Thread: So how do I practice?

Leech I understand the whole binary view paradigm. It will change trust me. It takes time to develop honing skill. A 4k to start off with to me is a bit much. If you are setting a first time bevel which seems to be the case in what you communicated you will be in for some work. The goal to honing is to get the two angles to meet at the edge. When those two angles of steel meet at the edge you have a good bevel. If the whole popping arm hair test works for you then use that test to ensure you have a properly set bevel on that razor. This means it is sharp enough to cut hair. I cannot use these tests I do not have course hair. A hanging hair test has never been the test for me and the honing of a razor. I simply started honing and shaving with them. Setting the bevel gives you the sharp. Going above that will give you a keeness on that razor for comfort. Set the bevel first then go to the 8k. I do not know how long you have been stropping, but improper stropping with pastes can round off the edge of your razor. This will happen faster than with just a proper strop because you have an abrasive on it. One variable at a time until you get the hang of what works best for you is my advice. Good luck Leech

So yesterday I started over. I went back to the 4K and used the circles to get a better bevel. Then I religiously followed the pyramid method described in the Wiki here followed by 20 passes of CromOx and 20 passes of Iron Ox. I shaved my whole face with the blade. It was alot better than before but still not as good as the blade Lynn sent me.

Do I just keep going back and doing the same thing starting with the bevel again?

Originally Posted by EggSuckingLeech

So yesterday I started over. I went back to the 4K and used the circles to get a better bevel. Then I religiously followed the pyramid method described in the Wiki here followed by 20 passes of CromOx and 20 passes of Iron Ox. I shaved my whole face with the blade. It was alot better than before but still not as good as the blade Lynn sent me.

Do I just keep going back and doing the same thing starting with the bevel again?

Sounds like a point I was getting myself too consistently after some practice.

Re-inspect the bevel look for any differences,

What I did at that point and still do at times is run 5 or so butterfly kiss passes as gssixgun calls them on a lower grit than where I finish (I drop to 5k for this)

and then scrutinize the bevel again.

I found that although I was hitting the entire blade evenly my pressure across the length varied some.

So I made some adjustments to my arm position working height and stroke to help clear that problem up.

I also added in those, hand almost trembling to guide the blade because it is such a light touch pass, at the end of each stone before progressing on.

Another mistake I was making early on was using too much pressure as I hit my higher grit stones, for me the higher I go in grit the lighter I get in pressure.

I am no expert but am coming along piece by piece.

"The most useful test I've come up with for myself is trying to shave one single short facial hair..."

That would be the ultimate, marathon "shave test".