Thread: Beginners, The 1k shave . . .

Tried this today...

5/8 WR Case & Sons

Killed the edge on glass. Confirmed it with TPT.

Did series of circles and x's on Shapton Glass 1k.. I didn't count strokes.

Monitored the bevel with a loupe but stopped only when I was able to selectively cut arm hair at the root, across the blade. I did note that there were a few TNT's were positive, yet it failed AHT. This is consistent with what I have experienced in the past and I've come to hold the TNT as indicator that I am 'getting' there.. though not actually there yet.

Stropped 60 on cotton, 80 on leather.

Interesting result in so much as from a comfort level, there were a few blades I've used that felt about the same, but had gone through a full honing progression. It pulled, but it wasn't horrible.

Closeness.. utter failure. The result wasn't even what a one DE shave would yield.

With my stiff whiskers, there is little chance that a 1k shave would satisfy me. At least not THIS 1k shave.

So, I think I'll kill the edge and do it again to see if I get the same result..

Honestly, you can do it but I've always wondered why you'd bother.

I get that it is a way to see that your bevel is good. However, I'd much prefer to simply take the word of people with more experience that it is possible, and just develop my edge tests instead. That's what they are for, after all.

No one shaves off a 1K edge except as an exercise to see that it can be done. In the end you'll be wanting to shave off 8K or higher, so you may as well practice getting there by putting all the pieces together, since that's where you want to be.

Back in the day, believe it or not, I used to be a decent javelin thrower (until my short-arse genetics kicked in around 20 or so). My first coach used to get me to stand still and just use my arm to throw for practice. My next coach said "Is that the way you are going to throw in competition? Why aren't you practicing the whole throw?" Always made sense to me.

Practice the whole hone.

James.

When I was first trying to get a grasp on my budding razor honing skills I spent a day in the bathroom with a 1K hone and a razor. I got what I thought aaas a good bevel set but it failed bad on the shave test, so I brought my hone in the bathroom and started working it until I got a decent shave. It may have just felt better because I had so many truly awful ones before it but the final shave was not that bad. I did repeat the exercise once after that but that was it for me. It was a great lesson on when the bevel is set and how far you can go on the 1K. There is no need to repeat it more than I have. I think if I wasn't learning solo and had a mentor near by it would have not been required at all.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Honestly, you can do it but I've always wondered why you'd bother.

I get that it is a way to see that your bevel is good. However, I'd much prefer to simply take the word of people with more experience that it is possible, and just develop my edge tests instead. That's what they are for, after all.

No one shaves off a 1K edge except as an exercise to see that it can be done. In the end you'll be wanting to shave off 8K or higher, so you may as well practice getting there by putting all the pieces together, since that's where you want to be.

Back in the day, believe it or not, I used to be a decent javelin thrower (until my short-arse genetics kicked in around 20 or so). My first coach used to get me to stand still and just use my arm to throw for practice. My next coach said "Is that the way you are going to throw in competition? Why aren't you practicing the whole throw?" Always made sense to me.

Practice the whole hone.

James.

To be frank, I stumbled on this thread and thought I would give it a go. I have to say, the idea makes sense. If you didn't nail the bevel set, you can take the edge through as many stones as you want it will still suck. I use olympic lifts in my workouts. It's a good idea to practice and learn the lifts with just the bar. If you can't receive the bar into the rack position without weight, there's no way you'll do it with the bar loaded. What I found interesting is that my results were opposite what many others had. I found it more comfortable than close. Not sure what to make of that...

Originally Posted by RezDog

When I was first trying to get a grasp on my budding razor honing skills I spent a day in the bathroom with a 1K hone and a razor. I got what I thought aaas a good bevel set but it failed bad on the shave test, so I brought my hone in the bathroom and started working it until I got a decent shave. It may have just felt better because I had so many truly awful ones before it but the final shave was not that bad. I did repeat the exercise once after that but that was it for me. It was a great lesson on when the bevel is set and how far you can go on the 1K. There is no need to repeat it more than I have. I think if I wasn't learning solo and had a mentor near by it would have not been required at all.

Having a mentor in the bathroom with you would have been weird...

Originally Posted by MikekiM

To be frank, I stumbled on this thread and thought I would give it a go. I have to say, the idea makes sense. If you didn't nail the bevel set, you can take the edge through as many stones as you want it will still suck. I use olympic lifts in my workouts. It's a good idea to practice and learn the lifts with just the bar. If you can't receive the bar into the rack position without weight, there's no way you'll do it with the bar loaded. What I found interesting is that my results were opposite what many others had. I found it more comfortable than close. Not sure what to make of that...
Having a mentor in the bathroom with you would have been weird...

Tone is difficult to read in text, so I am going to respond as if you misunderstood and not trying to be funny. What I meant was if I had a mentor that I could work with in person it is likely that the learning experience of the 1K shave would not have been needed. As I live in a very isolated area there is little opportunity for me to hone with those more experienced. If I get in my car and drive as far as I can it takes about and hour to get to the end of the road.

Originally Posted by RezDog

Tone is difficult to read in text, so I am going to respond as if you misunderstood and not trying to be funny. What I meant was if I had a mentor that I could work with in person it is likely that the learning experience of the 1K shave would not have been needed. As I live in a very isolated area there is little opportunity for me to hone with those more experienced. If I get in my car and drive as far as I can it takes about and hour to get to the end of the road.

LOL.... I knew what you meant... I was poking fun.

Originally Posted by MikekiM

LOL.... I knew what you meant... I was poking fun.

I was not sure, sometimes these things can go either way. Fun is good. Sometimes I wish there were universal fonts for humor or sarcasm.
:-)

Originally Posted by RezDog

I was not sure, sometimes these things can go either way. Fun is good. Sometimes I wish there were universal fonts for humor or sarcasm.
:-)

I agree.. especially when you have a dry, sarcastic sense of humor like mine.

Closing a comment with 'LOL' or ':-)' or the like, takes away all the fun of being sarcastic in the first place!!

Is that 8k and stroping or 8k chrome ox and stroping?

Originally Posted by jdto

I should probably do this. I've been fiddling with the idea of testing my finishers on my W&B, but I should probably make sure I get better bevels before I worry about that (even though that razor is probably the best edge I've ever done!).

Weeks of frustration ahead!

If your getting frustrated STOP! this is a learning exercise, so learn and enjoy. 😁