Thread: Experienced rationale

With the photos of honing arsenals and frequent posting comparing finishing stones would some of the Honemeisters offer up the criteria they use to determine which finishers go on what razors?

What factors affect your choice? Is it grind of the razor? Type of steel? Brand peculiarities? User preference? Whim? MOJO? It is obvious in the hands of the experienced results can be quite varied with any one choice of stone so how do you reduce the variables to get to the best edge?

Personally, I don't find that any particular hone does a better job on any particular razor regardless of mfg. or grind. Most of the finishing hones discussed produce very small differences in the final product and most are effected by the person using them. Sometimes though, one razor will simply take an edge which produces a magical shave and that is what we all try to reproduce all the time. Again though, the difference between a really good shaver and that exceptional shave can be pretty marginal. In most cases, you will produce better results with a stone that you have developed confidence in using.

Have fun.

And that's the kicker with all this stuff. Folks amass huge collections of hones to produce ever better edges and the degree of improvement is ever so small. It's a real case of the law of diminishing returns. My only comment here with my limited experience is there are some razors, probably really hard steel where certain hones do make a larger difference or maybe just make the process faster but in the scheme of things this is maybe 5% of razors.

I use the same honing progression on all my razors.

Originally Posted by Lynn

Personally, I don't find that any particular hone does a better job on any particular razor regardless of mfg. or grind. Most of the finishing hones discussed produce very small differences in the final product and most are effected by the person using them. Sometimes though, one razor will simply take an edge which produces a magical shave and that is what we all try to reproduce all the time. Again though, the difference between a really good shaver and that exceptional shave can be pretty marginal. In most cases, you will produce better results with a stone that you have developed confidence in using.

Have fun.

Absolutely true. Too much emphasis is placed on the technology when technique and experience is by far the most important factor in honing or stroppping. We have more tools today than experienced barbers ever had when ALL men had to shave with a SR. Most barbers in the late 1800's had ONE hone and ONE leather strop with maybe two or three razors (expensive for good ones in that day). They shaved several men a day with this set-up. I guess they knew what they were doing. With that said I must admit that significant improvements have been made in hones and strops. But in the end an experienced honemeister could probably do just as well with less.

Originally Posted by Lynn

Sometimes though, one razor will simply take an edge which produces a magical shave and that is what we all try to reproduce all the time.

Have fun.

And therein lies the rub for us newbies. Every time I get one of those "magical shaves" I chase after it obstructed by a cloud of variables which may simply be induced by my own lack of skill or judgement. This forum's members have moved me light years ahead of my first open blade shave in short order by reducing the variables as you all share experience and judgement. Sometimes I just don't know what I don't know and this is the best place I have found to get the know about razors and open blade shaving. The last couple of magic shaves have been the result of playing with finishers and developing some skills so it is nice to realize overall I am on the right track but MMMV.

Thanks SRP

Hey there,

I always use the same progression on every razor I hone. I get very similar results with each razor, but never exactly the same. I try to replicate not only the stone progression ... but the environment in which I hone. This has helped me in replicating results.

Good luck,

Carl.

And here I thought it was to do with the barometric pressure and the direction of the wind.

Hehe made me chuckle! I always stick my thumb out of teh window pre-honing session!!

Originally Posted by Cove5440

And here I thought it was to do with the barometric pressure and the direction of the wind.

I have been trying to hold my tongue and grimace just the same each time.