I also had the idea that you pulled the razor spine-first off the hone, making that the edge might bend since it's still touching the hone. I might be wrong there, but the youtube stuff isn't always as clear.

Hiya,
I'll keep an eye out for rolling the edge at the edge of the stroke!

I'm going to try my other Dovo now to see how I go. I'm fairly confident I'm not touching the actual blade edge when I dry the razor though. It gets close, but it doesn't touch the edge.

I think I'm not setting the bevel enough.
Will report!

The razor is lifting off the hone. Make sure, especially when your finishing, that you curl your pinky under the scale so it can not in any way shape or form for even a second lift off the hone.

Any time you apply any pressure to hold the blade down your blowing it.

Because I can not see the stroke pattern from above I can not tell if your stroke pattern is perfectly symmetrical, but I've often found that guys that hone with the stone in a 12/6 orientation often screw up the away stroke's distance down the hone. You need to make sure your hitting the same point on the stone for every single stroke.

Nice video too. With patience and discipline you'll get it soon.

Thanks for all the advice, I'm keeping a keen eye out on how the razor is contacting the hone now as it seems to be something I might be screwing up.

I gave honing up my favourite razor a shot tonight an EUREKA!

It passes the HHT along most of the blade easily and the real test. IT SHAVES COMFORTABLY!

Ok, I'm sure I'm smashing many netiquette rules in this post, but dang if it doesn't feel sweet-ass getting that first comfortable shave from a razor you once held in your hand in dismay after seeing it had rusted in the Australian tropics!

Thanks for the help, I'll continue to practice and experiement of course. I -did- learn one thing for sure during my honing experience. This is my experience though, and of course, due to your own technique etc yadda yadda yadda YMMV but the x-pattern is a clear winner for hitting all areas on the blade more evenly than painting the hone with your razor up and back.

I will try the 3o'clock to 9o'clock method as many people have said it's a winner so I'll give it another shot. Maybe it's a winner.

In short. Thanks, I'm on my way! GImmie 40 years, and I might get a great edge, but for now, my favourite razor is shaving again.

Congrats! I use a 2/8 orientation personally. I always like the best of both worlds.