Need some experienced advice - does this need honing?

Had my straight since December, & as my experience shaving with it has increased I find that I can get closer with multiple passes than ever before but also that it feels like it's tugging more, especially round the chin. It doesn't feel like it's tugging when I do my sideburns & cheeks, but I do tend to use the toe end of the blade for that (due to having ears probably) & use the central part of the blade more for the rest of my face. I really don't know if it's my technique, a blade that's not as sharp is at was when new, or a combination of the two. It is after all a distinct possibility that I've blunted the blade with my amateur stropping & shaving technique.

I've got myself a Norton 4K/8K & a jewellers loupe. The norton is lapped, & the edges are rounded so I've got the basic equipment to hone, but lack the experience. I can't afford additional 1k or 12K hones just yet, so if/when I do this it's going to be just with the Norton for now. My issue is due to lack of experience, I'm looking through the loupe & can't really tell what I'm looking at, so I did the only decent thing I could think of & took some pictures. The yellow background is the Norton, & the silver thing at the bottom is the zippo I'm resting the loupe on.

The 1st 4 pictures are from the toe to the heel of the left hand side. To my distinctly amateur eyes this side doesn't look that bad, but what do I know?

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The following are from the toe to the heel of the right hand side. I could be completely off base, but the bevel in the middle doesn't look as deep or as clean as the other side. Again, what do I know?

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I appreciate that these photos from a mobile phone won't be anywhere near as helpful as actually seeing the razor in the flesh & you might not be able to tell me much from these alone, but any advice is appreciated. I really don't know if I just just soldier on with improving my technique, or if it does need honing? The straight was bought from The Invisible Edge which came recommened on SRP, so I can be quite sure it was shave ready when I received it.

Thanks for any help.

Not enough magnification or clarity to tell. Take a sharpie and lightly run it on the edge from heel to toe. If you feel any, any snagging you have a chip or damaged edge.

It is not unusual for a shaver new to straight razors to damage the edge while stropping. A properly honed edge is a very fragile thing. A sharpie should glide smoothly along the entire edge. If it does, proper stropping should bring it back.

Unfortunately it does take some time to develop the muscle memory need to learn to strop properly, really is it a matter of pressure, too much can damage the edge and keeping the spine and edge flat on the strop. The condition of the strop is or can also be a factor. It should be clean and smooth.

Thanks for the reply. I think my stropping is better now, but I'm sure it was very subpar when I first got the razor, just like a lot of beginners. It wouldn't suprise me at all if I dulled the edge prematurely.

I know there is a very tiny nick near the toe of the straight, noticed it a couple of weeks back, but it was still shaving fine, it actually looks worse to the naked eye than it does through the loupe & even then it's hard to notice unless you really look for it. You can definitely feel it using the TNT though & you can see it on the 1st picture above. It is still shaving at present, just feels a little snaggy at times, but not when I'm using the toe end of the blade where the nick is for my sideburns & cheeks.

Other dumb question, what's a sharpie?

A sharpie is also known as a magic marker. It is useful for beginning honers in making sure the edge is making full contact with the hone. The ink will be removed if the stroke is correct , or it will remain if it doesn't contact the stone. I would recommend you try a light weight of the blade touch up on the 8k. Do 5 round trips and try the blade after stropping. If that doesn't get it do 5 more and strop and try shaving again. For me the loupe is to see chips or other problems with the edge. Not to tell if it is sharp enough. Your shave will tell you that.

I've never heard of marker pens called Sharpies before. I'm sure I've got something around the house that will do the job nicely, if not I need to go get some electrical tape anyway. It's always the way when you need something, it's never where you forgot where you put it.

I'll bear in mind the uses for the loupe & I'll try some light touch up on the 8K.

Thanks for the time & info.

The fiber tip of the marker will test the edge without causing damage. If you do not have one, a piece of foam or cotton Q tip will work. If you feel a snag, the edge is damaged and need to at the least, be touched up on a finish hone.

