Thread: So I bought a razor ... or 10

“So what do you guys think? It is a dud or is it a keeper? My next step is to touch up a TI Le Dandy on it that is a little rough after 12k.”

“Perfect the 8 or 12k. Once you can get great edges from either, then a Natural should improve that.”
“As far as the Jnat, you have to try it, no one can tell a stones performance by looking at it or by ink stamps on it.”

“I don't know how that could be made as a blanket statement without knowing the quality of the 'Natural'. There are plenty of natural stones that are much worse than an 8k synthetic”


Who’s making a blanket statement?

I’m not saying the OP’s Jnat is finer than an 8k. I’m saying if he is finishing on a Natural, it should improve a 12k edge.

But he is not getting good shaves from his 12k, a known quantity. So, once the Op can get a good shave from the 12k, then he can compare to his Jnat, a totally unknown quantity.

If his Jnat, does not improve a 12k edge, what is the point? The problem is not either of the stones. The Op just needs a little more time on the hones.

I'll just have to work more with my Jnat to see what is capable of.
Do you think that a 10x loupe offers enough magnification?
Thanks!

No.

Not if you are new to honing. The more you can see the better and quicker you will understand the process and improve your technique.

10X is better than your naked eye, but 60X works best overall for me and many of the new guys. Yes, expensive quality ground glass is better than inexpensive glass, but you are not analyzing an edge, just looking for deep stria and defects in an edge, a quick look to verify you are headed in the right direction.

Buy an inexpensive scope or loupe $2-$15, then if you feel you need more detail, buy quality.

I use a $2, 30x loupe and $10, 60-100X hand held magnifier and have for years.

I'll stick to my initial plan then: wait for the 30x cheap loupe to be delivered and decide at that point if I need a better one.

Till then:
Extro Lavanda Muschio
Stirling Tuxedo
Chabaz
PAA DOC
Trilavanda
L'Occitan

My Barbicide bottle arrived today.
How do you guys use it? I'm thinking about a tall thin conteiner that fits a razor inside. A test tube maybe?

Mmmm... that new leather smell!
My strop arrived today!

IIRC my old barbershop had a Barbcide container filled with scissors and combs. It looked like a French Press coffee maker. How about getting one of those at a second hand store and using it?

My barbicide bottle.
I only use it when I get a razor from who-knows-where.
Some of you old timers should remember these jars. When I bought this one it was full of Alka-seltzer still. Although they had become one solid piece.

Sorry for the fuzzy picture.

"A few months ago I was minding my own business and out of the blue I fell in this sort of rabbit hole! Before I came to my senses 10 razors, 5 stones and three strops are in various stages of delivery."
That probably describes half the guys on this forum at one point or another. I gotta love a guy who just jumps in the deep end and figures he'll learn to swim eventually!
Seriously, try to eliminate as many variables as possible in the early stages until you get a handle on things. The old advice about just learning good stropping and shaving 1st is sound, as is the caution against jumping beyond an 8k synthetic to naturals until you're getting good shaves from it.

Keep us in "the loupe" (whichever one you end up with lol!). I keep meaning to get that 30x one from Amazon-those little $5 Chinese ones are pretty frustrating.

Do you think the loupes from amazon are different than the Chinese ones?

How do you know when you've learned stopping? So far I'm trying my best and hope for good results.

I've only tried shaving off the 8k once. Should I get comfortable shaves off the 8k before moving to the 12k? So far I've ditched the jnat and shave off the 12k.