Recently I have been trying my hand at honing a Vintage Ebay Razor "Allen & Son Sheffield" It has a smile and had to be sanded and polished leaving it totally blunt.

My initial attempts (about 4) have not produced an edge which gives a comfortable shave but each trial has shown an improvement. Most recently I changed the position from being in line with me to being perpendicular so I'm honing towards and away rather than left and right. I have found this to be an easier way to maintain a light touch.

My honing set up is minimalist; a king 1/6K combination stone, a Dragons Tongue (properly lapped) and a Chromium oxide balsa paddle strop.

I am currently practising the rolling x, circles and so forth. Putting in the occasional opposite (stropping) stroke and building a feel for the hones.

My progression is 1k, 6k with slurry, 6k without slurry, DT with slurry,DT without, 10 laps on the Cr2O3 strop.

A couple of days ago I did a test shave before the Cr2O3 but last night I did one after, while the edge improved it wasn't much better, however I made the following observations.



  1. About the last 8mm to the toe of this razor is properly sharp as is the 6mm from the heal.
  2. Knowing point 1 means that I know my hones are capable of producing an appropriate edge.
  3. Knowing point 1 also means that I know the steel is capable of taking an appropriate edge.
  4. Knowing points 1, 2 & 3 means that the problem currently lies between the stone and the chair.




I hold a black belt in a martial arts system based on Tae Kwon Do, one of the tenants of which is perseverance

So far I'm happy with my progress and the next things I know need to try are:-



  1. Marker test.
  2. Re-setting the bevel.
  3. I've been advised to look into using a figure 8 pattern, any info on that would be appreciated.


But also I'm open to suggestions and observations.