Honing a new razor

Hi guys,

I bought a vintage Union Razor Company straight off ebay. It said it was in mint shape but I'm actually surprised by how mint it is! I don't think it has ever been used. I tried cutting arm hairs which it did no problem and I tried shaving with it after giving it a good stropping. It shaved but it was pulling a bit and I would like to get it sharper. In fact, I bought this razor with the idea of learning to hone with it.

But it's not a restore - which frankly I don't have alot of interest in. I have a Norton 4k/8k and a balsa strop with CromOx.

Do I give it a few passes with the 8K and then a few with the balsa and give it a go? I imagine this would be similar to getting a new Dovo and honing it to be truly shave ready.

Advice?

From what you describe it sounds like it just needs a touch-up. This is rare for an ebay razor, so if that's the case, consider yourself lucky!

If it's that close to being shave-ready, I'd advise not going to the 8K until you've tried your balsa strop with CrOx. I've never used CrOx, but the general theory I'm going with is not to go any coarser than you need, and there's at least a chance that you won't need to go to the stone.

So try a few laps on the CrOx and test. If that doesn't work, try 5-10 laps on the 8K, then the CrOx, then test. Keep going like that, introducing more time on the 8K *if it's needed*. If necessary, go down to the 4K, but only if necessary.

Good luck

The only way you will know is to shave with it. if it shaves fine you need do nothing. if it doesn't or is lacking you hone commensurate with what it needs be it a touch-up or more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

if it doesn't or is lacking you hone commensurate with what it needs be it a touch-up or more.

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Yeah that is the experience I lack :) I came here to ask what "commensurate with what it needs" might be in my specific case. Sounds like Cangooner suggests trying just the balsa strop for starters.

I always use a loupe to see the edge & bevel. Tells me where to start.
& / OR
You could try this:
Pyramid honing guide - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Try a couple of laps on the balsa wood, if a good piece maybe five to eight laps and then test shave (good piece approx = 20X5 cm).

If the razor is pulling at all it probably needs more than a minor touchup. Either way you start with the least aggressive and work down. i would start with a 12K and see what happens. if it's too slow or does nothing back down to an 8K. Of course before you start honing check the bevel so you don't waste your time.

There is no magic here and each razor is different.

Honing a NEW razor ie Dovo / TI etc etc etc is a bit different then getting to experience an NOS edge...

You should relish the experience and do as little as possible to that edge for as long as possible and slowly learn what they did in the old days.. Many NOS razors were "Hair Tested" and they were quite Shave ready from the factory..

Rushing that razor onto the hones/pastes will lose that entire experience... Take it slow if at all possible

When I got the opportunity I did what I figure somebody would have done 100 years ago

I used the strop first shaved for 1 week
I tried using a Barber's Hone next two different ways for the next 2 weeks
I tried an Escher next and then finally after about a month of messing with the razor I broke out the full Shapton set and brought the razor into the 21st century :p

It was a fun experiment

Sounds good - if I had all that :) Also I'm not sure what NOS stands for :(

I'm also unsure of how to "check my bevel" or what I'm supposed to be looking for.

All I really have is the Norton and two sides of a balsa strop with Green CromOx (0.3 um) and Red IronOx (0.1 um).

Maybe I should have posted this in the Beginner's section. Sorry guys...

Your type of razor is often called Mint or NOS = New Old Stock

There is a slight difference between the two if you are being technical..
Mint is a used razor in perfect condition....
NOS is just what it sounds like, a razor built years ago, that is still un-used, and preferably still in the original packaging...

Nos new old stock if I am not mistaken

If you are not yet sure how to check the bevel and edge under good light and magnification, for example a 10X loupe, then you are about to embark on a journey when you don't know your starting point. If that blade were mine, I would leave it alone until I figured out what its present condition is. Meanwhile, as I did, I would learn to hone on flea market razors that you cannot do damage to. Once you get one of those shaving, you will have learned enough to transfer those skills to a quality blade. At first honing is just making mistakes and learning from them. I would suggest you do that on a razor of little value and move on from there.

If it was me, I'd get it properly honed from scratch and that way you know that you are getting a truly shave ready razor that you will know how to maintain. Your razor might have a micro bevel that shaves a little bit but until a proper bevel is set, will never be truly shave ready.

lol ok. Well I actually got this razor with that very idea. I didn't expect it to be in perfect shape like it is. Then I read another thread about how it's a shame to buy an old razor for the purposes of learning to hone... Back to the bay I guess lol...