Journey to the center of the hone.

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02-24-2006, 02:42 PM
tab75336

Journey to the center of the hone.

I've been shaving for about a year to year and half. I've been using a Lynn honed Solingen blade I purchased from Cutlery World here in Kansas City about 17-18 years ago. Tried to shave with it out of box and abandoned it. Found this group about year+ ago and have been shaving straight since. I just purchased my first hone, a Norton 4k/8k at a great price from Craftsman Studios (www.craftsmanstudio.com). Felt like a heel not getting it from Ray but I do purchase my other sundries from him.

Anyway I've reviewed the archives and the current forums on honing and will be looking over the old Yahoo SRP index for old posts. My blade currently shaves okay after a year but could do better. I'll start with the "Conservative Honing Ratio" posted for Nortons by Randy Tuttle.

Sorry to ramble but very excited about starting the journey on learning this artform.

PS Are there any other straight razor guys with a wife who just doesn't get it? "Why by a sharpening stone, just take it to MarBeck, they sharpen all our kitchen knives...if your going to spend $60 dollars on a stone, you should buy a new razor then you won't ever need to sharpen it...its just a razor how could it cost $200?

My question to her, "How do you know so much about something you think is dumb, have never seen performed, or every read anything about?" Oh yeh you're a woman, you know every...(ducking to avoid thrown shoe).
02-24-2006, 04:16 PM
JLStorm

Quote:

Originally Posted by tab75336

PS Are there any other straight razor guys with a wife who just doesn't get it? "Why by a sharpening stone, just take it to MarBeck, they sharpen all our kitchen knives...if your going to spend $60 dollars on a stone, you should buy a new razor then you won't ever need to sharpen it...its just a razor how could it cost $200?

My question to her, "How do you know so much about something you think is dumb, have never seen performed, or every read anything about?" Oh yeh you're a woman, you know every...(ducking to avoid thrown shoe).

I have a fiance that thinks I am nuts, wasting money, and thinks I spend more time shaving or talking about shaving on this forum than I do with her. Funny thing is a few months ago, she said I needed a hobby...never happy, go figure!
02-24-2006, 08:10 PM
AFDavis11

Not to interfere with any mans plan but, just to let you know, I would run the razor about 5 passes over the 8K and test shave. The conservative honing ration is great, but you don't want to botch Lynn's bevel work too quickly.

Unless ofcourse your point is to learn to hone...then knock yourself out!
02-25-2006, 03:52 AM
thebigspendur

Heck, most men would never understand why someone would use a straight, if you find a woman who does let me know, she's a very rare person.
02-25-2006, 04:13 AM
xman

You have to out fox 'em. It's hard 'cuz they're so wily and they never seem to fall for the same thing twice. ;)
Mine often gets away on me.

X :ziplip:
03-02-2006, 01:11 AM
tab75336

Norton came today

Got the Norton 4k/8k today and have a couple quick questions:
1. My razor was Lynn honed quite awhile ago and isn't shaving like it used to. Should I just touch it up on the 8k side with about 6 round trips, or 1-4k and 6-8k(is that too aggressive)?

2. Secondly, do I need to prep the Norton in any way other than soaking 10 minutes prior to honing?
03-02-2006, 02:04 PM
tab75336

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tab75336

Got the Norton 4k/8k today and have a couple quick questions:
1. My razor was Lynn honed quite awhile ago and isn't shaving like it used to. Should I just touch it up on the 8k side with about 6 round trips, or 1-4k and 6-8k(is that too aggressive)?

This is as good a picture as I could get on current razor condition. I don't think its too bad(of course I don't know what I'm doin and could be wrong), but needs a touchup.
03-03-2006, 01:43 AM
tab75336

First honing session is done

Well for better or worse, its done. I soaked the Norton and did
15
15
35
15
15
and then checked it in the scope. It seemed "ok", better than before but still major striations on the bevel, and still had some major looking notches at 100x magnification. Performed the overall set again, and checked again. This time the overall edge was more uniform but there seemed to be a shadow along parts of the edge...almost looked like a scorch mark or line. I assumed I may have overhoned. I immediately backhoned 3 laps on the 4k side and then performed the overall set again. This time no dark lines and the edge is looking uniform. I called it good, stropped 50 times on smooth leather, and now the beveled edge lookeds straight shiny and the brighter area looks uniform and less striated. Anyway, the shaving test will be tomorrow morning. Here's keeping my fingers crossed.
03-06-2006, 07:16 PM
tab75336

Could use your help.

