Thread: OK, I give up!!...

I noticed my TI 6/8 Blond Horn Supersteel wasn't staying sharp during my shaves and trips over the hanging strop weren't gettin' it. So, I went to my old reliable .50 pasted paddle strop. After that the razor would pass the hanging hair test and shaved OK for a few passes, but I had to make a lot more passes over the same spot to get the same results I got from my Merkur DE's. Time for the hone.
I used the pyramid method with my Norton 4000/8000 wet hone but just could not get the razor to even pass the hanging hair test. I worked on it for an hour and a half and gave up, partly out of fear of over honing. I used almost no pressure, just like I do with my strops. And I even (after awhile) made a few passes on the 8000 with the blade trailing in case of a wire edge. I did notice after about 50 passes or more on the pasted strop I got a hair to just begin to catch on one area of the blade. Should I just keep using the diamond pasted strop until I get the results I want? Anyone have any suggestions before sending the razor to Lynn or one of the other honemeisters on this forum? Thanks in advance.

Tom

Try a 3-3, 1-3 and 1-5 rotation on the Norton 4K/8K followed by about thirty strokes on the .5 if you don't have a Coticule stone and let us know what that does. If it gets closer and not quite there, you may want to try it a couple times. Lynn

I've also found with the few TI's that I've honed (3), that they benefit from leaning on the razor a little at the start of the honing cycle. Just MHO though.

X

You guys nailed it between the two of you. I can only add you may want to lap the hone to ensure that its flat, although it should be. Lighten the pressure as you progress.

An hour on a Norton might bowl it a touch even with a light touch...

I think X is saying to add a little pressure, maybe a pound or two, not actually leaning on the razor with your body weight.

OK, after Lynn's recommendation regarding the pyramid technique I'm about back to where I started. The TI is popping hairs now all along the blade. I repeated the 3/3, 1/3, 1/5, pyramid about 4 or 5 times then spent about an hour with a .50 pasted paddle strop, checking my progress all along with the HHT. I went back to the 8000 Norton a couple of times with a blade trailing technique then directly to the pasted strop. I finished up with about 50 trips over the pasted strop then 50 trips on the hanging strop after cleaning the paste off the razor. I'm about to take a shower and shave so I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks to Lynn, AF and xman for your advice. I may still have Lynn do his magic if the razor shaves the same as before. I may just not have the bevel quite right. We'll see in a little bit. Thanks again guys.

Tom

Well, it shaved OK for about one side of my face. Not great, just OK. I then stroped it again 20 rounds and tried the other side of my face. It was so bad I had to quit and finish up with my DE (great shave, by the way). The TI was just gliding over the whiskers and all I was getting was burned. The TI must have been close to being ready as it passed the HHT no problem. I just can't seem to get it to hold an edge, which leads me to believe I'm not getting it sharp in the first place. I do have a heavy beard and tender skin, and I had a 2 day growth. Therefore, I need to be able to get the razor really sharp. And I don't think I'm quite getting there.
So, what now? Should I go back to the 8000 Norton wet hone, then pasted strop, then hanging strop? Or, just go back to the pasted strop then hanging strop? Maybe I should just call it quits and send the razor to Lynn? But then I need to learn how to hone sooner or later. Decisions, decisions...

Hi,

I am certainly no expert but from what I have learned so far I would suggest using the hone only. Do a pyramid, light pressure. Don't worry about chopping up hair tests for now. You could be wrecking the edge with the strop, so that is why I say to use the hone only. Done properly, a honed blade will shave quite well.
From everything I have read (and learned) from the "Why Pyramid" thread I am sure the hone alone can do it.

Emil

Sounds to me like you might have gone a little to far with the pastes. 50 laps is a lot for diamond compounds. I'd sugest that you go back to the Norton and only do about 20 light passes on the pasted strop and see if that works. I'm beginning to think there is such a thing as too sharp.


X

Hello,

1. The HHT is performed after the 8000 hone, not after the pasted strop.

2. You are either
a. overhoned and have a very nice wire edge or
b.you do not yet have a good bevel established

To eliminate the possiblity of a wire edge take a wooden matchstick and run your razor thru the wood 4 time's. Then use the "Thumbnail test" and make sure everthing is smooth.
If it is not smooth and even then you need to do some work on the 4000 hone until it is smooth and even.

Then use the pyyramid that Lynn suggested and test using the HHT after the 8000 hone frequently. Repeat Lynns pyramid until you pass the HHT.

After that just use 30 LAPS! on the 0.5 micron pasted strop, clean the razor, then 30-50 laps on the plain leather strop and test shave. Repeat as necessary.

Performing the HHT after using a pasted strop or leather strop is a waste of time. A dull razor will pass at that stage.
You seem to be focusing on the fine grits. What is actually needed is a perfect foundation, an excellent bevel formed on the 4000 grit . Once the bevel is properly formed then only minimal work is needed on the 8000 stone to bring the razor up to shaving sharpness. The abrasive pasted strops will never make up for the lack of a properly formed bevel.

Just my two cents, hope this helps

I think you are almost there. Don't give up yet!