Thread: C12K touchup

Ok, so my razor was starting to tug and pull a little and not getting great shaves. I decided to try touchup on C12K instead of CrOx on the linen strop. I started with a light slurry and diluted as I went until I was using just water. I did approx 20 strokes before diluting and was probably around 100 total. It would shave hairs on arm next to the skin just fine but when I tried halfway up the hairs it wasn't really popping them. So I did 10 strokes on CrOx on the linen and then stropped about 50 stokes clean linen and 100 on the leather. It was popping hairs like crazy and is probably sharpest it's been. It shaved GREAT, really smooth, so I even tried a little ATG and it just cut smoothly through the whiskers! I was real happy with that! My question is, should the razor come off the finishing stone popping hairs easily, or do you always need a followup on a paste to be able to do that? I know I should have shaved with it first and tried it, but I thought since it wasn't popping hairs that it wasn't ready for a shave and that I might have dulled it. This is the sharpest and smoothest it's been. It was probably that sharp and smooth when I got it but I couldn't tell you because my technique was so bad I dulled it within a couple of weeks shaving before my first touchup on CrOx.

Congratulations

At skin level always yes. At least for my preference.

Mid hair sometimes yes sometimes no. Just to many variables for a hard and fast rule.

Jonathan

I have a C12k that has finished many of my razors in rotation.
I finish at over 100 laps & it varies with the razor, no slurry involved with my C12k at any point.
The only time I involve hair that is not on my face, is at the setting of the bevel at 1k.
If the razor does not shave arm hair smoothly at 1k, I don't move up the hones.
How did you decide that shaving arm hair after a finishing stone was beneficial?

Never said it was beneficial, maybe just a reference a newb uses, but a reference nevertheless. I know the CrOx is just supposed to be smoothing and not sharpening but I was just wondering why the difference? If it's already as sharp as it's going to get off the lower stones and the higher ones are just smoothing, and the CrOx is just smoothing, then to me it should pop hairs the same and you would just feel the difference in how smooth it shaves.

Also, I'm just doing a touchup. When I can't keep it shaving I plan to send it to a pro for honing.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

I have a C12k that has finished many of my razors in rotation.
I finish at over 100 laps & it varies with the razor, no slurry involved with my C12k at any point.
The only time I involve hair that is not on my face, is at the setting of the bevel at 1k.
If the razor does not shave arm hair smoothly at 1k, I don't move up the hones.
How did you decide that shaving arm hair after a finishing stone was beneficial?

Should have asked this in previous reply, sorry. Do you shave right off the C12K? If so, how did that compare to a finish with CrOx? I know it's a personal preference and that some people might like an edge off of different surfaces. Just wondering what difference you found in the two personally.

Not being combative here, so don't take it that way; there is a difference in "finishing" a razor & "touching" a razor up that had been giving you good shaves, but now is starting to lack.

To slurry a C12k, 20 laps, then 100 more water laps is where you probably went backwards in the results you wanted.

My suggestion is if your going to keep using your C12k, then learn a little more about it in the threads provided in the library. They can have a way about them.

Newb or not, if a reference cannot provide you benefit, then get rid of that reference. It will only serve to confuse you.

Jetmech,
I would not know Crox if it came knocking on my door. I have never used pastes & never had the desire to. I'm a stone person & yes, I shave off of my C12K. Eleblu05 (Craig) taught me how to use my C12k. Do I think it's a great finisher, no but it does give me smooth shaves.

No offense taken, just trying to understand and learn. So you think I may have dulled it a little with the slurry? Got it. No slurry next time. So what reference do you use to know when you have done enough laps on the C12K or any other finisher for that matter? Visual inspection with magnification?

I dont use visual after the bevel is set. I used to look for scratch patterns etc but if you do a certain amount of circles and laps and x strokes, you will get to know where you should be. The most important though is that the bevel is truly set. It all hangs on that. I do aht after bevel set and then after the 12k or equivalent(I use film 1 micron) I do hht, then crox linen hanger hht ,then leather 50 laps and hht again. I always get an improvement each step. I usually end up with hht 4 and sometimes 5(silent hht). The ultimate is the shave test of course. The only test that matters. If you can learn these tests, they reveal alot and will show you whether you are progressively sharpening and polishing the edge. YMMV as not everyones arm hairs pop and not everyone can do the hht.