Thread: newbie trying to hone. just a few questions?

I have been reading a lot and a watching a lot of video footage of honing. To start with, the wife bought me a brand new dovo blade for christmas. Pre-honed (supposedly). It has never passed the hanging hair test and had an ok shave... I realize I am still learning. Anyway, trying to hone it on the norton 4000/8000 3 inch stone. But I have a few questions. I see some people using an x pattern and some using a straight pattern (especially on the 3" stone). is there a reason for this?

Lastly, i notice recently my heel and toe do not sit flat on the stone. with the handle to the right and on a down stroke (coming towards me) the tow is off the stone. (straight strokes). If i put the toe flat then the heel raises off the stone. On the up stroke, with the handle to the right, the heel is up. I got a good bevel on my down stroke, but that was after putting decent pressure on the toe.... i just cannot get that up stroke and I do not like the pressure I have to use. I am starting to get a frown look on one side of the blade.


For the moment I am thinking of taking it to Excalibur knife shop and have them hone it to shave ready for me, but I do want to learn this (without permanently damaging my blade)

thanks

lt

I would recommend check the classified and member services for sharpening . Knife sharpeners i wouldn't trust my razor.
if you blade warped then you will need to use circular motion.
that will help you to hone that blade.
hope this helps. gl

Originally Posted by leot

I have been reading a lot and a watching a lot of video footage of honing. To start with, the wife bought me a brand new dovo blade for christmas. Pre-honed (supposedly). It has never passed the hanging hair test and had an ok shave... I realize I am still learning.

Where did she purchase it from? That would help us determine if it was properly honed or not. 2nd, and I have been one of the few outspoken voices on this, but the HHT (hanging hair test) is NOT, i repeat NOT the end all, be all test of a razor. There is a lot of technique that you have to experiment with to make it a RELIABLE test. The shave test is the best test, IMO, but I understand as I was a newboe not long ago, that your starting technique is not perfect. I'm not trying to be rude, by ANY means, but people have to understand, like ANYTHING, that there is a learning period. You can't shave 2 or 3 ot 10 times and expect to be a master at it. When you learned to ride a bicycle, how long did it take before you stopped falling over? I really don't have an answer for me really, but I still fell once in a blue moon even after years of riding.

Anyway, trying to hone it on the norton 4000/8000 3 inch stone. But I have a few questions. I see some people using an x pattern and some using a straight pattern (especially on the 3" stone). is there a reason for this?

Lastly, i notice recently my heel and toe do not sit flat on the stone. with the handle to the right and on a down stroke (coming towards me) the tow is off the stone. (straight strokes). If i put the toe flat then the heel raises off the stone. On the up stroke, with the handle to the right, the heel is up. I got a good bevel on my down stroke, but that was after putting decent pressure on the toe.... i just cannot get that up stroke and I do not like the pressure I have to use. I am starting to get a frown look on one side of the blade.

Depending on the razor and where you got it from, and whether or not it was honed before it was sent to you, I would NOT take it to a 4/8k Norton.

You might end up messing up the edge even more. If you think you're getting a frown on the edge, STOP!

For the moment I am thinking of taking it to Excalibur knife shop and have them hone it to shave ready for me, but I do want to learn this (without permanently damaging my blade)

thanks

lt

Do not take it to a knife shop...they will only mess it up even more. They don't know how to sharpen razors. If you want to learn, pick up a decent blade on ebay (they can be had for <$20) and practice on it. Don't ruin a brand new Dovo with practice, especially if it's your only shave ready razor.

If you need to have the dovo sharpened, I'd be glad to do it for you, just take care of shipping. But really, find a reputable brand razor on ebay and practice honing on it. Better to waste steel on a $20 blade than on a $100 blade.

Also, pick up a pocket microscope from radioshack. It's good for seeing what the edge should look like when you're learning honing. If you need more info, please PM me. Glad to help anyway I can!

I forgot to ask, when you got your Norton 4/8k hone, did you lap it flat? If not, that may be why you're getting uneven wear on your blades.

She bought it online from the "nashville knife shop" out of Indiana. I am aware that the hanging hair test is not the end all, of tests and it should really be the shave test and I need more practice. I would just like to make 100% sure this razor is shave ready. When I first used it I thought it was a little dull, but it could have been my stropping and shave technique.

At the moment I just need to get it sharp again and working.

lt

Very nice offer Rob,

I would take him up on it, if I were you. get yourself shaving first then worry about honing second...

ps: let me give you a small hint ok...

DO NOT LET A KNIFE GUY TOUCH YOUR RAZOR...

