Thread: Honing Tips from a Newbie

Like the title says, I'm a newbie to SR shaving/Honing, but, with my experience in my profession, I'm fairly accomplished & the only reason I offer that tidbit is with my experience/training, etc. in my profession, I have to remember that new personnel often don't grasp the all-important points fundamentals that a guy with my time in service assume everyone knows...it's second nature to me...like many of the accomplished members at this site.

Having a focused interest in honing and the satisfaction of developing an old razor's edge or maintaining a newly acquired beauty...it was quite awhile before I actually touched a razor to a hone...searching the topic as best I could with what is offered here, which, in my unqualified opinion is all the information anyone here needs to bring a new razor or an old razor's problemed edge to a shave-ready state.

As I stated above, I read a lot before tocuhing the hone and in that reading, reviewed the questions and comments of a number of new guys/maybe/gals too, with questions/issues they'd experienced in unsuccessful attempts at honing...so, I paid attention to those issues as well as the tutorials and found they assisted me in one thing...following the information provided to the "T". Again, an unqualified opinion, it is my own that if you/I, as new inexperienced people are honing and it isn't happening...wev'e either done some wrong or we didn't complete a step before moving ahead to the next finer grit stone and when we get to the 8000 or maybe 12000, we're frustrated...so here is how I approached it...and I will say, just one more time...all I know is how much I don't know and the only value in that is assuring those in the same position of the following:

Wherever you start, (setting a new bevel, begining somewhere in a moderate or refine pyramid with a razor in ok shape or doing a touch-up w/light pyarmid or a 12000), and assuming you chosen hone/hones are reasonable lapped/soaked/spritzed...it is all about

1. Executing the stroke properly!

2. Following the instructions until you see the results the tutorials provide that tell the honer that he is doing things correctly and the edge is developed sufficiently to move to the next progression of the process.

The first time I set a new bevel, during the process, I wasn't seeing the water on the face of the hone react as I'd read, (taking it off the stone behind the razor stroke and pushing the water up onto the face of the blade), so I thought that I was doing something wrong, stroke was bad, maybe I was lifting the spine off the hone...I had to be doing something wrong. So, thinking I was focused on my stroke, I focused harder and couldn't detect that I was doing anything wrong, but, I didn't know enough to know if I was right or wrong - right! Without knowing what I was doing, for some unknown reason, I continued to do what it said to do and within a short period of time, an amazing thing happened, the blade was cleaning the water off the hone and pushing the water onto the blade just like the tutorials said...WOW! Lesson learned...my prep was right and within my ability, I was doing everything to keep my stroke correct, (blade flat, elbow up, smooth X-stroke), but, I hadn't done it to the point of completion...in other words, I was assuming that surely the bevel should be set by now...the only problem was...it wasn't and the only solution was...continue until it was and...in short order, it was!

As I progressed to the 4000/8000...ditto...wasn't seeing the results and as a new insecure honer, fell back into doubting the process/my tecnique...but...again, guess what...as I approached whatever stroke on the pyramid...an improving progression of water reaction...first on part of the blade and eventually, the whole face of the blade was removing the surface water from the hone surface and pushing it onto the full face of the blade. So, I proudly realized that I had developed a new method for honing razors which I will call: Follow the Old Method for Honing Razors to the "T" Until Seeing the Results Proscribed Method.


I apologize for such a long post, but, after reading several of my fellow new-guy posts with problems and the responses of the veterans, it occurred to me that as new honers, (so to speak), a person doesn't know when to expect what and being in unknown territory, might either quit, make an incorrect assumption and progress onto the next finer grit before they should, unnecessarily go back to step one...feel they need to buy new XYZ hone because the one they are using must be screwed up...whatever...all that entered my mind, but, as said, luckily and that is all it was, I made certain that I was prepped right...did everything I could do to execute the stroke correctly and continued on the bevel until it came...and as I progressed into the pyramid...as stated, it happened despite my thoughts, uncertainties and theories...just like they said it would. The best part....they say the best test is the shave...so, with great fear of nicks, razor burn, etc., I shaved and guess what, my shave with that blade was outstanding...my first attempt...following their information and my razor didn't hold it against me that I hadn't sharpened 200 razors yet...it responded beautifully!

Good luck to the new guys and thanks to the pros.

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Scott

I gave you a "Thanks" on behalf of all the newbs. (Which I still consider myself one of.)

I started razors with a MAJOR advantage...in that I was used to, experienced, and obsessed with sharpening knives.

I would never tell anyone they can't hone a razor if they can't sharpen a knife though! The fact that you don't have to hold the blade off the stone at a consistent angle makes razors easier in some regards.

Anyways, I'll second the FACT that the VAST majority of your 'work' is done on the lower grits. I think beginners (myself included) have a tendency to think more work is done on the higher grits since they're are more "specialized"....but that's just not true. Be patient on the lower grits, and don't think you're going to camp out in the higher grits.

Sticky/Testimonial?

Good post. I wish I had a dime for everytime I tried to convince someone to just do it the right way and stop asking "Why?" all the time.

Originally Posted by hardblues

Follow the Old Method for Honing Razors to the "T" Until Seeing the Results Proscribed Method.


Scott

proscribe: to banish, exile or denounce as dangerous.

Wizard, thanks for your correction...you are absolutely correct...proscribe/meant to type/say prescribe, though I'll tell ya...my secretary would have been very proud...usually she has much more to correct in a similar sized document...Regards

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Scott

Other than the whole "proscribe" thing, excellent post!

If everyone did what you said and research everything they can find in the forums/Wiki BEFORE asking a question for the 1x10^1000 time in the forums, we would stop having to repeat ourselves all the time

Seriously tho, I don't mind the repeat question now and again, but after a while, I'm sure we all get tired of writing the same responses again and again...

Excellent post

Thanks Rob...you may not recall, but you and Glen helped me out with my question on a diminished toe edge...checked out what you said, and that was the first hone I referred to in the above...no tricks, just carefully followed the directions you guys suggested in WIKI..Thanks Again...having fun with this new use of time

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Good post. I wish I had a dime for everytime I tried to convince someone to just do it the right way and stop asking "Why?" all the time.

amazing innit, same happens to me, often even after I tell them why, they insist on doing it the way they think is better

I really like the fact that a first honed blade that shaved well doesn't know that it is the first or the 200th. The fun of the first shave with a blade you honed is like catching the first fish on a fly that you have tied or a similar analogy.

Even after a thousand razors we don't know what we don't know and the quest continues with every razor we hone to make it as nice as that first great shave from one we've honed and maybe even a little better and maybe even poifect,,,,,,,,

Honing is an art and a science and can be a wonderful source of relaxation.

I get calls all the time from people asking for help and then simply tell me what they do or why it's the razor and not them. There are many great tips from many people on the forum who have found success in their honing and I think your approach belongs with them.

Thanks,

Lynn

Man, you guys are killing me. All this philosophy, and practice and improvement and trial and error and following the methodology! This is soooo right up my alley, and I don't have any hones yet (spent all my cash on my newly aquired RAD).

After reading those posts, if I had hones I'd be honing right dang now!

David