Thread: help/advice needed

Tried my first hone.
Lapped the Norton combo of course and soaked it of coarse.
Few strokes on 4k side. tested on thumbnail and it dug down slightly and drew smoothly.
So far so good so I moved onto 8k. did about 10 strokes. stropped and shaved and it tugged.
went back to 8k and did another 10 stroked and stropped and shaved and it tugged.
For giggles, I tried thumb NAIL test and it didn't dig in at all.
Dont no where to go from here. any suggestions?

The TNT is a destructive test, even at 1k the edge will be damaged and need more 1k work. So go back to the 4k. Hone it till it passes the TPT and don't use the TNT after the bevel set.

Have fun on the learning curves.
Jonathan

The only time to do the thumbnail test is when you are buying a razor. Lick your thumbnai and drag the edge along it, this will let you feel every little nick in the edge.

Was this a NEW blade or a ebay or antique store blade?

Too much pressure?

dont know if I used too much pressure. it is a Dovo Best Quality razor from Jacks country store, so I'm assuming it was not shave ready. I really want to learn this skill because like many of you, I want to be an expert from shaving to honing.

An't as easy as you'd think it should have been!(:-) why can you sharpen a kitchen knife on the bottom of a coffee cup and it talk a couple of hundred bucks to do a razor??!! It just isn't fair!(:-)

That Dovo is a perfect beginner's razor, not only for the cost but also because it's easy to hone. Start with light pressure on the 4k, few passes then go to very light or no pressure, until you can shave arm's hair with all sections of the blade. ONLY then move to the 8k and continue with very low or no pressure at all. While doing so carefully look at the water wave in front of the edge and try to understand how much regular it is and why.
Before doing so try to look at the many youtube video carefully.
When you think it's done go with 50-100-200 strops VERY LIGHT pressure. at this point it should pass the HHT.
Then shave, and tell us.

I will take an educated guess that the bevel is not quite set on that blade. A few strokes on the 4k may not be enough. I would suggest you get the bevel set completely and then move onto the 8k. In all actuality you should be able to get a shave off of a 4k. Use light pressure on the 4k once the bevel is set, then move to the 8k with light pressure. Is this your first time shaving, or just first time honing?

Here is more advice on using the Norton 4/8 then you ever care to know

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...on-2012-a.html

That thread has advice from Beginners and Experts alike which makes it invaluable for a Norton user