Unless they are a straight razor shaver too and you know this to be a fact before you ask them if they can hone a razor.. Not "Oh I used to use one back in the day" because honing skill degrades from non-use...

Well, I shaved with it today and it is about the same as usual. It cuts, but not exactly close and not smooth. When I do the chin and mouth area it feels more like it is pulling. So that is a little painful.

I have lapped my stone since I had it, but not before the first time i used it. I have done it since to remove some of the metal shavings.


I have not heard anything back about the x pattern. i wasnt sure if my razor was not sitting flat because that is the way it is supposed to be, and that is why the x pattern is used... to give even flat time on the stone.

I am seriously thinking about picking up another razor to practice on rather than my new dovo.... i see some here but I will have to educate myself on what to get. I thought about those really cheap ebay ones. I realize they are crap, but i could at least pick some up, put some chips on them (on purpose) and then practice honing.


I am still reading posts on the forum and learning, but so far..... any thoughts?


lt

the blade needs to sit flat on te hone, the full edge being in contact with it. on both sides. if it isn't and the edge is straight (no frown or smile) that means the razor is warped or the spine is uneven and could be a manufacturing defect.

the x-pattern produces more even pressure along the full edge during honing, so it typically works better for any razor, (for some it is a necessity due to the geometry).

don't buy those cheap junk steel razors on ebay, you won't be able to sharpen them.

Originally Posted by leot

Well, I shaved with it today and it is about the same as usual. It cuts, but not exactly close and not smooth. When I do the chin and mouth area it feels more like it is pulling. So that is a little painful.

I am not too much further along than you but it has been my experience that this can be caused by your technique as well, I have a pro-honed razor and I was experiencing the same thing until I realized I was at too steep of an angle. I thought I was doing things right until I read that it should not sound like velcro getting pulled apart but like bacon frying in a pan. Having a shave ready edge helped me, since I had to blame it on my technique, I wouldnt have gotten very far coming on here and saying my Lynn sharpened razor isnt sharp enough. I cant remember who's sig line that says it but there is a quote from J.R. Torrey saying something about rookies blaming their razors instead of their technique.

As has been said there are usually a few restored and shave ready razors in the classifieds for reasonable prices. It will be money well spent getting one to use first off and also it will give you a benchmark to compare your honing against. The one downside is I probably wont learn to hone for a while since I have no need to do so, yet. I just hope I dont procrastinate so long that I am forced into it by a dull, uncomfortable razor.

Originally Posted by leot

I have been reading a lot and a watching a lot of video footage of honing. To start with, the wife bought me a brand new dovo blade for christmas. Pre-honed (supposedly). It has never passed the hanging hair test and had an ok shave... I realize I am still learning. Anyway, trying to hone it on the norton 4000/8000 3 inch stone. But I have a few questions. I see some people using an x pattern and some using a straight pattern (especially on the 3" stone). is there a reason for this?

Lastly, i notice recently my heel and toe do not sit flat on the stone. with the handle to the right and on a down stroke (coming towards me) the tow is off the stone. (straight strokes). If i put the toe flat then the heel raises off the stone. On the up stroke, with the handle to the right, the heel is up. I got a good bevel on my down stroke, but that was after putting decent pressure on the toe.... i just cannot get that up stroke and I do not like the pressure I have to use. I am starting to get a frown look on one side of the blade.


For the moment I am thinking of taking it to Excalibur knife shop and have them hone it to shave ready for me, but I do want to learn this (without permanently damaging my blade)

thanks

lt

First, welcome to SRP! Hope you find it as interesting here as I do. Second, you have a very special wife. Be sure to thank her properly for the gift. Third, I take it you are new to straight razors. As such bury your hone for a few months and just work on getting a good shave with a shave ready blade. Forth, forget the hanging hair test. Send your blade to a reputable honemister for a good edge and take it that the edge is good w/o any tests other than shaving. If you are really aching to hone a razor go to a Flea Market, Antique shop or eBay and pick up one that IS NOT on the razors to avoid list and have at it. In local shops you will be able to find one for under $25 to experiment with.

Straight razor shaving is a skill with a steep learning curve using a tool that can be damaged very easily. Poor stropping, knocking it on something or even rubbing it on something w/ too much pressure will ruin the edge. Honing is something you can tackle once you learn what a sharp edge feels like and can use it w/o damaging it. It is very difficult to tackle learning to shave with a straight razor and honing at the same time and can result in discurragement and abandonment of straight shaving. In the end it's your razor and your face so do as you see fit. What the posters above an I am suggesting to you is a path forward with the highest rate of success.

Oh, and don't send your straight razor to a knife sharpener unless they also use straight razors on a regular basis. Good luck.