Am needing some direction on how to continue honing my razor. As you can see from my previous posts I'm VERY new to honing. My razor was not shaving as well as it had so I bought the Norton 4k/8k and did the conservative pyramid. It is now shaving worse that before starting.
I definately could feel the cutting edge of the 4k side, but the 8k was so smooth I don't know if it was having much effect.

Could I have had too much water on the 8k side?

My blade fits entirely on the hone and I've been honing with a slight angle with heel leading. Do I just need a few more 1,3 trips or should I use more 8k by itself? Any help is greatly appreciated.
03-06-2006, 08:50 PM
AFDavis11

Thats a tough question based on the information provided. Can I assume you did
1/5
1/5 and so one, and not fifteen laps?

I would back hone on 8K to remove all the burr created earlier. Then hone using an x pattern stroke using ever so light pressure for 3 strokes, then hone on ultra light pressure for about 10-15 strokes. Ultra light being less than ever so light...so thats a touch of pressure for the first three strokes then move to an ultra touch.

Then I would strop and start feeling for a draw on the strop. I would play with it a little until I achieved draw.

I assume you don't have .5 paste, which is what I'd usually start messing with, but you need to use the x pattern soon and a light touch, but I think you've done a little damage to the edge at this point so a few extra 8k passes may help. I would suggest applying lather to the 8k and work on it for a little seeing if you can attain draw on a strop, or cut arm hairs. After you complete the actions in the first two paragraphs. So thats lather at the end of the process, which may help as the razor gets sharp.

For a beginner you can often have better results by caging the blade with you finger lightly on top of the blade to ensure it stays flat atleast for the first few iterations.
03-07-2006, 12:48 AM
xman

Alan's absolutely right. Overhoning or leaning on the blade while honing will not produce a shaving edge no matter how hard I try. The same goes for the strop.

X
03-07-2006, 01:16 PM
tab75336

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Thats a tough question based on the information provided. Can I assume you did
1/5
1/5 and so one, and not fifteen laps?.

Alan, sorry, yes the the process was 1/5, 1/5 etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I would back hone on 8K to remove all the burr created earlier. Then hone using an x pattern stroke using ever so light pressure for 3 strokes, then hone on ultra light pressure for about 10-15 strokes....but you need to use the x pattern soon and a light touch.

I've been keeping the entire blade on the waterstone the entire length, with the heel leading slightly...does this not achieve the same result ast the x-pattern?

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

For a beginner you can often have better results by caging the blade with you finger lightly on top of the blade to ensure it stays flat atleast for the first few iterations.

I actually did do this during my first attempt, using a middle finger on the toe end with as little pressure as possible...probably still too much pressure being I'm new and haven't got the motion and muscles ingrained and trained.

Thanks for the help, I'll perform the steps you outlined and give feedback on results..
03-07-2006, 01:35 PM
xman

X 4 x

I started honing like you did, Tom with the whole blade on the hone, but I do find te x pattern works better. Superfly did an animated gif of it. You should be able to see it here.

X
03-07-2006, 08:59 PM
AFDavis11

No, as much as I'd like to to say that heal leading will accomplish the same I believe at this point you need to use an X pattern and an ultra light touch. Some might disagree but here is the key to my analysis, you've tried heal leading, now try an x pattern, or if you prefer continue trying the heal leading approach but plan on trying the x pattern, atleast if your still honing into April.
03-08-2006, 02:28 PM
tab75336

After doing some additional honing last night, the conservative pattern listed here, the overal appearance of the edge looks uniform with the exception of the 'toe' area. I suspect this looks rougher, due to the fact this area was afflicted with some light rust when this razor was initially sent to Lynn for honing about a year ago. My question regarding these 'notches' (that sounds more severe that these are when looking through 100x scope) is:
To get these out, can I hone on the 4k side starting with only the middle and toe on the hone, so I'm not honing over the rest of the blade? Will that screw of the edge starting a stroke from the middle of the blade?
03-08-2006, 09:52 PM
xman

In my experience, although you can just work a segment of the blade with varying degrees of sucess, keeping focused on honing the blade aas a whole helps the affected area without neglecting or diminishing the unaffected area.

X
03-16-2006, 04:17 PM
tab75336

This honing thing really works..mostly

Finally got the notches out and at 60x edge is looking pretty good. Completed another session of the 'conservative' pyramid, consentrating on continuous quality edge:hone contact, and propper X pattern. Stropped on leather 50 trips, and went to bed. Stopped on linen and then leather this morning, and whaddaya know? This thing actually shaves again. MUCH improved. I only wish I had a fine finishing barber hone or pasted strop, to make it really smooth....still needing multiple passes in some areas to get it all. Any way, any progress is good progress for a new honer. I appreciate everyone's help.