Thread: Limited success

Honing hasn't been a walk in the park for me.

Last week I was successful in honing a blade from the bay in good condition and it gave a great shave.

However for the life of me I cannot seem to hone either of my Dovos - stainless (tried 6 times - failed 6 times) / prima klang (tried once and failed).

I've found it discouraging and for the time being put both of them away with oil on them.

I've even managed to hone another ebay blade that was in decent condition but had a slight tilt to it - didn't lay flat on the hone so went to the 45 rather than x stroke to solve it.

Are modern dovos more difficult to hone than old vintage razors? They both lay flat on the hone and my technique is the same as the other two I've honed.

It's nice to be able to put an edge on a razor that gives a great shave....just wish I could replicate it with my dovos.

The stainless will certainly be different to hone, probably will take more time(although I have never tried myself) than softer steels in some older razors, but you should have some success.

It really depends on what you mean by failed - I saw every trip to the hone as a success because I tried hard to learn from each problem, mistake and then beat it. It does take more than just a few tries though and it really hard to learn with instructions via the net - usually experience is the key.

If you mean that the razor didn't shave then you might need to be more specific about what you did and how the shave was so that people can give you more pointers

Sachi, that has been my experience also, but not confined to Dovo. My honing skills yield a satisfying edge on only those blades that have little challenge from asymetry or other strange anomalies. The Stainless Dovo hones up fine. The Astrale, I sent out. I think our skill here is the difference. I go nuts, wanting to get a great edge on a blade that is not perfect. I think that a few hundred blades (honing) from now, the imperfections will be less challenging.

In my case, either diligence or stupidity (too dumb to know when to quit!) will get me through. I'll enjoy the ones I can do well, and will learn enough over time to tackle the problem children.

Hang in there, Sachi

When I hone a stainless razor I do it in exactly the same way as a carbon steel razor but I give it a few more strokes on the high grit stones.

So where I might do 30 strokes on the 8k and 20 on the 12k for a carbon razor, I'll do 40 and 30 respectively.

The most important thing is your bevel set though: Make sure you can shave arm hair easily at all points along the blade before you move on to the higher grits. Work in sets of 40 circles a side and 20 X strokes and make sure you can pass the TNT. Once the TNT is passed keep going with that pattern until you can shave arm hair. You shouldnt have to use any pressure to shave the hair, it should be a really easy light touch to do it.

Get yourself a cheap 30x loupe and make sure that the bevel extends all the way to the edge of the razor and that there are no chips or obvious problems when you are using the 1k stone.

Then move onto your 3k and keep going with 40 circles a side and 20 X strokes. Use the 30x eye loupe and make sure the scratchy look of the 1k bevel is fully and evenly replaced with the more polished 3k look. Ensure you can still shave arm hair and then move on to the 8k.

X strokes only from here, and go in groups of 10 X strokes at a time, keeping an eye out through the loupe to ensure the 3k bevel is fully and evenly replaced with the mirror finish look of the 8k. At this point I can shave arm hairs floating ~1mm above the skin.

Do 20 strokes on your 12k and then go to your daily strop, or to your pastes then your daily strop if you use pastes as well.

Hope thats of some help!

i think you are in successful way learning to hone.
when you said i put it away that is exactly how i would act.
Just don't put away forever.
My experience is different then 98% people when i hone SS blade.
My advise i hope will help not hurt your learning.
If you are honing SS blade stop short.
Don't try to get perfect sharpest edge available.
it will shave you ok ,acceptable but not the best edge you are looking for.
gl

What hone are you using? In the past, I've attempted to bring dull blades back to shave readiness with finishers with mixed results. I've used 12k, 16k, even Escher's and the like. I've found that I need to take some blades to the 4/8k or sometimes just the 8k, depends, and then back up to the finishers. I get amazing edges everytime, and BBS shaves...Out of curisosity, have you tired Lynn's 4/8k honing pyramid method on these...? It's hard to give you a good answer not knowing the condition of the blades and what hones your using....

Just keep at it.
If you don't need those frustrating blades in your rotation for now, maybe leave them aside for a bit while you practice on other blades. Then when you come back to them, maybe you'll find that it is easier.

That has worked for me. I have a collection of blades that I have not been able to hone successfully. Every so often I pull them out and try again. I find that each time I do, some of those blades that gave me trouble before I can now get nice shaving edges with. Some of them go back in the pile. It's all part of the learning process... There are blades now that I get nice shaving edges on with my first attempt, that six months ago I am sure would have gone in the pile of unsuccessful blades.

The important thing is to keep trying, but don't be afraid to put them down for a bit when you get frustrated.

That is actually very good advice Eric

VERY good advice, Eric!

Yes , very good advice indeed.

Sometimes we make it seem like honing a razor is like going into battle and it's either you and the razor or the hone and if for some reason you fail today well you've been wipped and you need to hang your head in shame. However that's not it at all. If you are having difficulties you retreat and fight again maybe when reinforcements arrive (new hones) or the troops had some RnR (take a honing break) or get some advice from the senior generals (the guys here) and the next battle you will win.

As far as stainless goes usually it just takes a wee bit more time. I've had carbon steel razors that have given me way more problems than any stainless razor.