Thread: Close But Not There Yet

Yesterday I honed a couple of razors and I got the hair to pop on my arm REAL GOOD. My problem is that the shave is rough and I have to go over the same spot several times. Any suggestions what I might be doing wrong. I have Norton stones 1K, 4/8K. I think i'm almost there, but could use some help.

Well, it could be a number of things really that isn't done quite right, so it is hard to give much advice.
That said, what I would aim for is to stay on the 1K until you can easily cut arm-hair above ground, i.e. cutting the tree-tops.

Once you are there, the 4/8K stages should be pretty basic stuff.
Do check out the JaNorton thread on this forum, it is a great resource for using the 4/8.

A good stropping on linen and leather after that should give you smooth and comfy shaves.

Other than that, there is also prep, angle, pressure and all kinds of stuff that can make or break a good shave.
Try to really focus on improving each step at the time, and learn from what, if any, differences they make in the resulting shaves.

Good luck

Try a pyramid and call me in the morning.

Pyramid honing guide - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Hello, I have a similar problem, after i hone the razor on my naniwa 3k/8k i use the strop with red paste and then the one with black paste and then the plain leather one. HHT is perfect arm test is flawless but the problem is that I feel the blade kind of rough against my skin and i can actually see how it exfoliates a bit of skin on the arm test. Do you have any suggestion for me please?

First stop using the HHT. Your own experiences reveal the weakness of this standard.

Second don't EVER go past 8K when honing until you can comfortably shave with a well stropped 8K edge. If you can't do that you need to practice till you can.
You should be able to shave with a well stropped 4K edge. Hair popping off your arm is no indication of a good shaver as it can be done with a properly honed scissor.

Thirdly strop til you drop. For starters full blade-width contact on an 16 inch strop for 100 passes. Learn to strop very lightly. The lighter the touch while still having good contact the smoother the edge whether on the stones or any other medium leather included. Think of the best edge as something you have drawn out of the steel and coaxed into the light. It is fragile so fragile when you rub it against your face your skin will degrade it. You see skin from your arm on the razor because you don't prep your arm for shaving. Try it sometime.

Lastly you need to know what a good edge shaves like in your hands. As a beginner I often have to determine whether the problem I am having is an equipment problem or a technique problem. Angles and pressure are what makes for a smooth shave if you have a sharp razor. Until I learned that lesson razor burn and weepers and general discomfort were the rule now they just don't happen much.

If you haven't shaved with a razor prepared by someone like Lynn, Don, or Glen just to mention a few of the many skilled honemeisters you may not know what a sharp razor feels like. I started with a shavette and then moved to a shave ready from Glen. When I do my own blades now I know what sharp really is.

Keep practicing and asking questions here these are guys a great bunch of enablers.

It just keeps getting better.

You were right about very lightly. I honed my razor again but this time I went lightly on the stones both 4 and 8k. Big Big difference. Stropped on cloth and leather, 100 of each. Shaved this morning and I was in shock. Had to stop and look at my razor. Great shave today. Very pleased. Thanks to all for the info. LIGHT IS RIGHT

Originally Posted by ron294

You were right about very lightly. I honed my razor again but this time I went lightly on the stones both 4 and 8k. Big Big difference. Stropped on cloth and leather, 100 of each. Shaved this morning and I was in shock. Had to stop and look at my razor. Great shave today. Very pleased. Thanks to all for the info. LIGHT IS RIGHT

Add some soap after you finish on water, gives the edge a little more umph.

Soap? On the blade?

I think he means soap, with water, on the hone. Creates a light sticky buffer.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I think he means soap, with water, on the hone. Creates a light sticky buffer.

Yea a few drops of dish soap on the stone, creates a cushion and I think improves the results.