Thread: First time touchup questions.

I wrote a nice long post about this and lost it because work got in the way of my play time.

Long story short, I've done some searching on touch ups and found some basic information, but I would like some feedback on my specific situation. I have a Dovo Ebony recently honed by Lynn. It's been in every-other-day rotation with my Boker Red Injun for about six weeks now. Today, I made FOUR passes with it and still had visible stubble. I was very frustrated and, after my shave, checked it on my arm hair. When it was newly honed, it would pop hairs off my arm with ease. Today, it would barely cut them.

I did 25 laps on my felt strop with 1.0 diamond spray and 25 laps on the .5 CroOx. It cut arm hairs, but not as well as the Boker.

So I'm thinking I need a touch up. I have the 220/1k/4k/8k Norton kit and am wondering, should I...

a) do more time with the 1.0 diamond and .5 CroOx?

b) do five or ten laps with the 8k and then go to the strops?

c) do some sort of mini-pyramid with the 4k/8k and then go to the strops?

I know it's not easy to answer without seeing and feeling the blade for yourself, but I'm just looking for a little direction.

Thanks in advance for your help.

--David

Try a barbers hone for touchups.

What will the barber hone do that the other tools I have won't?

--David

It is much finer/harder and is made specifically for touch ups.

If I'm planning to restore the occasional razor would I be better off to spend my money on one of the various 12k or 16k stones and use that for touchups as well as finishing?

For touch ups, I normally do 10 light X strokes with .5 diamond on felt followed by a regular stropping. Works most of the time.

Considering the amount of strokes you used on the 1 micron and .5, I would go back to the 8K you have and do 5-7 light X strokes, followed by 10 light X strokes on the .5 and then strop and test.

Let us know what happens.

Lynn

A barbers hone will "touch-up" a blade that is loosing it's keeness. If it doesn't work, take it to the stones and re-hone it...just keep the 220 side of your stone away from the blade as it doesn't sound like your blade is damaged in any way, just dull. Take your time, re-set the bevel on the 1K until it will pop arm hairs at the mid to top of the hair shaft, then progress to the 4&8K. There are so many ways to hone, but if you keep to the progression or Lynn's pyramid, you will not go wrong as long as you have the bevel set properly. Shouldn't take much since you had a good shaver before.

Originally Posted by Lynn

For touch ups, I normally do 10 light X strokes with .5 diamond on felt followed by a regular stropping. Works most of the time.

Considering the amount of strokes you used on the 1 micron and .5, I would go back to the 8K you have and do 5-7 light X strokes, followed by 10 light X strokes on the .5 and then strop and test.

Let us know what happens.

Lynn

Thanks, Lynn. This sounds like a good plan. I guess I didn't realize how few strokes I needed on the .5. You would think that after all of the HOURS I've spent reading here, something would sink in once in a while!

--David

The key word is "touch-up". It really shouldn't take much on a fine hone to do it. Once you start monkeying with the 1 micron and other stuff you are flirting with doing more damage than good.

Six strokes on the 8k followed by 10 light strokes on the .5 made it a little better, but it still didn't seem to pop the arm hairs. So I did 10 light strokes on the 1 micron and then another 10 on the .5. It's definitely better, but still not as good as the Boker. But then, the Boker always has been a little better. With just a little increased angle, the Dovo cut the arm hairs smoothl and quickly. I'll test it tomorrow and see how it goes.

Thanks for the input.

--David