Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12
Like Tree8Likes

Thread: refining an edge with tools at hand

  1. #1
    Senior Member Noisykids's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    bucolic south central mass
    Posts
    245
    Thanked: 35

    Default refining an edge with tools at hand

    I honed a Wostenholm starting on the 1k using circles till sharp, it would shave arm hair all along it's length.
    then I did a pyramid on the norton 4k/8k starting with 25 laps and working down.
    Then i did a smaller pyramid on the 8k and the phig, starting at 10 laps.
    Then I stropped on an srp strop, but only on the leather side. the shave was not bad. i have a thing about the sound. i don't feel like anything is happening if i can't hear it.
    anyway, i'm spending all my extra money on my daughter's student loans and telescope parts, so i don't want to get sidetracked with pastes and whatnot.
    what can i do to increase the perceived keenness of my razors using the hones and strop i have? i've seen the term "dial in an edge" but at this point it seems i might be using small numbers of laps and would they have any effect?
    I'm almost a year into this and am finding that i loathe the time spent stropping. i'll put off shaving rather than spend time stropping.

  2. #2
    I Bleed Slurry Disburden's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Carmel, NY
    Posts
    2,458
    Thanked: 545

    Default

    It sounds like you moved to the 8K too early and the 4K didn't sharpen the razor enough. Don't worry, this happens a lot with new honers and it happened to me too.
    Stay on the 1K until you pop arm hair at the heel and the toe, if both poles pop hair fine then the middle is probably okay, you can test the middle if you want.

    Now the norton stone:

    When on the 4K make about 40 laps and try to pop arm hair, it should pop a lot easier than the 1K did.
    When you move to the 8K if you see any metal coming off on the 8K side of the hone or the water turning grey or dark...STOP!! You moved to the 8K to early and your blade will not be honed properly. Go back to the 4K and try another 30 strokes, you can repeat this until you see the 8K is staying clear and clean.

    Once on the 8K make about 20 strokes and pop arm hair test again...Arm hair should pop at mid length easily...almost silently..it depends on your hair.The thicker the more audible the pop, but should still be a lot more effortless than previous grit levels. Make sure you use super light strokes when on the 8K portion.

    Is your 4K side of the norton lapped perfectly smooth? You need to lap it like 4 times before it's smooth enough for razors....

    PM me if you want..

    Nick

  3. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Disburden For This Useful Post:

    JoeSomebody (10-27-2011), pinklather (10-27-2011), regularjoe (10-27-2011), SirStropalot (10-27-2011)

  4. #3
    Nic by name not by nature Jeltz's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    South West England
    Posts
    961
    Thanked: 249

    Default

    I know you didn't want to look at pastes etc but for me chromium oxide powder on a piece of balsa wood teases out that last bits of keenness. I bought a thin piece of balsa from a craft shop and stuck it to piece of oak that I had it does very well. I think I spent about £8 in total.
    Regards
    Nic

  5. #4
    Senior Member jeness's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Hungary
    Posts
    797
    Thanked: 219

    Default

    Also, forget the chinese for a while. IMO it is a bad stone for beginners from the start, but you wouldn't be better off with a nani 12k either. Until you can get a nice shaving edge from the 8k side of the norton, don't use it. You are just wasting your time trying to refine your edge with the chinese, when in reality you didn't refine it enough on the 8k. Don't worry, everyone makes these mistakes, those people who are giving you advice too

  6. #5
    Senior Member Noisykids's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    bucolic south central mass
    Posts
    245
    Thanked: 35

    Default

    i forgot to mention i also have a coticule and a rubber. i know that's a whole different thing to learn. the phig actually feels grittier than the 8k. i think this is all good advice and thank you all for it. i'm going to skip the pyramid and use each side of the stone to it's best advantage.

  7. #6
      Lynn's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    St. Louis, Missouri, United States
    Posts
    8,454
    Thanked: 4941
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default

    I think you should try to shave after the pyramid with the 4K/8K. If the shave is not quite there, try an extra 1-3, 1-5 pyramid or maybe even 3-5 strokes on the 8K to dial in. If you can get a decent shave here, then I would not recommend a continued pyramid with the 8K and either Chinese 12K or Coticule. I would recommend 10 no pressure X strokes with a very light slurry, followed by 10 no pressure X strokes with just water on the Chinese 12K, then strop and test. On the Coticule, I would just do 10 no pressure X strokes with water first, then strop and test. You can always go back and do 10 with a light slurry and then water if your particular stone doesn't hit with just the water.

    Have fun.

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to Lynn For This Useful Post:

    Havachat45 (10-27-2011)

  9. #7
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    2,697
    Thanked: 830
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    Noisy, I can't add to what's been said on the honing side, but wanted to speak to the lack of audible feedback. I too have a hard time w/ a silent blade. I encounter it most often w/ the heavy Sheffields. I've not made peace w/ the Sheffields for this reason. A few have given feedback, but they're the exception. I've never seen an actual full hollow Wosty, and only 1 W&B, so I have to assume your Wosty is a heavy grind. With these blades, feedback will be very subdued at best, and most often, just silent shavers. This has to do w/ the steel & nothing to do w/ your honing.

    'Sounds like you're heading in a good direction w/ your honing. Keep it up. Keep posting the questions. Fun is a neccessary part of honing, or you'll drive yourself nuts! Heavy Sheffields aren't the easiest blades to work, so keep the fun & humor handy!

  10. #8
    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    32,737
    Thanked: 5016
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default

    Reminds me of these newer cars with these electric power steering units. No road feel at all however the wheels turn fine. If you do your stropping correctly and the shave is going fine you and the strop did it's job. Noise or feedback is nice but not necessary.
    No matter how many men you kill you can't kill your successor-Emperor Nero

  11. #9
    learning something new every day Deerhunter1995's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Pa
    Posts
    1,211
    Thanked: 185

    Default

    spender you make a good point and that is exactly why i like my older trucks i love a bit of feed back from the wheels and the motor i want it to be loud enough so that i can hear what its doing and not just a silent vibration lol

  12. #10
    learning something new every day Deerhunter1995's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Pa
    Posts
    1,211
    Thanked: 185

    Default

    o sorry sidetracked once you get your edge sharp you should pick up a barber hone eventually, they will keep ur razor touched up for a loooooong time, like 5 swipes with lather on it and you are back in the game

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •