Thread: The Point of Despair

I purchased a Norton 4k/8k about ten days ago, thinking it was time for me to learn how to hone my own razors. After nine days of practice, lapping, trying to discern the right pressure (or the lack thereof), concentrating on the technique suggested by the videos posted by members of this board, my blade is as dull as a spoon. All I wanted to do was touch up my edge. Now I'm regretting having ever picked up the hone in the first place.

I'm almost to the point of giving up. It appears as though honing is a skill I shall never acquire. Did anyone reach such a low when trying to learn the art?

We call that reverse honing and it's a difficult art to master like a musician trying to play and inserting wrong notes.

Just kidding of course.

You need to figure out what you are doing wrong. Obviously if you do it correctly you will get the results you need. Also, some guys come to this with previous honing ability and some catch on very quickly. For most of us it just takes time and sometimes razors are ruined before we figure out what we are doing wrong. You might want to see about hooking up with another member for some personal assistance. If you are someone who is all thumbs at this you might need that. Otherwise it's just practice, practice,practice but you have to do it the right way.

In the end it deals with strokes, and pressure and what the individual blade needs. it's really an art and need to be learned step by step.

There are some razors that hone very easily and others are a challenge. Are you trying to hone a challenge razor? If so, start with a well known pedigree vintage blade that is hollow grind that is not too far gone especially as you are setting bevel with 4k and that takes a long time on a razor that needs much work setting bevel. Hope this helps.

Yes, definitely. At the start I regularly came away from the hones with a duller blade than I'd started with.

I'm still a newb, and get rather inconsistent results, but it has got to the point where I can usually shave with my own edges. And put on aftershave without screaming.

The only advice I have is not about technique (sounds like you're already getting that from the horse's mouth) but about approach. The two things that helped me when I got miserable about my lack of skills were:

- give it a rest for a day or two. If you go to the hones with foreboding, it won't work. Wait until you feel good, and have read something new you want to try out. (It doesn't work if you're tired or in a hurry, either, I find.)

- Change what you're doing. Pretty much anyhow. Doing x-strokes? try circles. Try different pressures (I mean, always light, but vary it - light plus a little, light minus a little). Tape/more tape/no tape. More torque/less torque.

It'll improve, don't worry.

try a DMT1200 Diamond Plate for bevel setting..you CAN set your bevels on the 8k..but it will take awhile

Originally Posted by Rev

I purchased a Norton 4k/8k about ten days ago, thinking it was time for me to learn how to hone my own razors. . . . All I wanted to do was touch up my edge. . . .

I suspect you were doing more than the razors needed.

You don't say how you were tracking your progress. IMHO, a good 10x loupe lets you see what you're doing as you're doing it. It's hard to figure out what you're doing wrong, if you're working blind.

10-20 laps on an 8K stone, with very light pressure, followed by
. . . 10-20 laps on a CrOxide pasted strop, followed by
. . . a good (100-lap) stropping,
may be enough to bring an edge from "almost sharp" to "sharp".

Charles

PS -- my life became easier when I decided that something finer than 8K -- either CrOxide, or a fine barber hone -- was a _necessary_ part of my honing cycle. I'm not able to get a good edge off an 8K stone. I figure it's my fault, not the 8K's.

Rev, giving up after only ten days of trying? You can't be serious. Of course a thing like honing takes time to learn.

Don't give up. Because giving up is something you can only regret. Regret for ever.

Honing success when learning is a matter of making mistakes, recognizing them and getting past them. Mistakes are like stepping stones to successful honing. Keep at it. It does take time. It took me a month's worth of attempts to find any success, and I was very serious about it.

To make matters worse, I've probably practiced a combined 14-16 hours or more and I have nothing to show for it other than a dull blade. I've decided to give it up until I can find someone in my area who can help teach me. I've done all I know how to do based on all the demonstrations. I've lapped. I've used no pressure. I've kept the blade level. And I've got a butter knife. My hats off to all of you who can do it.

See if you can find someone local if possible. I did and it made all the difference, you can't beat a one on one lesson from someone who is an expert (or at least good) on honing. Go to the member list and then advanced search and type in your area, maybe you will get lucky.