Shave test and honing

When u guys touch up a razor lets say on a 12 k naniwa.. Are you lathered up and ready to shave.. Or do u touch it up and wait to shave with it... Because what I have read you have to shave with the razor to feel the difference in the shave.. So when a razor starts pulling do I do a few strokes on the 12 k and shave test.. Still pulling a few more strokes so on and so fourth.. So I guess what I'm asking is dome have the hone with me next to the sink while I'm shaving.. Mayb a dumb question I usually hone then go back and shave test them mayb y I have some problem razors,.

I think it's all a matter of preference. For touch ups I tend to do it right at the sink when I notice it.

But I have in the past put the razor a side and touched it up later.

I have been at the sink hone in hand and ran it across a few times. Stropped and tried it. It doesnt happen very often, but I have done it. I have also put it away and grabbed a known good shaver for that shave and honed it up later. Just depends on what I have going on.

On very rare occasions I will do a few strokes at the sink but that's usually with a pasted strop. 98% of the time when a razor needs a touchup I use a hone and do it when I get a chance. I've gotten to the point where with most razors I have a typical routine and I really don't need to do any tests or test shaves, I know it will shave fine and it usually does.

Understood .. I'm still learning how to hone and trying to move away from always doing the pyramid eventhough it does work ... I bought a finish stone and really just wanna put it all together..

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Originally Posted by Airportcopper

Understood .. I'm still learning how to hone and trying to move away from always doing the pyramid eventhough it does work ... I bought a finish stone and really just wanna put it all together..

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Bart, why would you want to leave the pyramid method, if it works for you? :shrug:

I agree, as always, with Hirlau. If you have a new finisher, the easiest way to proceed is to incorporate its use into your Pyramid scheme. Later on, if you want to, you can branch out into other methods, but if what you are doing is working there is no good reason to change it.

Never hone while shaving. If the blade requires a touch up, even with a 12k naniwa, then you don't want to shave with it until you have completed the process and stropped it to perfection. I perform the shave test when I want a great shave and not before.

I sometimes shave with one razor while I'm honing another just to save time.

I have other razors .. After the pyramid how would I bring the 12k into it.. I was thinking when pyramid is complete I would just do 10 strokes on the nainwa then strop 20'scrub 75 plain leather or would I bring in the diamond spray after the 12k like 5 on diamond then the regular stropping routine..

Bart, the 12k is part of the pyramid. You finish with it, do your stropping routine, then shave test it.
If you don't like the results, determine how to adjust from there.

I personally would get a shave ready edge on the stones first, then experiment with another razor with your diamond spray. Compare the two,,,,mix things up if you want to,,,, but achieve a good shave with the 12k first, JMO.

U say its part of the pyramid correct, the pyramid i learned from here only used the 4/8 k norton how do I include the 12 k in the pyramid ..sorry for the repeat post

The 12k is your finisher, right??, it's the last stone applied to the pyramid process that you used to reach it.
I do not have a 12k, so I will use my Shapton 16k as an example to you; after I have reached an edge with my 8k that I like, I apply a set of 15 to 20 strokes with my 16K, strop & test.
But,,
I have learned through trial & error what amount of strokes on the 16k, gets me my results on different types of razors.
You must learn how your 12k cuts , through this process of trial & error.

Ty brother ... Are u doing pyramids or u have learned when its time to progress without the pyramids..

If your asking me,,,,I evaluate each razor before I even break out particular stones. Some only need a single stone to get that shave back.
Some require a bevel reset, others a light pyramid cycle, others I move straight up through the progressions without a pyramid method.

The razor & it's condition, tells me what stones to use. I don't predetermine the stones that will be used.
This process is O.K. if you are fortunate enough to have several types of stones.
If you are limited in your hones, then you may have to be creative.
Let the razor dictate the hone used.

I do this and it takes much less time than having a hone right there why you are shaving (if you like to do this though- that's cool with me):

I just keep a simple notebook on my desk and score each razor/shave. I rate the shave on a scale of 1-10 and when I get an 7.5-8.5 I try Crox and/or diamond spray on felt to touch up. A 7 gets the 16K or another finishing stone first, etc... A 10.0 has to be BBS and 1 less pass than normal to get there and very smooth. So it looks something like this:

Shave roll; black
Day:
Mon;9.0
Tue; 9.5
Wed; 8.0
etc...

Then when I have time to do the touch ups or find a razor that is beyond touch ups and needs to be re-honed;I can then do this at a more convenient time and when I can concentrate on it. I don't like to combine honing with shaving. That is, unless I'm shave testing.

PS; Here is my typical approach. Where I start depends upon the condition of the edge:

1) bevel set (Chosera 1,000)
20 circles each side (medium pressure)- repeat
25 X strokes medium pressure
test; can I shave arm hair? if not, add 20 x strokes and re-test
Note; I will usually "re-hone" a razor once, maybe twice, but then always to back and reset the bevel. It just seems to work better this way vs honing ad infinitum

2) bevel finish/honing (Shapton 4,000 GS)
20 circles medium pressure each side with 5 X strokes- repeat
test; shave arm hair easily
3) hone/polish pyramid (Shapton 8K/16K)
5/5,3/3,1/3,1/5
test; pick up arm hair mid length
4) final polish
Either; A; 10 strokes Crox on felt, 20 strokes, 0.25 diamond on felt
or B; Zulu Grey; 3 sets of 25 circles +25 X strokes on water only
test; mid hair pop
5) Strop on leather; 100X

This all varies but is a basic guideline I use