Thread: Correct me if I am wrong

It seems to me that I learned the shaving skills a lot faster than the honing skills. In shaving you have your face and one razor, 2 elements. In honing, you have the razor, several stones, lapping the stones properly, slurry, paste, stropping, stroking the razor with the correct pressure on both the stones and strop and you have only a few razors to practice with. How many laps for each stone, how much slurry to use, really several elements you have to control to arrive at the goal. I actually broke a blade by using more pressure than required, a very nice Puma No.90 4/8. Even the choice of stone to use, natural or syntetic or a combibation of both? You shave every day, so you have more time to practice, you do not hone every day, unless you have 20, 30 or more razors. Of course , honing is an on going learning experience and so is shaving. All I am saying, it took me longer to learn how to hone than shave with a straight. Juan.

I think you are bringing way too many variables into honing.

Try just basic synthetic stones, such as Norton 1k, 4k, and 8k. No slurry, no paste, no stropping till you are done. Lap the hones before each use, to address flatness.

For razor related variables, try to start with ones that have even wear, straight edges (sit flat on the hone), and don't have heavy wear. Using full hollows will help as well.

I also think it's easiest to learn the strokes by touching up already shave ready razors, as opposed to beginning with bevel setting. Setting the bevel is the hardest part of normal honing (IMO).

If you used so much pressure that you broke a razor, you need to seriously reevaluate what you are doing. If you see a full hollow flex, you are using too much pressure already. This is why it's recommended that new guys use no pressure at all; you need to learn when to use a little pressure, how to apply it, and how much to apply. Than is intermediate to advanced stuff. My way of thinking about it is this - if you have to ask when or how much pressure to use, you should not be using any pressure; when you know, then it's time to do it.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I think you are bringing way too many variables into honing.

Try just basic synthetic stones, such as Norton 1k, 4k, and 8k. No slurry, no paste, no stropping till you are done. Lap the hones before each use, to address flatness.

For razor related variables, try to start with ones that have even wear, straight edges (sit flat on the hone), and don't have heavy wear. Using full hollows will help as well.

I also think it's easiest to learn the strokes by touching up already shave ready razors, as opposed to beginning with bevel setting. Setting the bevel is the hardest part of normal honing (IMO).

If you used so much pressure that you broke a razor, you need to seriously reevaluate what you are doing. If you see a full hollow flex, you are using too much pressure already. This is why it's recommended that new guys use no pressure at all; you need to learn when to use a little pressure, how to apply it, and how much to apply. Than is intermediate to advanced stuff. My way of thinking about it is this - if you have to ask when or how much pressure to use, you should not be using any pressure; when you know, then it's time to do it.

As to the Op, I agree that shaving is a less technical and done more often so that a technique is more quickly developed whereas honing is done less often. That is unless one has a multitude of razors ( I used to have @ 30) Honing does have more variables and paraphanelia involved such as different types of hones, diff hone grits, honing patterns/strokes, etc...

Thanks for the info. I'm spending a lot of time just reading before I dive-in.

BTW- like your different AV.

Honing is a journey. Sometimes I think I've got it only to find out on the next one that I am still learning. Every razor is a unique experience and some get there quicker than others. Honing is a fun hobby if a person looks at it that way. IME anyway.

All you are telling me is true. All of it I had to learn the hard way, but now I get great shaves out of my honing. I seek advise after I screw up. I did learned my lesson, keep it simple both in shaving and honing, but it took a broken blade and several bad shaves. Thanks for your comments. Juan.

Honing took longer for me.

Originally Posted by juannaredo

All you are telling me is true. All of it I had to learn the hard way, but now I get great shaves out of my honing. I seek advise after I screw up. I did learned my lesson, keep it simple both in shaving and honing, but it took a broken blade and several bad shaves. Thanks for your comments. Juan.

I learned how to straight razor shave off of info available on the internet. Never met another straight razor shaver in my life so yes, it took a while for me.

I've got the shaving part down but as to the honing, I am a novice/beginner. Still just reading about whats out there and trying to let it soak in.

Honing and shaving are both highly developed skills and an art. Luckily there are very knowledgeable people on the forum where you will become accomplished in both.
I think much of the confusion in regards to honing is that you have many members that are using so many different honing systems. Pick one that works, master it and decide if you desire to learn another. Most sane people would be highly satisfied at this point........

Originally Posted by Kingfish

... Most sane people would be highly satisfied at this point........

Surely you must be referring to people on some other website .

But never underestimate the value of a good nutbag obsessed w/ an art or craft.

Originally Posted by Kingfish

Pick one that works, master it and decide if you desire to learn another. Most sane people would be highly satisfied at this point........

Originally Posted by pinklather

Surely you must be referring to people on some other website .

But never underestimate the value of a good nutbag obsessed w/ an art or craft.

Ha ........