Thread: First shave with a razor I honed from scratch

Today I test shaved the first razor I honed. I restored it from rusted to mirror finish last year. it was my first restore. so today I decided to try honing it. I set the bevel and worked up to chromium oxide and strop. so I test shaved.... There were Neanderthals with brain injures incurred from wooly mammoth hunting accidents who got better shaves using rocks scrapped against the cave wall..... clearly I have much to learn. well off to start over!

Been there!!
Get the razor easily cutting arm hair from the 1k over the entire length of the razor, after that the rest will be refining and polishing

Originally Posted by seaton

Today I test shaved the first razor I honed. I restored it from rusted to mirror finish last year. it was my first restore. so today I decided to try honing it. I set the bevel and worked up to chromium oxide and strop. so I test shaved.... There were Neanderthals with brain injures incurred from wooly mammoth hunting accidents who got better shaves using rocks scrapped against the cave wall..... clearly I have much to learn. well off to start over!

Victory.
I started over, twice. I've been at it for about 9 hours today. but I and getting consistently decent shaving razors. I have 4 that easily cut through leg / arm hair mid strand. I'm running out of body hair, but I finally understand the feel of honing a razor.

Originally Posted by seaton

I'm running out of body hair....

I know that feeling very well from sharpening my knives. I'm still waiting for my leg hair to grow back (easier to hide missing leg hair than arm hair) after my last attempt at trying to hone a razor shaped object.

Originally Posted by seaton

Victory.
I started over, twice. I've been at it for about 9 hours today. but I and getting consistently decent shaving razors. I have 4 that easily cut through leg / arm hair mid strand. I'm running out of body hair, but I finally understand the feel of honing a razor.

"Hi, my name is Seaton, I'm an SRP member, and I have no leg hair"

9 hours, wow, and I thought I was obsessive! That's awesome, Seaton-Isn't it great to finally "get it"? I've got some fresh bald spots myself from honing some knives just now.

I had 7hrs in a heavy Sheffield this last wk. On the restores, it has paid off for me to spend more than a little time on the dmt 325 before going to the 1k. On the 1k, if a reasonable time (20 min?) doesn't shave arm hair, I'll kill the edge by running it over the edge or on the side of the stone w/ only the weight of the blade and start the bevel again. This simply is aimed at getting to good steel on the bevel. If this blade saw buffing wheels - I'd kill the edge and start w/ heavy slurry on the 1k. The honorable sixgunner suggested this about 14 mo back, and it has served me well. One more trick I owe to Glen.