An experiment with Sharpmaker rods in lieu of a proper hone.
(Also an experiment in really long thread titles!)
NOTE: I'm a veteran knife knut but a new razor fan so I defer to the experts' advice in all matters concerning razor care.
Just a newb chiming in but I used the rods from my Sharpmaker to bring a dull and chipped edge on my J.R. Torrey back to life. I started with the medium grit rod to work out the chips and flatten the edge out using the non-notched sides, being very careful not to use too much pressure. I made long, slow passes and lifted the razor edge-first at the end of each stroke. Once I was satisfied with my starting point, I made a tiny bit of paste with water and the compound from crocus cloth, brushed it on one flat of the fine rod and very carefully worked the razor on it using the same technique as the medium. With some patience, I worked up a 'mirror' edge without too much trouble. It then got a few strokes on some news print, in case I had misaligned the edge at any point, and tried it out with pretty good results. The razor first shaved a bit of wet (not lathered) arm hair without any grabbing so I gave it a go on both cheeks. It seemed to shave fairly easy but I'll definitely be honing and stropping it properly before putting it to regular use.
Might this be a good option in a pinch for a neglected or otherwise damaged razor instead of using a finer hone? Is there something I could have done wrong that might not be immediately apparent to a newbie? I do plan on buying a nice set of hones when the budget allows. I'm trying to buy my first home and every dollar counts at the moment but I'd also like to know if I'm just making more trouble for myself.
Thanks!