Thread: Honing services

I'm getting to the point with my honing where I think I'd be able to provide some sharpening services for those who don't want to bother with honing.

But I wanted to see how this works right now.

Are there enough guys already offering their services for honing? Would I just be taking away from those who are better and more established? Or is there more work than people to do it?

Do we have a directory or listing of those who will do honing work?

Would it be unethical to offer honing services for a bit less than the going rate of $20, say $15? I don't consider myself on par with Bill or Randy or Lynn by any means, so it seems unfair for me to ask $20. But I wouldn't want to undercut those guys, either...

I'm almost more interested in the practice than any money I might make, but it would help offset the investment I've made in my equipment...

Thanks,
Josh

Anyone willing to take on the challenge of honing is always welcome! Best of luck to you.

I'd go slow. There are a lot of razors out there and many hone differently then the 10 razors you learn on. Also, you'll have "responsibility" that can, with some razors be hard to meet.

I can't count the number of posts I've read on other forums which go something like this . . .

"Yea, I paid xx dollars to one of those "honemiesters" over at SRP and the blade never felt sharp at all."

And in some cases it was probably ruined by the first stropping session, but in essence the forum itself takes a hit.

From my own experience I can certainly share that I would love to have the honing knowledge I've learned this month and apply it to the razors I honed last month, and it seems every month feels that way.

There is always a guy posting on here with an Ebay razor thats dull and doesn't want to pay for honing because he isn't ready for more financial commitment. Perhaps you could offer your services for free for a while and see what the process is like a little. Every time I hone a razor for someone else and pack it up I'm left a little uneasy. Could it have been any sharper, smoother, or safer?

By the way, if your interested Lynn has offered in the past (about 2 years ago I think) to evaluate your honing if you send him a blade.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

By the way, if your interested Lynn has offered in the past (about 2 years ago I think) to evaluate your honing if you send him a blade.

I think I'd be unwilling to call myself a honemeister (and I don't) without lynne's approval of at least 2-3 blades. I still think it's a disservice to newbies that the forum annoints people "honemeister" based on a post count. Given the frequent admonition to newbies to get their razor honed by a honemeister, this obscures just which honemeisters that recommendation is really referring to.

I've occasionally sent blades to newbies, and it's not a comfortable feeling wondering if it's *really* as sharp as it should be, or if they'll dull it on their strop and promptly whine in the forum about how I suck at honing. To be honest, I don't really have a high success rate with newbs. One guy I never heard from again, another PM'd me that he popped all the hair off his arms with it one night (and hasn't been heard from again), and another actually seems to have shaved with it successfully.

And even though I enjoy honing, I've still got non-pakistani blades that I can't get sharp, that have a wierd warp to them or I can't quite figure out the steel. There's no way I'd feel comfortable charging somebody for the service knowing that out there, somewhere, are blades that I can't hone.

On a lighter if somewhat related note, there was a thread on B&B a few days ago where some guy was offering his honemeister services with the proviso that he didn't take stainless blades because they didn't hone very well :-)

It's all about having fun.

We have had members in here recently who called several of us for a month to discuss problems and ask for advice and then went into business. New people rarely know how much experience is out there or not.... I always hope you new guys take care of all the nasty ebay razors for me.......hahahaha. Stainless razors really are not a problem. Some of the newer low end razors like Kamisori and Timor can be a real pain though. As previously said, every razor has it's own personality. Some snap right to awesome, some are finicky and some just seem to take forever. I have people daily who send me razors with rust in the edges and every time it seems I get past it and look in the microscope there is more rust and more micro chipping. Never can tell. On the other end though, there is always someone waiting for their razor and yes they can fold over an edge on the first stropping, catch the blade in the handle causing chipping and a bunch of other stuff not even realizing what they did and blame it on poor honing. The more you hone, the more you learn. None of us is perfect every time. I have honed over 7,000 razors for people and am still learning. We have some members out there who you rarely hear from that can put an awesome edge on a razor like Bill Watkins. If you lose site of the enjoyment, it becomes a chore. Feel free to send me one anytime for a look see.

Lynn

Honing is a tough chore and I agree with the others that it does not always go smoothly. I used to sweat every razor I honed and sent out worrying that it would not be sharp enough and bring me shame <g> I now send them out to another SRP expert that has lived up to his promise. They are sharper than I ever got them.

We can always use more guys to help hone but experience must be built slowly.

Tony

I concur that honemeister should be a title for those who can and will take on honing for other members on a free or paid basis.

The more the merrier. If you're getting the job done, your customers will let you know. If you're not, they'll let you know that, too. Just realize that you won't be able to make everyone happy, that you will occasionally have to rehone a few, and once in a great while, you'll just flat run into one that gives you fits. Experience and perserverence helps there. Plus, you might have to deal with a few snide comments from people who think you're trespassing on "their territory". If you feel confident in your abilities, can back them up, and are willing to be criticized, often for no other reason than a territorial pissing contest, welcome to the club and best of luck to you. If I can help you in any way, I will. And it is intended to interesting and fun. If it ceases to be that, what's the point?

And be willing to solicit comments and suggestions from those who honor you by doing business with you. You'll learn more from mistakes than successes, and keeping the lines of communication open prevents disagreements and hard feelings, not just with business, but with interpersonal relationships. Most often, people are reasonable if you'll just talk to them. If somebody isn't happy, do whatever is reasonable to make them happy. You're taking their money; what they worked hard for. There should be a person on the other end connected to that transaction willing to make that money well-spent. You can't make everyone happy, but you damn sure better try.

Originally Posted by ernestrome

I concur that honemeister should be a title for those who can and will take on honing for other members on a free or paid basis.

Even this is pushing it. Because I would hone a razor for somebody for free (well, if he paid shipping) but success is not guaranteed (even though I feel I can get 'normal' blades shave-ready) and I would not call myself a honemeister even in delirium tremens

Cheers
Ivo

Well, Honer and Honemeister then.