Thread: Honing my ebay cheapo

Hi Guys,

I bought an ebay cheapo to practice my honing on for the first time (so I don't ruin my immaculate Bengal). Thought I would let you know how I got on. I noticed there are a few newbies like me on the forum so maybe people can learn from my experience.

The razor when I received it was in resonable condition but with a few patches on the blade that weren't a perfect edge. I guess you could call them knicks.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

It was also unshavable to the point where shaving with the hone would have produced better results!

So, today I did 20 laps on a 1000K japanese waterstone (enough to get a nice straight and even edge). I then preceded to do the conservative pyramid mentioned in another thread on this forum with my 4K and 8K waterstones. i stropped 20 times on the canvas and then 20 times on the leather.

Well, the razor has gone from being unshavable to reasonably good. I could shave with it, which was a nice surprise, but it still drags and is painful. I could have done my whole face but I completed my right cheek and then reverted back to the shavette.

The good thing about this was I got to feel the difference on the edge with my thumb between the blunt and sharper state. I now think I know what i am looking for.

I will do the pyramid again tomorrow and test shave again. Hopefully I will be there next time although I suspect it may take a few pyramids yet.

Catch you all tomorrow

Rob

Good luck Rob.. Looks like you're making great progress

Aye up again Rob, looks like your well in the curve now, keep on being strict with your technique and you will soon see an even more dramatic improvement .

Keep us informed .

Dunk

P.S. The Spireites are catching you..

Sounds like you are making progress, Rob. Keep it us and above all..be patient!

Just done the conservative pyramid again and the razor is even sharper. Managed both to shave both cheeks with it in reasonable comfort this time but it wasn't good enough to do round my chin and top lip.

Do I do another pyramid tomorrow or do I change tack at this stage? Maybe some sets of 1 then 5 on the 4K and 8K respectively?

Advice is appreciated

Rob

Do the arm-hair test.. If hte blade is effortlessly popping hair with every part of the blade (heel, mid, toe) then do a two to four 1-5s, if not, do another pyramid and try again.

to do the arm hait test do i hold it against my skin, like when shaving, or do I hover it above? I have quite long arm hair, it is like a fuzz over my forearms

So far so good, you are doing well.

Just use it like a flymo. Don't let it touch your arm. If you can cut hair with out touching your skin you are nearly there.

Peter

Hover above, but not at the very tips. Probably about half-way down.

Try using a 3/5, 1/5,1/5,1/5 next. Then go down to 1/5, 1/5,1/5 after that until it is as sharp as you want it.