Advice I've given - critique me please.
I just recently provided some advice and would like to know if I'm leading people astray with anything that I'm saying.
I take a pretty systematic approach to things.
If at any point any razor you own stops performing, there are a few things you should consider.
1. Why is the razor not performing? Did you drop it? Did you make a mistake stropping? Is the edge just not performing like it should.
If your answer was i dropped it or I screwed it up stropping, then you're looking at bevel correction.
If your answer was simply that the razor isn't performing as it used to you should complete the following.
1. Strop double what you normally do. If you strop using a hanging strop and you usually only use the leather part of it, go to the heavier grain leather or nylon webbing or linen, whatever it may be. Complete 50 laps on that, then go to your 'finishing' strop and complete 100 laps. Test shave.
If your razor still continues to perform poorly go to step 2.
2. Grab your finisher and do 40 perfect laps on it, strop like you regularly do on linen (or whatever else it is you have) and then on leather. Test shave.
If your razor still continues to perform poorly, step 3.
3. Go down one level in your progression. If this means you use an 8k before your 12k, go to your 8k, 40 laps, then 40 on your 12k and so on. Test shave.
You know the drill.
4. If at this point your razor is still not doing what it should be, you need to think about resetting the bevel. At this point it's really up to you and what you decide to do. ALL of my mentors, including Lynn Abrams, Glen, etc, use some type of 1k stone to set a bevel. I prefer, and most others agree, the Naniwa Chosera 1k. This is by far, the best bevel setting stone out there and one stone will last a life time. Now we have to get into the fundamentals of setting a bevel. If you need help with that, I'm more than happy to walk you through it.
Once the bevel has been reset correctly, continue through your progression, stropping progression and test shave.
If at this point you still aren't having any luck there are a few things you can do.
5. send your razor to someone who is confident honing. buy a few cheap ebay specials to learn to hone on, once you get good at it, go back to your problem razor and get back on the rocks.
As far as chromium oxide or diamond paste/spray, that is all up to you. Since my purchase of a JNAT (Ozuku Mizu Asagi) Level 5+, I have only used pastes/sprays a handful of times. Typically I use it if the edge is far too keen/crisp/sharp and not mellow enough, using these treatments can mellow out a blade faster than trying to shave it and smooth it out by using it.
Everything I've said is really just a base to get started on honing and touching up your razors. Every razor is different. EVEN if you have two identical razors next to each other, they may react differently to your process.
