I'm Loving Honing

I have learned just enough about honing, probably, to be dangerous. But using my Norton 220/1K, 4K/8K, and my Naniwa 12K, I have just honed about my 7th or 8th old vintage razor and shave-tested it and have another great shaver. This one is a Solingen Fri-Ko from a 7 day set. The scales were shot so I bought a T-I scales set for about $15, mounted the blade in the scales and just honed it up the procession.

I know I have a ton more to learn about honing, but I have gotten a tremendous amount of satisfaction from buying relatively cheap Vintage razors with sound blades, sanding them clean and honing them, and even replacing scales on some.

This is really fun, and I actually don't think I'll be buying new razors. I might even sell off the razors I bought factory new since I love these vintage blades so much.

Everyone on this site has helped me in some way. I've inhaled the boards on hones and honing, and many of you have given me instruction and encouragement via PMs. You know who you are!

Thanks all not just for a great way to shave, but a fun craft as well.

How are you testing for sharpness along the way?

Congrats on your newfound honing ability.With a last name like Stone, you should be a honer!

Hi,

Glad to hear that your doing well. I think that is more of the attraction for me to straight razor shaving, The fact that you can still use something made over 80 years ago today with good results and the whole strive for a better shave.

Thanks for sharing,
Mike

It get's more addictive when you start branching out into natural hones to take your edge to a higher level. That's when you get HAD and you are totally screwed.

Actually, it sounds like you are well on your way to being a hone junky. You should try a nice vintage Japanese natural stone as a finisher... it will blow your mind.:)

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Originally Posted by jeffegg2

How are you testing for sharpness along the way?

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I'm not doing the pyramid, just progressing up the grits. I like the idea of the pyramid and plan to try it more, but right now just moving up the stones is working. My big concern now is perfecting smooth strokes and learning the feel of the edge at various levels on my thumbpad.

I'm testing the bevel off the 1K Norton with the thumbnail, mainly just checking for when it doesn't seem to get better, and also I try to shave a little arm or leg hair at skin level. If it cuts any hair, I am basically done (for now--willing to learn more!). Also Lynn says it should, at this point, feel like a very sharp pocket knife. I know what that feels like.

Off the 4K I use the TPT again just to judge progress. I expect off the 4K to shave cleanly a nice swatch of arm/leg hair, maybe cut some hair above the skin.

With the 8K, It's more subjective. I am a bit klutzy with the HHT so I don't even try that. I also don't want to remove all my arm and leg hair! I have found so far that about 50-75 laps on the Norton 8K seems enough.

On all three stones, I watch the water bead. If it's running ahead of the edge evenly across the length of the edge, I know I'm getting reasonably even contact with the stone. Then when the blade seems to be "undercutting" the water along its full length, I figure I'm close to done with that stone since the blade is now hugging the stone so closely the water runs up over the edge and back to the spine.

I then finish with the Naniwa 12K, about 20 laps for now--I'm fearful of this fast-cutting stone and don't want to do too much.

Then I give it about 20 laps on a CrOx pasted fabric strop and 50 on a SRD Premium III.

I know I must be making boatloads of mistakes here, but these old razors are just so good they are responding wonderfully to my efforts!

Naturally, any corrections, advice or suggestions are welcome!

Did Ya pick up any Friend Requests yet! I remember reading that a while back and got a laugh .

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Originally Posted by nessmuck

Did Ya pick up any Friend Requests yet! I remember reading that a while back and got a laugh .

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Yes my long friendless night is ended. But now I wonder if they only friended me out of guilt, not a sincere desire for my companionship...sigh :boohoo:

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Originally Posted by LawsonStone

Yes my long friendless night is ended. But now I wonder if they only friended me out of guilt, not a sincere desire for my companionship...sigh :boohoo:

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Friendless night? Lawson, my good fellow, SRP chat is just a click away! That is, if you're not having too much fun honing to quit-- it sounds like you have the bug and are getting the method down!

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Originally Posted by LawsonStone

Yes my long friendless night is ended. But now I wonder if they only friended me out of guilt, not a sincere desire for my companionship...sigh :boohoo:

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YuP,I got another one,and now i have two friends, And that only took 13 months.HeeeHeee

I love honing too. If you're old enough to remember the intro to the old "Wide World Of Sports" on Sunday TV ...."The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat." That is honing IME. :D

LawsonStone,

I too find honing tremendously relaxing and satisfying.

I find it a real tonic when I feeling miserable; because of the need to focus on the task at hand, all crappy thoughts seem to disappear from my mind, leaving it happy and relaxed :)

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

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Originally Posted by PhatMan

LawsonStone,

I too find honing tremendously relaxing and satisfying.

I find it a real tonic when I feeling miserable; because of the need to focus on the task at hand, all crappy thoughts seem to disappear from my mind, leaving it happy and relaxed :)

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

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Scotch works for this as well. Just don't combine anything to do with razors and Scotch.:beer2:

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Originally Posted by nessmuck

YuP,I got another one,and now i have two friends, And that only took 13 months.HeeeHeee

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Friends are over rated.:gaah:

Hey Lawson did ya feel that ?????

A little unsteady on yer feet, a little slip maybe???

Yeah Pal, that was you starting the slide Baby, right on down the slippery slope of HAD and RRAD how did it feel??? :roflmao

At least you have some friends down here at the bottom :D

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Hey Lawson did ya feel that ?????

A little unsteady on yer feet, a little slip maybe???

Yeah Pal, that was you starting the slide Baby, right on down the slippery slope of HAD and RRAD how did it feel??? :roflmao

At least you have some friends down here at the bottom :D

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Hey I'm strong, I can handle it. I can hold more than most.

Wait--I see a new stone posted on the classifieds…and probably ought to add some diamond paste, but I don't have a spare strop...could order one...

Honing can be very relaxing.

The more you hone, the better you will get and the more it will drive you to continue looking for that perfect edge. It really is all about the shave.

Have fun and don't dwell on any one razor too long. If one gives you twubble, put it down until tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Lynn

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Originally Posted by Lynn

Honing can be very relaxing.

The more you hone, the better you will get and the more it will drive you to continue looking for that perfect edge. It really is all about the shave.

Have fun and don't dwell on any one razor too long. If one gives you twubble, put it down until tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Lynn

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Thanks for the advice. When I started a few months back, I set aside some vintage razors with (what seemed to me) sound blades for my "honing projects." I did a couple and now have about 4 in process, in parallel. Likely not the best plan, but once I have the stone all saturated with water it seems logical to take each razor through that stone. Plus I practice using the various tests for each stone.

It's fun, and it's fun shaving with a razor I've honed. I feel like I'm reviving a bit of history.