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I'm interested in peoples opinions of how they hone a new straight that comes with a factory edge on it. Do you test the edge and then pick it up in the honing sequence of where you think it sits ie start on perhaps 8k and then move up or do you start from scratch and reset the bevel and then go up the sequence?
I'll usually go ahead and do a full bevel reset and finish it out how I like it... No muss, no fuss...
Agreed. Everything starts at a new bevel. If the razor is already properly honed, then setting a new bevel takes nothing at all to accomplish, so it's not as if it's overkill or taking off excessive steel.
Seems that I buy mostly vintage razors so they generally start from square one. About all of the new razors I've bought in the last couple of years came shave ready. I bought a set of Heirbert Wacker wedges that I specified that I wanted to hone myself. They came so close that I just went to a coticule and did a bit of finishing on them. If I was to buy a new razor and it needed to be honed it would depend on how close or far it was from shave ready. I would strop and try a shave test first.
Depends on how you define a factory edge. If its just a primary bevel done with the spine off the stones or similar you have no choice but to set a new bevel but if it's claimed to be shaveready give it the benefit of the doubt & strop & shave test.
We are going to sooner or later have to admit that times have changed :)
Not very long ago the two big companies Dovo and TI put out edges that were not even close...
But more recently they have tried to step up their game, now honestly I don't hone a lot of factory fresh razors right outta the box, Lynn would really be the one to ask...
But the ones that I have honed have been way better then they ever were before...Still not up to most of our standards but at least they are trying now...
Before you had to finish the bevel then hone, now the bevel is at least there it just needs some refinement, but you have to be able to find it and tweak it...
Myself I usually reset a new bevel to make sure...
I will always look at a new razor's edge and see how it looks and how it cuts the ole arm hair. I almost always go ahead and at least start a shave and if it is not to bad try to finish with it. It is seldom that I like the shave well enough to just let it go and continue using it. I obtained two custom razors and only one had an edge I would keep.
I am with most everyone else I will reset the bevel and go from there. I usually is not that much effort if someone has at least given it a college try to put a bevel on the razor. I am pretty particular though.
Take Care,
Richard
With new Dovo's, I can typically start at the 5k level. New TI's have needed some work on the 1k to get the bevels properly set.
I have a couple TI's that didn't come shave ready. The TI Luxury wheatfield Le Canadien just needed about 20 laps on 8k and 20 on 12k naniwa and it was good to go.
I started the other TI on the 4k.
I only have one dovo that came fresh from the factory and that was almost shave ready too and I finished on the 8k and 12k
johnmrson,
As I am still in the newbie phase of honing, I always set a bevel first, so I know I am starting from a stable reference point.
I don't yet have the intuitive skills to look at a factory fresh blade and say, "Nope - that does'nt need a bevel set" !
Have fun !
Best regards
Russ
I used to only start new razors out at 8k if they were in really good
shape, but eventually found it simpler to set the bevel and move on
up. However, one new TI I got was so sharp I only did a few passes
on the 16k and 30k and it was deadly.
- Scott
I start at 1k and go from there. That way I know I've got a good bevel at the start and where I'm going from there.
I'd rather just set my own bevel that trying to work out how good or bad the factory edge is..!
I've yet to get a razor new that was shave ready (even one purported to be shave ready?), except one which I know the seller honed for me. I'm still very much a student to you learned guys but from what I'm reading here feel inclined to reset.
I would agree with this. On the new Dovo's I normally will do the circle method starting with the 4K and typically end up with very nice results. Considering some of the final grinding I have seen on the new TI's, I will usually set a bevel at the 1K and work from there.Quote:
Originally Posted by holli4pirating
Have fun,
Lynn
I first check the edge: how much effort does it take to cut some hairs off my arm and take it from there. It's not always necessary to reset the bevel. Less is more.
Well, I can say that after honing two new Dovo's on the weekend, it is much better to reset the bevel. I tested the factory edge when I took them out of the boxes and they seemed reasonably sharp, but certainly not shave ready. I started on 5k, then moved up to 8k and then tried 12k but I just couldn't get them anywhere near where they needed to be, to be shave ready. I dropped back to 1k, then moved up to 2k, 5k, 8k and 12k and a completely different story. You could have almost shaved with them off the 5k.
I think that I probably don't have the experience to just pick up where it needs to be in a progression but resetting the bevel certainly gave me a completely different result.
If I didn't set the bevel, the bevel is not set. The exception being that of a new razors from a vendor who happens to be a honesmeister.
That's where the bevel marker test enters the picture. It gives me a good estimate where the bevel is at.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnmrson
I just got in a Thiers Issard Le Grelot in Ram's horn yesterday as my first "new" razor. It shaved arm hair out of the box, but I just didn't trust the bevel.
I taped the spine and reset the bevel on my DMT 600/1200 then moved to my usual honing progression (dilucot w/ coticule and escher finish). Provided one smooth shave and I was more comfortable knowing I had set the bevel correctly.