Thread: New Dovo, needs honing...

Greetings everyone,
My girlfriend bought me this razor for my 30^th birthday. I am interested in honing it, as it is new and never been honed. I don’t want to take it in anywhere, I would like to buy the stones myself.
In your experience, what are the best value stones on the market, and where can you purchase them, i.e. Sears, Home Depot, ACE etc…
Thanks for any help in advance.
Sincerely,
Gunnar
The Art of Shaving - Black Plastic Straight Razor - Straight Razors from The Art of Shaving

I would begin with the basics
Beginner's Guide to Honing - Straight Razor Place Wiki

That article does not show where a good place to buy stones is...

Did you try searching these forums at all?
A search would reveal that the Norton 4/8K combo stone, among others, would be a fine hone to start with.
That can be had from a ton of shops, both online and in a proper store.
Woodcraft, Amazon, ebay, Straightrazordesigns and quite a few other vendors out there.

If you do decide to go with that stone, then search out the JaNorton thread on here, it will provide more info than you will ever need on how to get an edge on you razor.

Good luck with your hunt for a shave ready edge

+1 on your new gift razor. If you need a brick and mortar store, Woodcraft carries the Norton 4000/8000 combo stone which is a well respected moderate cost hone often used by both novice honers and experienced honers. Careful perusal of the honing wiki is advised as razor honing is different than sharpening knives and is a skill requiring development. The wrong choice of stone and/or undeveloped honing skills can ruin a new razor's edge. New straight razor users are often advised to get their new razors honed by an experienced person. It helps to know that a razor is really shave ready when 1st learning to use a straight razor so that one can know what the razor should feel like in use. It is hard when one is first learning if one cannot discern whether difficulties are a result of technique or a less than shave ready edge. A straight razor must also be stropped before each use, if you do not yet have a strop. A shave ready razor has already been stropped and need not be stropped again before its first use. Razor stropping is also a learned skill.

HTH

Originally Posted by sheajohnw

+1 on your new gift razor. If you need a brick and mortar store, Woodcraft carries the Norton 4000/8000 combo stone which is a well respected moderate cost hone often used by both novice honers and experienced honers. Careful perusal of the honing wiki is advised as razor honing is different than sharpening knives and is a skill requiring development. The wrong choice of stone and/or undeveloped honing skills can ruin a new razor's edge. New straight razor users are often advised to get their new razors honed by an experienced person. It helps to know that a razor is really shave ready when 1st learning to use a straight razor so that one can know what the razor should feel like in use. It is hard when one is first learning if one cannot discern whether difficulties are a result of technique or a less than shave ready edge. A straight razor must also be stropped before each use, if you do not yet have a strop. A shave ready razor has already been stropped and need not be stropped again before its first use. Razor stropping is also a learned skill.

HTH

I went to the only Woodcraft in Minnesota, I bought two stones from a gentlemen there that also teachings sharpening classes. I got a 1k/6k and a 12k for around $65. Very happy, thanks for the advice. Now, to start honing...

please don't read any attitude in to my comments, I assure you I only wish you the best on your straight journey.

Just to be clear, you say you want to hone the blade; is it also your wish to shave with it and take up straight razor shaving in earnest? If that's the case here's what you need to do: Send the razor to Lynn or Gssixgun for a proper honing, there are of course other professionals easily found on this site. Get yourself a reasonably priced starter strop and learn how to use it. Read the wiki on this site, especially the beginner section if you haven't already done so. And then work your way in to the honing gig slowly and with other, shall we say less meaningful razors.

If you really want to begin the straight razor shaving experience, don't waste your aggravation trying to hone the blade but rather in learning good shaving technique with a proper blade. But if you just want to hone, pick up a Norton 220/1k and a 4k/8k. Those stones are more than adequate to begin honing. And if money is no object, it won't take many Google or forum searches to start getting in to the Choosera's, Naniwa's, Jnats, Eschers, Thuri's, Coti's and so on until you have more stones than you can possible use (in one day ).

Having said all that, it hasn't been long at all since I entered this crazy way of life so I remember not heeding all the advice of the more experience members here. Do I regret it, no. But that's because I stuck with it. If you're not sure, don't spend a lot of time, money and stress for something that doesn't suit you. If, OTOH, you're more like me, and I suspect most of the members here, Get the Nortons and go for noise!


whoops, a bit late, good stones, have fun
Welcome to the club.....

Get the Norton 4/8K stone. That's all you'll ever need. Then for luxury later on, treat yourself to a Nani 12K.

Let me give you the smartest advice I can give a Newb in Minn.

Return the stones you bought, get the cash back

Look up see the "Community" tab???

click that

see the "Local Help" tab???

click that

See Minn???

see Randydance???

PM him and nicely ask for him to spend the day using all his hones, and his years of vast Straight Razor honing experience

Use the money from the hones you bought to pay for the gas to get to Randy's, learn more in 1 day with Randy then spending months on here, and by youself trying to learn honing

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Let me give you the smartest advice I can give a Newb in Minn.Return the stones you bought, get the cash backLook up see the "Community" tab???click thatsee the "Local Help" tab???click thatSee Minn???see Randydance???PM him and nicely ask for him to spend the day using all his hones, and his years of vast Straight Razor honing experienceUse the money from the hones you bought to pay for the gas to get to Randy's, learn more in 1 day with Randy then spending months on here, and by youself trying to learn honing

This is by far the best advice you could possibly get.