Thread: Honing problems

Originally Posted by UKRob

One of the first posts here was from Jamie (Celtic Crusader) who gave you some good advice - maybe you should consider sending him a PM as well.

+1 I was going to type the exact same thing

Ok guys, so I just thought I would let you know I just had the best shave of my life. Stropped before shaving, I then stropped between first and second passes, and then again before moustache. No sure if the extra stropping was necessary, but better safe than sorry I thought. I also changed the angle of attack, which was tricky, but helped massively. The end result was not quite as close as when I use my shavette, but I am sure this will come with practice. However, there is no irritatoin - never had that before. Love it!

Just wanted to say thanks to you all.

Glad you had a good shave, but like the others said, you shouldn't really have to strop so much, just once before, that's all. I would probably consider sending the razor to Neil Miller or someone else who is know to be a reputable honer so that you will know whether this stropping is necessary or not. I bet it just is not sharp enough.

Daniel

If the only thing you did was strop it a whole bunch, then you still have an eye opening experience ahead of you when someone actually sharpens that razor.

A prolem I'm having is that I can't seem to get my dovo 5/8 best or my geneva 6/8 ontario as sharp as my genco 5/8 fluid steel(especially the ontario).

I'm a bit confused. Stropping won't make a bad edge a good edge - there has to be the foundation there to begin with or else stropping will never help.

I'm not saying your honer is either good or bad - I'm just saying that before we all jump to conclusions about the edge we should perhaps have more data. No offence to the OP, but I've seen many good honer's reputations impugned when in fact it is the (often new) shaver's technique on both strop and face that was the culprit.

I also do not see why a recommendation that someone strop between passes is an indicator of a poor honer. I've seen that advice given here many times over the years.

Again, I am not defending the honer. I'm simply saying the data upon which we are determining a reputation is thin to say the least. I think we can do better than that.

James.

Sorry but how can an edge possibly be expected to only last for one pass until needing to be re-stropped? This goes against everything I have read in the forums, watched on videos etc. Never heard this before and I have to say I would be pretty annoyed if I had to strop a razor that much just to use it, it seems pointless. Get it sharpened properly.

+1. A bad edge whether it is dull, foiled or bad temper will not come back to sharp with just a stropping.

For my part: I wasn't saying anything about the honer or his skill. I just don't think the razor is sharp. The reasons a professionally honed razor is not performing properly are too many to list at one time. The most likely culprit is usually the operator. But the operator didn't take anyone's advice, then said thanks at the end. So, who knows? lol.

Originally Posted by Kefka

Sorry but how can an edge possibly be expected to only last for one pass until needing to be re-stropped? This goes against everything I have read in the forums, watched on videos etc. Never heard this before and I have to say I would be pretty annoyed if I had to strop a razor that much just to use it, it seems pointless. Get it sharpened properly.

Well, many things contribute to the longevity of the edge, and many of those things take on a sharper aspect in the hands of a new shaver. Shave angle, for example. Beard prep and type, stropping technique etc etc. These kinds of things can contribute to temporary or permanent premature edge dulling IME. Of course, if the culprit is stropping technique then restropping between passes will simply exacerbate the issue.

And as I said before, it is not unheard of for people to strop between passes. Its not common by any means, but not unheard of either.

Of course, it could be that the edge was not honed correctly but all we have to go on is the OP's description of the problem and it seems as though their edge is giving them a shave they are content with at the moment. Perhaps they are putting up with a sub-par shave, but in the light of present information all we can really say is good luck and happy shaving!

James.