Introducing me I guess

Hi
Thanks Doughboy68 for helping me out.

I live in Loveland, Colorado. Have been lurking for several months learning as much as possible. Started shaving slowly and still not striving for the perfect shave, just don't want any cuts. I have a personality disorder, I can't tip toe into the pond I have to dive in, found Ebay and have started a collection of razors and hones. I have a Bismark that Lynn sharpened for me and a Dovo from Johnmrson to compare my honing.

When you bevel set a razor and it passes the thumb test but fails the shave test what grit stone do you fall back to?

Anybody want to buy any of my excess razors? (said in jest)

Welcome!!

Many of us have the same "disorder" lol!!
Setting the bevel is only phase one of honing, you have to polish the bevel with graduating grades of fineness. What do you have for hones?

Welcome to SRP!!!

A lot of great folks and info here, as you've seen. Check out the library, a lot of great information there
Enjoy and have fun!!!

Welcome, I feel for you as I also suffer from moderate to severe Razor Acquisition Disorder (RAD), if you do not have one I would suggest getting a loupe to evaluate your edges as you hone. I have a Carlson from Amazon, they are pretty inexpensive and work wonders once you realize what you are looking for at the edge. Bevel set is the foundation and it must be set before moving on in a progression or you are polishing a dull razor. When I hone a blade my 2 tests are thumb pad as well as shaving arm hair. If the razor will not easily take arm hair it wont do well shaving your face. Best of luck.

Hello and welcome to SRP.
Now it just a matter of continuing to learn and developing some finesse.
Beware...as you may have found out, the rabbit hole is bottomless!
Have fun here on the forum.

Pete <:-}

My hones:
Naniwa #220 lapping stone
Norton 220 - 1000 3X8
Tatara 3000 - 8000 2X7
Lapping file 1 and .3 micron
Strop (from Ebay)

I plan to replace my strop with the premium leather stop from SRD and use .5 micron chromium oxide paste to replace the .3 micron lapping film.

I am running out of arm hair as I have gotten older my hair has gotten sparser. Some razors pass the thumb test and the arm hair test and still don't do well on the face. I have taken these back to the 1000 grit stone and done 10 - 20 x strokes then on through the progression and they are fine. Is there a better way?

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Originally Posted by boz

I am running out of arm hair as I have gotten older my hair has gotten sparser. Some razors pass the thumb test and the arm hair test and still don't do well on the face. I have taken these back to the 1000 grit stone and done 10 - 20 x strokes then on through the progression and they are fine. Is there a better way?

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A loupe makes life easier, generally 30x magnification is plenty. This allows you to see that the bevel is fully set and brought to a complete apex. This will also aide in having to test shave and then go back and start over.

Welcome.
As for your honing question there have been some good and specific answers. I have to say the very best way to get the skills you are looking for is to attend meets. I think there are two meets a year in Colorado. If you keep an eye out you might find others that you are willing to travel to.

Welcome.
As for your honing question there have been some good and specific answers. I have to say the very best way to get the skills you are looking for is to attend meets. I think there are two meets a year in Colorado. If you keep an eye out you might find others that you are willing to travel to.

I have a 20X loupe and ordered a 30X from Widget Supply yesterday.

How can I find out about meets in the area?

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Originally Posted by boz

I have a 20X loupe and ordered a 30X from Widget Supply yesterday.

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With a loupe you should be able to see completely if you are reaching the edge or not. Sharpie on the bevel works well also, really gives a good visual as to if you are all the way to the edge or not.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by boz

I am running out of arm hair as I have gotten older my hair has gotten sparser. Some razors pass the thumb test and the arm hair test and still don't do well on the face. I have taken these back to the 1000 grit stone and done 10 - 20 x strokes then on through the progression and they are fine. Is there a better way?

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My poor left arm looks like it needs Rogaine lol!!

It sounds like they weren't completely set on the 1k, for me once it seems to cut pretty well on the 1k I do 15-20 more laps just to make sure. Everything above 1k is more or less polishing and removing the saw tooth pattern on the apex of the bevel until you get to 8k+ level hones where the saw tooth pattern is virtually non existent

Welcome to the forum. :)

Welcome,

Is your thumb pad test the same as mine? You have to calibrate the test for yourself with practice.

It is hard to explain this stuff over the internet.

I am not recommending to be brazen but if you are afraid of cuts it could very well be your technique of shaving not sharpening.

Hi and welcome aboard. You will learn to calibate your tests with practice. Like most things shaving takes a while to get it. Good luck

Hi boz, welcome to SRP.

I gotta ask, how long have you been honing. Its something that takes time to master, probably more so than shaving.

you might look in the library for the local help, or check the, meetings and get togethers section, for some one on one help. It makes a big difference .!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by boz

How can I find out about meets in the area?

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Keep an eye out here;Get Togethers and Meetings I'm actually in Lafayette. I suppose I should change my location.

There are a few honing videos on youtube that work good. I would advise watching Lynn Abrams . He is who thought me to hone. As far as hones go I talked to a lot of folks and in that process I found out that lynn was one of the very best at honing and I found out that he uses the naniwa super stones a lot. the 1K for bevel set then the 5K and 8K. the finisher was the 12K . A little more than a year ago he introduced me to the 20K Suhiro. That pretty much ruined me. Had to have one. (the rabbit hole is getting deep) If you watch his video and do every thing you can to copy him when honing I think you'll get pretty good. Oh and welcome to the insanity.

I am rotating my razors day 1 a known good shaver day 2 unknown razor. If the shave with the unknown razor is not as good as the known one. I try the rotation again if the unknown fails again I say it needs more work on the hones.
I have watched a lot of videos on honing and shaving.

That is a good plan boz. When your unknown starts shaving better than your known good razor, reverse the roles. This way you can leap frog your way to better and better edges.

Welcome aboard boz & you have already got lots of good information. You set your bevel with a 1k, then use progressions to polish it more & more until it is satisfactorily nice & smooth looking. You of course want it to cut just right. You may want to experiment with some different stones or you might just stick to one. The main thing is, take your time, be patient & don't get in a hurry. Hurrying never accomplishes anything except in a lifesaving emergency. Like Dave said check out the library.
Good luck my friend

Welcome, boz! Sounds like you're on the right track and have a method worked out. To your honing question: with any vintage razor that's new to me, I'll typically give it a few passes on the 1000 to make sure the bevel is set (does the blade pop hairs?) and to look for any unusual hone-wear patterns, then up through the progression (as you already seem to be doing).

RE: Arm hair. We all learn to treat it as a precious resource, eventually ;) +1 for getting a jeweler's loupe (we like 60x magnification).