Thread: An Embarrasing Honing Situation

Gentleman, I am in a position where I must ask a question, though it is somewhat embarrasing to do so. It is embarrasing because I've been shaving with straights and honing them on my own since I was a teenager. However, I've only gone through or used/purchased a dozen or so in my lifetime. In recent history, I've been using a 1/4k norton and what I believe to be around an 8,000 grit shapton, and an old strop, which I've never had the need to paste. I have always, ALWAYS been able to easily and quickly hone my razors, but I've recently come into one that has me stumped. It's a newer dovo, and I've tried honing it on three separate occasions. I've tried every trick I know. Honing method, hones, strop are all tried and true. But for the life of me, I can't get this dovo blade to shave without pulling. It's ALMOST there, but won't pass a certain sharpness point, at least with me at the controls and with my equipment. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice, and, because I've never used paste on a strop before, will paste give me that little extra that I need to make this razor shaveable?

I'd more likely suspect the bevel than the end game but not seeing the razor that's just a WAG.

I suspected that too after the first honing and beard-pull, but by the second and third time honing, doing as I've always done, cutting arm hair on the 1k no problem each time, and the 4k, AND the finisher, I decided to put that 1k stone down lest I take off too much material, because I figured I ruled that bevel-option out. Maybe too much buildup in the finishing hone, or strop, I don't know. Maybe my beard is growing courser or I'm getting dementia

So the other extreme is you may have a bit of a wire edge.
Sometimes looking at the edge under magnification can give you an idea on what's happening.

I sometimes use a lighted 45x microscope, but my eyes have gone south in recent years so I usually do a TNT for that one, and no wire edge shows itself. I also back-honed a few strokes on my finisher and stropped. I suppose there could be one and I'm just not paying close enough attention to detail. I'll check for that tomorrow...why would I have this issue on this razor, and no other?

I'm suggesting the scope at the end not just at bevel set. You don't use the TNT at 8k do you ?
At worse you can send it out to someone for an assessment & /or fix. Some times a different perspective helps.

Originally Posted by joenasarino

will paste give me that little extra that I need to make this razor shaveable?

Sometimes you have to just stop and think . It is may not be me?
gl

I do remember a thread about some defective Dovos being sold on Ebay. The problem was that they were difficult, if not impossible to hone because of a spine malady of sorts. I think it was in the beginner forum. If it came from Ebay, that might be it? I hope not.

My first question would be what is the "what I believe to be around an 8,000 grit shapton"? Second question is off which hone is the razor not where it's supposed to be. In other words, are you positive the bevel is the best it can be, and are you sure you took the razor where it needs to go off the 4k? If both those are yes, then perhaps the razor and the possibly 8kish Shapton don't play well.

I'm kinda wondering how a Shapton can be "around 8k"