If you have good magnification look at the edge straight on, down on the edge. Any damage will appear as a shiny spot, reflecting light. A sharp edge will appear blurred grey.
It is just a quick, easy test of an edge.

I followed JimmyHADs' advice & popped my honing cherry. I did a small number of light strokes on the 8K side of the Norton followed by 50 strokes both ways on the strop. Massive difference. The nick at the toe end no longer registers on the TNT, but more importantly the shaving quality was much improved. A lot less tugging than before, & the improvement gave me my best straight shave by a long way. I could tell immediately on the 1st pass how much better it was. It may still need a tiny bit more work on the hone, but good result so far.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

Those pictures were fantastic. Everyone should absorb those pictures and take note of Jimmy's advice, which was right on the money. I think if guys could understand better when, and when not, to use the 4k, they'd be a lot better off.

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Originally Posted by Kaden101

I followed JimmyHADs' advice & popped my honing cherry. I did a small number of light strokes on the 8K side of the Norton followed by 50 strokes both ways on the strop. Massive difference. The nick at the toe end no longer registers on the TNT, but more importantly the shaving quality was much improved. A lot less tugging than before, & the improvement gave me my best straight shave by a long way. I could tell immediately on the 1st pass how much better it was. It may still need a tiny bit more work on the hone, but good result so far.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

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Congratulations on getting things sorted out and improving your shaving experience.

Bob

Just remember that as helpful as the TNT may be, running the edge across your fingernail does dull it a bit. A couple more passes on the 8K would relieve that. Then strop once again of course.

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Originally Posted by ace

Just remember that as helpful as the TNT may be, running the edge across your fingernail does dull it a bit. A couple more passes on the 8K would relieve that. Then strop once again of course.

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That's exactly what I did. It was just nice to know that little nick wasn't there anymore. I'm trying to figure out the TPT but I think that's quite a subtle thing so it may take me a while to understand that.

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Originally Posted by Kaden101

I'm trying to figure out the TPT but I think that's quite a subtle thing so it may take me a while to understand that.

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Take the spine of the razor in your left hand, assuming you're right handed, and then very lightly stroke your thumb pad of the opposite hand from heel to point. Not in a continuous motion but touching it and lightly going towards the point. Touch, lightly go up and touch again with a new bite. If the razor is dull your thumb pad will slide right up with little or no resistance.

If it is sharp your thumb pad will stick as the edge digs into the skin. Obviously we don't use enough pressure to slice our thumbs open. Eventually you'll get a feel for degrees of sharpness using this method. Some guys do it sideways. IOW lightly bring your thumb pad onto the edge and go across the edge to feel the sharpness.

I do it that way with pocket knives but prefer the vertical method for razors. YMMV.

Great thread! I was about to ask much the same question; my straight razor shaving experience follows a similar timeline to the OP's, and I've suspected I've put off honing longer than I might have wanted to.

I've ordered Shapton 4K and 8K stones which should arrive next week. I don't yet have a lapping plate however. I can't really splurge on one yet and even if I could, they seem to be special-order-only. Should I refrain from honing on the new stones until they've been flattened or am I trying to convince myself it's ok for now?

I just lapped my norton with wet/dry sandpaper. Started with a low grit (180 for me because that's what I could get), went up to 400 on the 4K side but haven't used that side yet. I finished off briefly on 1000 grit on the 8K, but 600 is supposed to be fine. I'm sure a lapping plate is better in the long run, but sandpaper will get you started.

Check out this:

Hone Lapping 101 - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Very informative.

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Originally Posted by Kaden101

... marker pens called Sharpies before. ...

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It's a brand name that is very popular here in the US. But rest assured. You can get one too and all your honing issues will be miraculously gone.

Sharpie Marker Pen Permanent Fine Point - Markers - Ryman

Thanks for the tip!

Try to “see” as much as you can to understand what the problem is, before you take any action that may just make the problem worst or cause more damage.

Ink & magnification do that for you. Inexpensive and do no harm.