Thread: Keeping a New Shave Ready Edge Sharp

I've been using my new Bismarck for a while now.I think it is getting close to that time when I must bring it to the altar of honing. I am wondering to all those with more experience than I....

What have you found to be the best way to bring a once new, shave ready blade back to its peek performance?

I know I can..

1) Ship it to a "honemeister"...excellent results
2)Use a 12K? chinese or otherwise
3) Use a barber's hone? Not sure what "brand" or "grit" is best here.
4) Drop to a Norton 4K/8K and then up to a 12K?

Any and all suggestions are welcomed.

In addition, I also know that as a new shaver, it is smarter to go with a honemeister at this point, but keeping in ind that one day would like to keep my blades in top condition on my own....which method do you use to keep your razor sharp?

Thanks.

Hi HoldFast,

You could first try to strop it on CrOx(whipped dog has a poor man's strop with balsa and CrOx). As you(I hope) already have the experience with stropping.

If that doesn't help you can try a barbershone.

Cheers!

Yeah I would say try the strop first with Crox. Haven't used it myself but after looking at the price of hones - cheapest was a chinese12k @ £17excl. delivery - I think crox would be cheaper and as mentioned you should be pretty proficient at the whole stropping jig, which sounds like it if you've been using the razor for a while.

regards alex

I do feel confident in my stropping capability. I don't know why, but I feel hesitant to go the CrOx route. It seems like I would have more room for error with using that, than if I were to just put the blade to a honing stone. Plus, the stone seems like a more "natural" and "traditional" way to bring the edge back. But I suppose either way (with poor skills) can be damaging to a razor. Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

Option 4 is not a viable option until you have tried option 2 or 3 first. There is no need to drop to a lower grit hone until first trying just a higher grit hone first. That is, if you are doing it yourself, then you can "sneak up" on the touch up. Do 5-10 strokes on the 12k (25-50 if you are considering the Chinese hone in that category) and strop and shave. If the edge isn't there yet, then repeat the same or do more strokes. Only after you've tried that again and not improved the edge should you consider dropping to the 8k. Do the same strategy on the 8k followed by the same on the 12k and test again. While the number of strokes can vary, the idea is you try a higher grit hone and if needed drop down to a lower one and work your way back up.
I'm not sure that was clear. Basically, for touch ups, don't be in a rush to drop down to low grit hones.

For a barber hone, you'd use the same strategy using 4 to 6 strokes with each honing session followed by stropping and shave testing. If you are touching up as soon as you notice a diminishment in the shave, one session on the barber hone should be all you need. If you do some reading on barber hones, you will find lots of options that will work. Alternatively, you are welcome to PM me about any barber hone you are considering and I will let you know if it is a viable option. If I'm not familiar with it, I'll PM Hi_Bud_Gl! One of us should be able to help you.

Touching up with a finishing hone will probably take care of your needs right now. If you plan to eventually hone your own razors I would suggest a high grit hone like a Naniwa 12K or a Shapton 16 K. The Chinese 12 would be ok if you need to keep the budget down, but I think that the other two would serve you better in the long run. Of course, this is just the situation that the barber hones were intended to address, but I think the other stones (even the Chinese 12) will be better incorporated into a future set of hones. That's why the question about whether it is in your plans to do more extensive honing in the future.

A felt strop with diamond spray could also handle light touchups very nicely. I would recommend a modular paddle so that you can easily change abrasive media (CrOx, diamond spray, diamond paste, etc), but a hanging strop will do just fine.

One nice thing is that you can experiment at this level (in terms of grit level) without doing anything wrong that a Honemeister can't correct. If you find that you just can't get the result you want, you can always send it out for a re-honing.

BTW, I know that many members get great results using a barber hone, a Chinese 12K, or any number of methods so take this as just my opinion. Many roads lead to where you want to go.

You need to be the judge of how much honing it requires. If you feel it's sharp but just needs a little extra, use a Naniwa 12K or Shapton 16K or a pasted strop to bring it back to the level you desire.

Originally Posted by HoldFast

I've been using my new Bismarck for a while now.I think it is getting close to that time when I must bring it to the altar of honing. I am wondering to all those with more experience than I....

What have you found to be the best way to bring a once new, shave ready blade back to its peek performance?

I know I can..

1) Ship it to a "honemeister"...excellent results
2)Use a 12K? chinese or otherwise
3) Use a barber's hone? Not sure what "brand" or "grit" is best here.
4) Drop to a Norton 4K/8K and then up to a 12K?

Any and all suggestions are welcomed.

In addition, I also know that as a new shaver, it is smarter to go with a honemeister at this point, but keeping in ind that one day would like to keep my blades in top condition on my own....which method do you use to keep your razor sharp?

Thanks.

In part it depends on what you are willing to pay
and what you have access to.

A combo hone like the Norton 4/8K or
the 3/8K Naniwa Super Stone is a workhorse.

I like my 12K Naniwa Super Stone a lot. As
fast as it cuts it may be the only hone you
need as long as you do not roll the edge.
If you do roll the edge and need more you
can to visit a work horse combo hone
or send it out. Make sure you have a
flat lap solution no mater what hone you get.

I have never regretted my balsa hones.
The smoothness that CrOx or Diamond on balsa
gives me is very pleasing.

An inexpensive solution is film on glass
or a flat granite tile. 5 micron followed
by 0.3 micron produces a very sharp edge.
Woodcrafters has packages of abrasive film
that I think are a bargain especially since
there is no need for a flat lap.

If you buy hones be aware that grit ratings vary
and if you stay with a single hone vendor you
will have a good progression.

Summary:

Tight Budget -- go for film on a granite tile
perhaps a Chinese 12K

Budget -- send it out. ~$20 is a bargain!
sending a razor out is a safety net to always
keep handy. If you try to hone your own
and do not like the results a pro can help.

Generous Budge -- 12K Naniwa Super Stone
send it out if it needs more than a touch up.
add one a Naniwa each year until you have enough.

Big Budget -- Naniwa Super Stone set in one chunk.

Grand budget -- Shapton on glass or Naniwa Chosera set one chunk

HAD Budget.... all of the above plus a dozen naturals and 25 barber hones.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

Summary:

Tight Budget -- go for film on a granite tile
perhaps a Chinese 12K

Budget -- send it out. ~$20 is a bargain!
sending a razor out is a safety net to always
keep handy. If you try to hone your own
and do not like the results a pro can help.

Generous Budge -- 12K Naniwa Super Stone
send it out if it needs more than a touch up.
add one a Naniwa each year until you have enough.

Big Budget -- Naniwa Super Stone set in one chunk.

Grand budget -- Shapton on glass or Naniwa Chosera set one chunk

HAD Budget.... all of the above plus a dozen naturals and 25 barber hones.

JimmyHAD budget...

IMHO, sending your razor out to a honemeister every time it needs a routine touchup is not a viable option, unless you are in that "higher budget" category. Plus, it kinda defeats the whole self-sufficiency concept that attracted us to this hobby in the first place.

Touchups are painfully easy to do, and the options really are wide-ranged: barber hone, finishing hone, 8K, pasted strops etc. Of course HAD comes into play, but that's another story...