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Hey, I just got a new razor. Its my understanding that they rarely (if ever) come shave ready, so I tried the HHT and it was a no go so I took it to the hone. I've got a Norton 4000/8000 combination stone and I gave it a whole lot of strokes on the 8000 side with no real success. I tested it every so often trying the HHT and sometimes it felt sharper, sometimes duller, so I dunno if I should keep hammering away at the 8000 side or go to the 4000 side for a few strokes. Any ideas?
I would strop next time before you go to the HHT. My first idea is that you should send it to someone to get honed, but barring that since the 8,000 is not working what do you suggest you do? I'd rather you come up with the idea (pyramid) on your own and not get it from me (pyramid) or you might destroy your (pyramid) razor. Again, I would send it out to someone else.
You could also try a few passes on the 4,000 then go back to the 8,000.
But then again your best advice, assuming you choose not to send it to someone, would be to put the razor down and start reading. Have you read for a while, lots and lots of stuff on here. I read new stuff almost daily on here. Do a search on thumb tests and try the nail test. I'd be curious how that goes...what kind of razor is this exactly? How do you feel about destroying it? Is this a practice (cheap) razor or something valuable?
BTW....if you have a Norton and the 8,000 isn't working, what other options do you have? Do you have any other hones?
Congrats on the new razor btw...its always fun to get a new razor huh?
Well, lets see. I have done a fair amount of reading. Read a book by a guy named Christopher Moss, read a very very very long guide by a guy named Arthur Boon (can be found here http://www.en.nassrasur.com/razorcentral/index.html) and I've read all the little odds and ends I could find. Thats all before I found this site and I've been reading this and that since.
As far as tests go, the 3 tests I'm aware of are the moistened thumbnail test, the HHT and the arm shaving test. Thumbnail test: the blade is inconsistent. Its sharpest near the tip and dullest near the heel. At the tip its reasonably close to as sharp as it needs to be for shaving but not quite. The heel definitely has a little ways to go.
The only reason I haven't sent it out is that through some fluke I've managed to keep my first razor sharp and in good shaving condition. My guess is that this particular razor just came duller and is slightly beyond my honing skills or possibly that the bevel is uneven (might explain the discrepancy (sp) in sharpness throughout the blade). In either case, I have yet to try the pyramid method, but I will tomorrow when I'm less tired.
This is a rather nice razor and I'd rather not destroy it. If the pyramid method fails, I'll have it sent out I guess. Thanks for the help.
Well since you said it was a new razor out of the box I will assume you mean new like brand new and not a Pakistani special. Without knowing the brand I personally would have tried shaving since thats the acid test. Then depending on the results I would have gone to the 4000 first if it really wasn't shaving for about 10 strokes or so and then to the 8000 after testing it again. Actually whatever you do with the 4K you can do with the 8K just it will take alot longer. Remember the 8K is really to polish the blade kind of like a final adjustment if it shaves reasonably well you shouldn't need the 4K. Sound confusing, not really. It just takes experience and practice.
Yea, in hindsight, shaving would've been a good test just to be sure, but I've got wicked sensitive skin and I've had a few bad run-ins with sharper razors and I didn't want to deal with all that razor burn messiness. Oh yea, I forgot to say what kind of razor it is. Its a dovo, high carbon steel, 5/8, very decorative (link to classicshaving at bottom). I went at it for a couple of hours, and I did end up using the 4000 for a bit. With the time I spent and the number of strokes I put on it without making much progress one way or the other, I'm pretty sure my technique is flawed more than I'm not using the right stone or number of strokes or what not. I think I'll just have it sent out somewhere, either to classicshaving.com's service or a vet here. Anyone here like sharpening razors a lot? ;)
Ok, sounds good, in the A.M. you should have some more posts with ideas. I'm still unclear on exactly what kind of razor it is. Could you provide a brand? I suggest as long as your ok with the consequence than begin honing it on a 4,000 using the pyramid method first. Sounds like you've read enough to understand the basics of honing. From here it may just be practice. I find the 4,000 useful, the 8,000, not so much. I'm assuming then that you have no other hones? Without other options two passes on the 4,000 and 5 passes on the 8,000 should over a few trys provide some improvement. Start with that. Unless you get other advice in the morning. If this is a Dovo brand, the need for a 4,000 doesn't surprise me at all. Other brands brand new shouldn't need that much work, but you've done well by being cautious with the 4,000 side of the hone. I think that was a good first impression.
Everyone here likes sharpening razors a lot! You will too, once you get the hang of it. I'm sure one of the experts will help you out. I have two Dovo's and they needed more work than most to get them keen. You'll get there, but if someone offers, go for it.Quote:
Originally Posted by 440stainless
Ah, it looks like our posts just missed each other Davis. Yea, its a Dovo, 5/8, carbon steel (my post about it is right before yours). I've decided its too valuble to me sentimentally to risk destroying, so I'm gonna send it out and find a cheap, dull, non-curved razor to practice on for a while.
My pasted strop only routine for new, fresh out of the box Fromm razors on my 4 sided, 10" surface paddle strop is:
15-20 passes on 9 micron
25 passes on 1 micron
35 passes on 0.5 micron
40 passes on 0.25 micron
All are very light passes, starting with very slight pressure at the start of each grit and ending with little more than the weight of the razor on each grit.
I finish by stropping directly on one of my hanging strops, 25-30 passes.
My new TI's only needed a very few passes on the 9 micron and 10-20% less on each of the other surfaces. So far this has worked on about 100 Fromm razors and only one has needed a trip on the barber hones. There is a new Norton sitting on my bench but I am not quite ready to jump in there yet.
Tony
Hey Tony,
Thanks for sharing your routine.
Just for the benefit of others would you tell us what abrasives you are using?
9 micron
1 micron
0.5 micron
0.25 micron
diamond, boron carbide, chrome oxide etc
Thanks a bunch,
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Miller
Randy,
They are all Amplex diamond compounds, water based, standard concentration. Classic Shaving has them all. I also got a syringe of 3 micron at an industrial supply house bt have not used it yet.
I have other pastes on other strops but have not gotten into experimenting with them yet, ie....the green chromium oxide, Dovo red and black cake pastes and the Dovo types in the tube, red and green.
I also have the Thiers-Issard paste in the tube like a glue stick.
Tony
Quote:
Originally Posted by 440stainless
Sounds good, I was afraid of that. After some practice I'm sure you'll be ready to hit that bad boy. It'll save you some grief anyway. I learned to hone on a nice razor but you whittle down a lot of the spine just learning.
Thanks Tony!:)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Miller