Thread: Help with honing

I recently started shaving with a straight month approximately 9 months ago. I honed my razor for the first time yesterday and I couldn't get it to pass the hanging hair test. I went to shave with it and it was pulling a lot. I used a 4000/8000 Norton wet stone. any advise would be greatly appreciated.

I attached a couple pictures. please let me know if you can any errors.

There is plenty of info how to use Norton 4000/8000 here. It does take a lot of time to learn master the nack of fine sharpening/honing. Be patient. I would recomend to buy an old razor that you can practice on it rather then damiging your nice one.

ok, is it a new norton and lapped? see this thread

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...zor-sharp.html

note the mention of HHT, and +1 to buying an old razor to practice on first, even a junker. you don't really want to refresh with a 4/8k, either a barbers hone or a 12k, in fact starting to think either of these shold be a potential honers first buy.

have a read of that thread, see if it applies and if not ask away

cheers

Simon

The bevel is inconsistent. Once you start with 4k you must finish, appropriately, with 4k. From the photo it looks like you've only done a few strokes with too much pressure applied near the shank. You have a long road ahead of you.

Buy a junker and practice with it first. Don't ruin your new dovo.

I live in Toronto, but if you cover the shipping, I'll get her back to smooth for you. You can send me a PM.

Honing is an art it took a fair bit of work before I started to get acceptable edges. Its been about a year now and the edges I get are good, however they do keep improving and I wonder how much better they can be. Spend time watching youtube honing vids and practice. Most of all don't be disheartened it will all start to fall into place sooner or later.