Thread: A Good One

In the ever meaningful words of Lou "Whatever".

I would encourage anyone learning to hone and everyone who has achieved success at honing razors to strive for the very best results they can achieve, all the time, no matter what tools or methods you employ. Your face will normally thank you and I'm betting that all who achieve good results will continue to try for better results. What matters is how those results work for you.

And as always, Have Fun!!

Lynn

Originally Posted by randydance062449

OK, with respect to all.....
This has become the old "To Sharp?" argument. It has come up a number of times in the past and there has never been a resolution. Never !......

Let us respect each others opinion and leave it at that.

I became speechless at "defensive honing".

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I became speechless at "defensive honing".

I question everything.

Honestly, I can't see what all the fuss is about here. I can understand what Lynn is saying, but I also get Chimensch's point too. Different strokes I guess.

We have to keep in mind there are two types of straight razor users here: the shavers and the hobbiests. The shavers will have a modest honing set up, shave with good (or even great) edges, and will focus on technique and relaxation. The hobbiests will have every honing toy known to man, be forever chasing that mythical perfect edge (the white whale if you will), and will never settle for less. Is there anything wrong with either? Absolutely not. Just as long as you don't meet Ahab's fate . The point is that, while you should strive for the best honing you can, you don't need $2000 worth of hones to get the edge you want.

PS - As for me, I'm somewhere in the middle.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

The point is that, while you should strive for the best honing you can, you don't need $2000 worth of hones to get the edge you want.

I have something close to US$500 worth of hones in front of me. But the razors that someone honed for me are the missing link. If you've never seen/used an edge honed by a "pro", you'll never know where you're going. And I'm with Lynn, Glen, and the others on this topic. I don't get the smoothness/sharpness issue.

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

I have something close to US$500 worth of hones in front of me. But the razors that someone honed for me are the missing link. If you've never seen/used an edge honed by a "pro", you'll never know where you're going. And I'm with Lynn, Glen, and the others on this topic. I don't get the smoothness/sharpness issue.

I do agree with you, and like I said before I don't get all the fuss. I also think that there's nothing wrong with asking your honemeister of choice what their progression was for your particular razor (in other words, how they "got it there") in order to strive for that type of honing.

But the fact remains, you don't need thousands of dollars worth of hones to get that edge you want..... and I do know you guys are out there . Those are the hobbiests I was referring to; some people collect cars, some collect razors/hones.

Ryan don't forget the shave brushes, soaps, strops etc.---LOL! Oh and least I forget the microscope.
I'm guilty barely but I plan on being all the way guilty of being the hobby guy:-) Heck I enjoy it so why not.

Here's another inexperienced opinion on the matter. I've used razors from several of the well known honers. In fact, the inconsistency from one to the other is what made me pull the trigger on my own set of hones. I recently just got in two of the best edges that I've ever used. One was from a razor over at SRD and the other from a custom maker that doesn't really frequent SRP. These two edges were so sharp and smooth that I knew that I had to learn to do this myself.

For me, it's worth whatever it costs in terms of both time and money to get the equipment and ability to do this myself. Could I shave with a razor that didn't have that kind of an edge? Yes, and I did it for months. However, now that I know that kind of edge is out there, I have no intention of using anything shy of that. With all due respect, saying a person doesn't need a razor that sharp is kinda like saying you don't need to have kids to be happy. It's true that you can be happy without children, but I wouldn't trade all of the ups and downs of raising kids and the happiness that it brings for anything in the world.

The best thing about these discussions is it gives a frame of reference by which all future advice can be judged. Thanks for the effort here guys!

As the chief idiot of the SRP village this is what I have learned in a short while. First, razors are all different because I have used a Norton 4K/K on a old W&B and got HHT positive results with the 8K plus CrOx paste. I have also had other brands that I couldn't get right with the 8K, the problem was my technique, but each time I get a little better with the same hone. Since starting I have moved up to the Chinese 12K because its cheaper than the Shaptons and you don't have spend your life savings on a lapping plate. I intend to buy a 8x3 coticule when I hit the lotto as well. ON average I find I get a little better edge with the Chinese than the 8K.
Second, new honers get better with practice. I have honed about 30-40 razors that I have sold and probably 60 total and I can say that each one I hone gets better. Its the technique and experience of the honer.
Finally. you can't get too sharp. Its like being too healthy, its not possible. I do not brown nose anyone including Lynn, Glen, Max or anyone else even if I am removed from the site. But, I can say this, when this group of people says its bad advice to tell new people a razor is over honed, I believe them. What I know is this, my first shave ready razor was bought form Classic Shaving and probably honed by Lynn and several months later and bad stropping in the beginning I had to touch it up, but the razor was not too sharp, it was as sharp as the honer could get it. Also with maintenance, Lynn and Glen are right, the finest edge will get ruined by the same means that the not so fine edge will mess up.
In closing, when reading what others have said on honing and reading a honing progression I tried from a post by OldSchool, each person does i differently. I find each time I hone a razor I use a lighter touch, set better bevels initially, and use fewer strokes. I also shave test each razor I sell to make sure the shave is comfortable.
So for all those whom will allow me the title of SRP village Idiot, thanks. I do not know nearly as much as some of these others, but I do know this this. Honing and Shaving technique are like the cliche of a fine wine, each gets better with time.