Thread: sharpening lessons

You might simply be pressing too hard on the hone at the end of your honing. By using the thumb test frequently while honing, I notice it's very easy to disrupt the edge I'm trying to create, particularly on the 8000. Be sure to strop carefully too.

I can never get my hairs to pop off the Norton, but my hair is very fine. That's why I really like the pasted strop. A little 0.5 makes for a fine finish.

X

Originally Posted by superfly

Garry, what cell phone model do you have? I'll try and recode it for you...

cheers,
Nenad

Nenad .. it's a Sony Ericsson K750i . for whats it's worth I tried the simplistic way of simply running your fantastic avi file into a 3gp convertor .. the result as the first frame ie. just a nice pic of the superfly 4/8k and the dovo ..

Its a simple law of relativity...you can't import knowledge from the 1800s into a cell phone in 2006!

Very true ..... that would be a dream come true , my own personal teacher - until such a time comes I look upon the good members of SRP for guidance and advice , so far you have all kept me on the right path .
thanks guys .. Incidentally had another brilliant shave this morning with one of my little WADE WINGFIELD & ROWBOTHAMs "more sharper than your sword" .. honed by little ol' me .. it was fantastic !!!!! Im sitting here at work rubbing my smooth as glass face ;-) - another credit to you guys ..

hi all
ok ive been trying all of the suggestions that you have made but followed lynns advice on passes and strokes on the water stone. i think that it has become better and i think at the end the razor would catch the tops of the hairs on my arm. alas no pops as of yet. i found that to get to this stage i had to let the razor use its own weight across the stone and just gide it to keep it flat. so i think ive had some sucess but i would still like to get the 'pop'. as i mentioned previously i have dovo fine, corse and some theires issard paste. do you think i could acheive a pop by using any of these? or should i try to persivere with the waterstone. i dont know if it will help but i have a theires issard singing razor.

Try stropping the razor after the honing and it should make the tops of your arm hairs fly off. Using as little pressure as possible towards the end is the right thing to do.

It sounds like you are getting there just be patient and go slow. The honing and shaving improve with time and experience. Everyone says that, but it only becomes real when it happens to you.

Also, the TI razors can handle a little extra pressure early in the honing cycle.

X

Originally Posted by adjustme69

The key is that less strokes are better. Keep the razor very flat and use an X pattern from heel to toe as you push and pull the razor across the stone. Start off with a 5 stroke on the 4K 5stroke on the 8K followed by 3 and 3 and then 1 and 3 and finish with a 1 and 5. Then strop and test shave. If not there go back and try the 3-3. 1-3 and 1-5. Let us know how that works. If you want to see an example look at Randy's icon in the posts. Shows the blade going across the stone. Nenad developed this icon and it's awesome. Lynn

Lynn,
You mentioned in another post that you use the Belgium after the 8K to finish it up. How many strokes do you use? I have tried a Belgium and am really pleased with the feel, more than my Shampton. Tony is going to send me one when he gets them in. jmsbcknr

I have two suggestions...

1. Pasted strop to polish afterwards

and

2. Pasted strop to polish afterwards

Choose either one.

Tony recommends that on several forum threads and so do I.


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Hey jmsbcknr, you wont be dissappointed [only maybe in the fact you didn't get one sooner] in the Belgian stones.