Honing newbee - first experience

Hello all!

So my path down this road has been as follows: Four months ago: Into DE shaving. Two months ago: Bought my first straight and then a second, both professionally honed. A few weeks ago: Starting to bid on eBay straight razors. Two days ago: Norton stones 220/1K, 4K/8K from SRD arrived.

Yesterday I did some practice on a cracked blade trying to achieve fluid and even strokes. Today: The big day. Two eBay specials already sanded and polished, one 4/8 and one 6/8 both hollows. I followed the useful information on this forum. Set the bevel on 1K, doing pyramids from 25 strokes on the 4K/8K as described in Lynn's article. Went directly from 8K to stropping, and off to the bathroom (my Naniwa 12K not arrived yet). One side of the face for each razor. Very happy with my first try. Whiskers flew off like dust, comfortable and close behaviour from both ladies! I'm in!

Thanks to everybody for the extremely valuable information for newbees on this forum! I proudly attach a before and after picture of my 6/8 Sheffield which probably will stay in my rotation for a long time.

Egil
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Congrats! It's a great feeling to be able to shave off of an edge you formed yourself.

Hei Egil :)
Congrats on your first honing, well done. That's a nice looking razor as well, cudos if you also restored it.

I hope my first attempt goes as well, Congrats!

Very nice Egil.
It's really a great feeling of achievement that first time.Being able to fully maintain your own equipment like that kinda completes the ritual of wet shaving.
Congrats!

How many strokes did you have for setting the bevel at 1000grit before going to the 4/8K?
Did you use also the 220grit?

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How many strokes did you have for setting the bevel at 1000grit before going to the 4/8K?
Did you use also the 220grit?

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I did 40 circles at 1000 grit on each side, and then about 20-30 X-strokes still using the 1K. After that I inspected the bevel through a handheld microscope (without fully knowing what to look for :w), and then off to the 4k/8k pyramide. The method worked fine for both razors - a bit of luck I guess.

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Originally Posted by Slur

How many strokes did you have for setting the bevel at 1000grit before going to the 4/8K?
Did you use also the 220grit?

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It's not a matter of the number of strokes because you have to do as many strokes as required by the edge. You can consider the bevel finished when no light is reflected by the edge itself and the edge passes the TNT (thumbnail test). If it does pass the TNT, and you feel the blade grabbing your thumbnail as you draw it across, then you must do more strokes because that test can degrade the edge.

How many ladies do you have again?