Thread: So what am I doing wrong?

So I'm having issues with two of my razors. I set my bevels on a 1k Nani SS. No problems there so far, the bevel is nice and thin and even every time, and it passes the TNT. Then I give it a few more laps to undo the TNT damage. Then I go to the 3k, till it will start cutting arm hair. Not consistently, but I seem to remember cutting arm hair at 3k is unlikely. So once it starts getting good I move to the 5k. I stay here till it shaves arm hair, though its never really a clean shave. Then I go to the Thury for 30 laps, then the J-Nat for 30 laps. At this point its shaving arm hair, but not like it should, so I haven't even bothered going to my face. Whats up? Is it that I need to spend more time at lower levels? Which stone? I'm worried that I'm going to over hone or remove too much material, as the Nani's are fast, and I read somewhere that if you're doing 100 laps on a hone you're doing something else wrong at an earlier stage so I figure its not on the Thury or J-nat. I think I changed something in my technique without realising because suddenly both razors are less-than-acceptable, in similar manners, and this is after getting a couple blades shaving comfortably... And its not the blades. They have even bevels (except one has the barber's neutered toe) that I checked with marker, and they pass the TNT gloriously. I am pretty sure that it's the 3k and/or 5k I'm messing up on. Any recommendations?

I think you should buddy up with gugi and take an afternoon to hone with him

IME pyramids work very well for me. Sometimes I have to repeat them but eventually they work.... if I have adequately set the bevel. +1 on getting with Ivan if he lives near enough to you and is willing. Nothing like watching someone with experience up close and personal.

I will try and make time to get with Gugi. Really busy right now though.

Update: I spent a little more time on the 3k and 5k and I think I'm so worried about over honing, I'm not quite getting "there" before I move on if that makes sense. Also stropping seems to help because I took one of them, stropped it and there was a big improvement.

Try staying on the 3k until you can cut arm hair consistently. Use a decreasing amount of pressure to refine the edge on the 3k before progressing in grits. Remember, cutting the free standing arm hair is different than shaving lathered facial hair. The blade is able to mow down arm hair without contacting the blade to the skin. The edge should be there before moving from the 3~5K. Past that grit, it's mostly polish with some edge refinement thrown in there. Check your pressure.

I'm no expert by any stretch ... but this approach helped me alot.

I know that heavydutysg137 says on his excellent video series that most of the razors he received from members who were having difficulty getting them sharp had bevel setting issues. Not enough on that end of the equation.

I can't recall who posted it but a long time ago I think it was mparker or maybe Russel Baldridge ..... they said the problem of under honing is far more prevalent than that of overhoning.

I don't know what you have been reading. I will tell you there is no good reason that 1k should not be wiping your arm clean.

Another way to look at this might be overhoning is the best thing you could do- then you will know the limit of your steel and you can feel the whats and whys of a harsh edge.

Beyond the advice of beginning straight shaving with a prohone edge there is the lonely science of self teaching. Do follow up with anyone willing to donate their time, appreciate the differences between a demonstrater and teacher or coach. In the end it will still be what you can retain and make your own. good luck

You should be able to cut hair fairly easily off the 3K before you move up to the next stone. You need to get it cutting before you move up to the polishing stones.

You have some great advice already, I add only one thing , the same thing that is in the Wiki under honing too,,, Overhoning is not so easy to achieve as everyone thinks, take a razor stick it on the 1k stone or lower and start doing circles use a ton of pressure and stay in one spot until you get a wire edge... Two things will surprise you, 1 how long it takes, 2 How easy it is to get rid of...

If you fear Overhoning because of what you have read, then stop reading and test it out.....

I'm not so sure you need both the 3K and the 5K. Pick one and then after the bevel is OK on the 1K, do your normal progression on it until it shaves hair on the forearm and then move to your 8K equivalent and polisher if you have them. I never liked the Thuringen much so I can't tell you if 10 strokes or 30 strokes is sufficient. Final polisher or paste at this point, strop and see where you are at.

Good Luck.

Lynn