Thread: SO frustrating...

Still trying to learn how to hone... I'm ready to throw my Nortons at a puppy. I had a razor that was nice and straight and gave an OK shave, but still tugged and pulled seemingly no matter what angle or pressure I used.... it was new and allegedly "shave ready". So I decided to get a razor professionally honed and use this razor as a practice razor.

After about 50 laps on a 4k and 50 on an 8k with almost no pressure, the blade now has a slight frown. I'm kind of shocked I created a frown with relatively few passes on relatively high grit stones. Any advice? And yes... I've read the wiki.

What are those 50 strokes? At this point it's impossible to say what you're doing wrong really, you should make a video of yourself honing...
Personally, I've had nothing but good results since I started honing two weeks ago, and I have shaved with straights I've honed myself ever since. Before I started, what I did was looking through all of Glens videos, which you can find here:
YouTube - ‪gssixgun's Channel‬‏

Listen to what he says, listen to how he hones, look at the strokes, there's lots and lots of good advice there, which was a huge help for me getting started.

hmmm, there seems to be something way off here.
It is hard to understand how a frown can develop on so few strokes, and with little pressure.
First off, was the stones flattened properly?
You can test this with something that is truly flat layed on top of the stone, any light shining thru on any parts of it, and you do not have a properly lapped stone.
Another thing to look for is the water in front of the edge, is it being pushed forward at the entire witdh of the blade, or just in the middle where the frown has developed?

Sorry, I should be more specific. I stuck pretty much exclusively to x-strokes and did MAYBE three or four straight strokes. The stones were all freshly lapped with a DMT D8C stone under running water. I drew a grid on the stones and everything. I'm confused because I've been able to get two eBay specials into shave ready condition. I'm beginning to think this razor may have already had a frown, and I only just noticed it. The frown was significant enough to where I had to spend a few minutes on a 220 stone breadknifing it (I know, controversial, not recommended for beginners, but I was angry and impulsive). I've finally been able to get it to shaving arm hairs after some aggressive honing on a DMT D8C and about 50 x-strokes so far on a 1k. I'm calling it quits for the night. Tomorrow I'll see if I can get it truly shave ready. I've been told by several people on this forum that I move way too fast. I do, and it's definitely frustrating, but I figure the best way to learn is to dive in with both feet.

By the way, I'll check out Glen's videos (I'm actually getting a razor honed by him soon). The videos where I've gotten most of my honing info from are from a guy named ToxikWaste. He seems to have a very solid style, though I haven't heard his name mentioned on this forum yet. I wonder if you've seen his videos and have any feedback.

I'm in the same boat as you. If you can get it figured out maybe I'll give honing another try myself.

Two things I'd like to say:

1) BLIX: Listen to what he says, listen to how he hones, look at the strokes, there's lots and lots of good advice there, which was a huge help for me getting started.

Yes, absolutely. These videos are just excellent. Sometimes they're just nice to watch anyway....you pick things up when you've seen them more than once.

2) MisterSensitive: Angry and Impuslive let this be a bit of lesson. Never do anything to a razor if it has made you angry and impulsive. Put it down, walk away and have a beer (or something). Do not touch it until you have calmed down and completely analyzed the situation and what you need to do. Otherwise, the razor is going to win....ie: a tonne of work to get a bevel after breadknifing.

FWIW, I'd check the amount of pressure I was using. Just putting your finger on the blade and causing it to torque ever so slightly is enough pressure to change something.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by MisterSensitive

I'm beginning to think this razor may have already had a frown,

WOW good for you.
It was in there basically you didn't notice. NO it cannot be that way.IN reality you couldn't notice.as soon as you put it on to hone it appear.
Can this happen?
Yes it can.
i know most of you will say i am crazy .
There is very little chance you will form frown with x strokes + light touch.
Keep your nortons and learn more how to use them. they are priceless when someone start to learn honing.
Lap them often it needs to be lapped.
This is all i can say.
Gl

Here is a link to the PDF from the SRP Wiki help files. It is an excerpt on honing and stropping from a 1961 barber manual. It has illustrations and instruction on how to recognize a frown, how to correct it, and how to avoid it in your future honing.

Mr.S
Anyone who hasn't had a blade drive them mad - either hasn't done many blades, or they're lying! I agree w/ the counsel to put it down. You'll brew over what was happening and see things obscured by the frustration. It won't be the last blade than needs a beer to get it through the issues. 163 blades later, and I know that in the next 5 blades, I'll have one that makes me crazy. Learning to chill will spare some blades that would otherwise be abused. It'll come. You'll get through this one and many others. Keep posting. The kind help here has even made it through my thick head, and I have better edges for it.

Thanks to everyone for the excellent advice. I'm not sure what I'd do without this forum to put things in perspective. Another huge mistake I made was hoping that I could get the blade honed before a certain time. I rushed. Another thing I knew was wrong at the time, but did it out of frustration. I've always been bad at being OK with not being an expert at something right off the bat. I want to be a honemeister in two weeks, dammit!