Honing Help Needed!!

I need some help. I just received my new set of Naniwa hones I puchased at SRD. I got the value pack w/ a 5k,8k, and 12k stone along with a 1k stone. I have a Wade and Butcher and a Red Point razor I have been working on. My problem, besides being new to honing, is that I cant get them to pass the hanging hair test. I feel like I make good progress through the 5k stone, edge feels "sticky" to my thumb pad. Then I feel like I lose that progress on the 8k and 12k stones. I have followed a pyramid posted on here that refered to using a Norton 4k/8k stone and used my 5k and 8k stone in that progression. Does anyone have any ideas as to what I am missing or not doing? Any help would be much appreciated!!! Thanks

Are you doing anything besides the HHT to test sharpness when you get to the 8 or 12k stones? The HHT does not work for everone (depends on the hair and also your ability to perform the test), and the HHT is not the be all and end all. The HHT also needs to be calibrated - if you have extremely coarse hair you may be able to HHT off a 3k while extremely fine hair might not pass HHT off even the best finisher in the hands of the best honer.

I rely on a shave test to tell me about blade sharpness, and I would suggest you use that as well.

Welcome to the world of honing. The first thing you must do is make sure your stones have been lapped level. Then go back to the 1k and reset the bevel.
While you are setting the bevel, test the sharpness by trying to pop arm hair at its base at different points along the blade. If you can't do this, keep honing. When you can do this to at least 5 points along the blade, including the heel and toe, you are ready to move on to your next stone.
Be very honest about this test. I have found that if I can't pop the hair at this level, I waste a lot of time at succeeding levels.

Enjoy!

Ray

main,

Now after you've tested your skills at honing time, and time again, you'll notice that your arms have been shaved nekkid, smooth, bereft of those testing hairs - and now you find yourself in a fine fix. What do you do? Aha! What follows is a secret I share with only a very few.

You do the HTTT: the hanging toilet tissue test and its done thusly. Open the razor so the blade is straight out from the handle and brace it on a flat surface with the edge is up. Take one square of your favorite toilet tissue - single ply is preferred - and lay it flat on the edge, carefully now. Step back and watch the weight of the tissue to cause it to slice itself on the properly sharpened edge. It will simply and slowly fall to the sides of the spine, cleft in twain.

:y:y:y

Were life that simple, hmmm? I have very fine hair on my head and not all that much of it. Preferring to leave what little remains where it remains, I don't use the HHT. Rather, I use the thumb pad and shaving tests. which works out just fine as I have more than one sharp razor and I hone only for myself, so returning to further refine an edge is not crippling. Good luck and keep plugging gently along. I've spent many years sharpening tools and had to significantly refine my touch before I was able to get a good shaving edge. I probably still take off too much steel when honing, but the edge I end up with is good.

good luck, good honing

Many thanks to holli and ray for your replies. Didnt want to try a shave yet to avoid getting discouraged, perhaps I should try a test shave to see where I am in my progress. Then perhaps back to the 1k. Is there a danger in spanding to much time on any one hone, other than getting a wire edge or wasting time? Also, is there a possibility I need to refresh/clean my stones? They are brand new and I have only worked two different razors on them but they definitely have metal residue on them. Is it possible they might be "glazed" over? Angain, many thanks!

Try the shave test. That should tell you if you are "there" or not, and if not, how far back you need to go. Even guys with a little more than average experience level (Lynn, for example:)) say that's the test to rely on.

I don't have Naniwas, but with my Shaptons I like to give them a couple of passes on my lapping plate whenever they look like they are starting to load up and the residue won't rub off under running water. I'm not fanatical about it, but I don't let them get to the point where they could be described as glazed.

I hate to say but have to.
if you have never hone razor why should you start to learn honing in a good razor?
I would say please don't. Leave that razor alone and buy cheap rusty ugly razor's from bay and learn how to hone?
Second have you ever had a razor honed by ProS?
if you have that is great if not you need to have 1.
it will help you understand how shave ready blade should shave.
I don't mean to discourage you at all. i don't want you to make a big mistake. It is great to learn hone razor and enjoy from shaving with it.
A lot advices have been told before me Please choose only one and move on. if that doesn't work move to next one etc.Don't mix up you will get so confused ...../
GL

Just for the heck of it when you feel the sticky on the 8k all along the edge strop and shave your face. (after good prep) If you aren't getting a decent shave at that level no point in moving up in polishing grit.

In the video series on honing here that heavydutysg135 did he mentions that most razors that guys send him because they are unable to get them sharp have inadequate bevels set. I like to be able to shave hair (off my leg) at the 1k level touching the skin and pop hair with the edge not touching the skin at the 4/8 level.

That W&B will be a lot harder to sharpen if it is a wedge. The red point being a full hollow would be the one I would start out with. BTW, if you've got a pro honed razor to give you something to compare to that would be a good thing. If you had anyone in your area who knows there way around a hone and could show you that would be real good too.

I guess these are the situations you get into being new, but live and learn I guess. Thanks for the info Bill!

hi bud,
Sage advice! Will definitely get one done professionally. I am commited and this is quickly becoming a passion, I am enjoying every aspect of it and want to be able to maintain all my razors myself. I can admit when I need hlep, and be thankful when I receive it! So thanks!