Thread: Another Poor Slobs Honeing Question

I been sharpening knives and exactos on oilstones to very acceptable levels for years, so I thought I would have no probs with razors. Ha!

Originally Posted by Joe Chandler

Those hobby knives with replaceable blades. You can get damn near any blade for any purpose (gouges, very pointy, round, etc.) in an X-acto.

Bigseem: Why would you hone X-actos if they are dispoable?

Originally Posted by Bigseem

The blades I attacked today, before use of the 10k and strop, are grabbing hairs on the back of my hand, so Im getting close.

If it's grabbing them without the blade having to touch the skin, then you are indeed getting close. Go to the 10k and let the weight of the razor do the work. And watch out for overhoning, it's easy to overshoot and wind up with a delicate edge that won't survive a shave.

Originally Posted by Kees

Bigseem: Why do you sharpen X-actos if they are replaceable?

Cause it only takes about 20 seconds, and a single blade will last years if well kept. Why replace when you don't have to?

Originally Posted by mparker762

If it's grabbing them without the blade having to touch the skin, then you are indeed getting close.

Ya, I finally got there. Grabbing just off the skin. Ill try the shave test in the morning.

I did have a crap razor I dug up and worked on today...then made Momma clean up the hairline on my neck. While not my chin, it worked well, so I am makeing progress. Those suggestions were great, and it seems pressure was the key.

It should do better than grab -- a shave-ready razor should cut the hairs with very little sensation at all. If it grabs on your arm, it will almost certainly pull on your chin. By the time it's grabbing however, your bevel is likely ok, it just needs polishing on the higher grits.

That said, the real test of "shave-readiness" is your face, so go ahead and give it a try. Just don't be surprised or disappointed if it's not that pleasant. An important part of learning to hone a razor is learning the correlation between the the various tests and actual shaving quality on *your* face.