Thread: Felt so good that I didn't want to stop.

The title is a little deceiving I know. So I grabbed a razor that was one of the first ones that I honed and haven't used in some time to shave and it wasn't the most comfortable shave. I guess my honing technique is getting better. Anyway I was bored and wanted to hone something so I figured why not this razor so I dulled it and went to work. I have been finishing on a coticule bout that I recently got and liked the results, but this razor just didn't seem to like it that much so I thought I would use my C12k since I haven't used it in awhile and I have to say I missed the stone. It is a little 6"x2" stone and the way the razor wanted to stick to the stone. The way it just smoothly glided over it I just didn't want to stop honing. I was sad when I got toward my last few laps. Guess it was just a relaxing feeling. I was just wondering if anyone else ever had that feeling that they just didn't want to stop honing cause it just felt so good. Share your experiences.

I know exactly what you mean, I've found a 'zone' usually the second half of the honing process after bevel setting where i slow my strokes and relax them and gradually slow them until I'm finishing pretty slow and try to feel how the razors edge is and watch how the water rolls over the edge.

Its strange when I do it this way as opposed to quick strokes, I always feel a little prouder of these edges, because I've spent more focussed attention and care with them...

These days I also use a tiny la verte coticule, jnat and BBW, usually one stone honing and the slowness really seems to help with smoothing out when finishing. Jnat honing I've found slow strokes to be essential and very relaxing, I love the mirror smoothness of this stone.

Usually the honing doesn't take much longer, if at all longer, the strokes are more consistent so I cut more efficient, its all very harmonious

regards Alex

I know the feeling - great, isn't it?

You bet! This happens to me all the time. My favourite stone (and now two stones) are the Norton and Naniwa 8k's. When I reach that point, that soft, velvet-y hone just zones me right in.

The other one that does that is my Charnley.

I don't enjoy honing. I do it to keep my razors shave ready, but sitting in a chair at a desk and rubbing steel on a rock or other material is not something I enjoy. I enjoy the fruits of my labor tremendously, but not the act of honing. I hope I am not the only one that thinks this way, but I can find many other things to put my time to better use.

There, I said it!!!

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

I don't enjoy honing. I do it to keep my razors shave ready, but sitting in a chair at a desk and rubbing steel on a rock or other material is not something I enjoy. I enjoy the fruits of my labor tremendously, but not the act of honing. I hope I am not the only one that thinks this way, but I can find many other things to put my time to better use.

There, I said it!!!

What a blasphemic thing to say!!

How can you not enjoy sitting down, relax and shut the rest of the world out when playing with your stones and entering the state of zen-honing??

Just joking of course

We're all different, I'm one of those who enjoy honing just as much as any other part of this hobby, I love playing around with different stones and constantly seeking the perfect edge

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

I don't enjoy honing. I do it to keep my razors shave ready, but sitting in a chair at a desk and rubbing steel on a rock or other material is not something I enjoy. I enjoy the fruits of my labor tremendously, but not the act of honing. I hope I am not the only one that thinks this way, but I can find many other things to put my time to better use.

There, I said it!!!

I have to agree in some aspect, one of the reasons I came to use str8's was because of the simplicity of it all. rub a bit of steel against a rock and shave. And sometimes I do just that, my BBW is superb at quick honings. perfecting a speedy honing technique and getting a 'perfect game' honing is sometimes just as enjoyable as a zen honing... I like both

I like the learning and development of skills with practice.
The edge and the shaves are improving!
The work is definitely meditative, but my greatest reward has been restoring antiques and giving them to friends who have taken up our art. Priceless!

Honing razors for me is somewhat like honing knives. I love the perfectly honed and uber sharp knife blade and strive to keep them there. I do ned some motivation to get started though and tend to wait until I have a few to do. Lately though I have been pulling out just my top two finishers and fine tuning the blades as needed.