Thread: 7/8 W&B refresh?

The razor is now a little dull. I shaved with it only a couple times and it needs a small refresh I believe. I just had it honed and do not want to ruin the edge. I have a 3 line swaty but need some advice as to technique and laps. I was thinking a 45 degree angle on the side with no writing as this is a wedge, but this hone may be too small for the blade. If anyone has a pointer feel freee.

I don't know if swaties are good for touching up. I don't have one.
If it turns out to be not the case, I'd go to www.theperfectedge.com and buy a small coticule from howard. It really does not have to be big. Even a 4x1 would suffice.

These are great for touching up, and a 4x1 does not cost much. 30 dollars or something such.

I would suggest getting a 4 sided strop and diamond paste. You can use it to sharpen any razor that has not been chipped. I have three sides on mine in use. 3 micron to the dull blades I get in the mail, 1 micron and .5 micron diamond for touchups. I will soon have .25 micron because I want my blades to be as sharp as possible without buying a lazar to hone them with. These setups are very simple to use just spared the cutting substance over the strop, let it set over night and strop you blades. If you get one we can give you more information on the finer points of their use.

Mason

I have one I usually use from tony Miller. 4 sided 3 1 and .5 pasted. It is a pretty small surface. 1 and 1/4 inch wide. I will still take some tips though. Especially for a wedge razor. Also, I have had this paddle since March, when should I apply more pastes?


BTW I also have a Norton 4k/8k combination hone as well as the swaty.

Matt,

For a long time, I thought my beard would only let me get three shaves from a newly honed razor. The first shave would be great, the second OK, and then the third the razor would feel prickly.

The problem was my stropping. I spent so much time messing with my hones that I never learned to strop properly.

I think those of us with tough beards require more intense stropping than average. Lately I've been starting out my stropping by using some pressure for maybe 30 laps or so, then gradually lightening up until I'm using no pressure. Sometimes it takes more laps than that. Especially after the first couple of shaves, it takes a little more time to get the edge back. Then it's easier the next few times.

Does your hair work for the HHT? You can see the progress of the edge as you strop it. After I shave, the edge usually barely passes the HHT. When I'm done it's back to the level I got off the hone--sometimes better.

I'd suggest reading up in the stropping forum. Pay special attention to posts by AFDavis and honedright. They have some good stuff to say.

One more tip: I strop the night before, when I'm less rushed and can experiment a little more. The edge doesn't seem to go anywhere over night.

Good luck,
Josh

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

Matt,

For a long time, I thought my beard would only let me get three shaves from a newly honed razor. The first shave would be great, the second OK, and then the third the razor would feel prickly.

The problem was my stropping. I spent so much time messing with my hones that I never learned to strop properly.

I think those of us with tough beards require more intense stropping than average. Lately I've been starting out my stropping by using some pressure for maybe 30 laps or so, then gradually lightening up until I'm using no pressure. Sometimes it takes more laps than that. Especially after the first couple of shaves, it takes a little more time to get the edge back. Then it's easier the next few times.

Does your hair work for the HHT? You can see the progress of the edge as you strop it. After I shave, the edge usually barely passes the HHT. When I'm done it's back to the level I got off the hone--sometimes better.

I'd suggest reading up in the stropping forum. Pay special attention to posts by AFDavis and honedright. They have some good stuff to say.

One more tip: I strop the night before, when I'm less rushed and can experiment a little more. The edge doesn't seem to go anywhere over night.

Good luck,
Josh

The HHT is not working. I have curly hair so this may not be a viable test. Is there anything I should know specific to my stropping. I have a 3 inch wide stro and prettty much strop up and back, no pattern.

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

Matt,

For a long time, I thought my beard would only let me get three shaves from a newly honed razor. The first shave would be great, the second OK, and then the third the razor would feel prickly.

The problem was my stropping. I spent so much time messing with my hones that I never learned to strop properly.

I think those of us with tough beards require more intense stropping than average. Lately I've been starting out my stropping by using some pressure for maybe 30 laps or so, then gradually lightening up until I'm using no pressure. Sometimes it takes more laps than that. Especially after the first couple of shaves, it takes a little more time to get the edge back. Then it's easier the next few times.

Does your hair work for the HHT? You can see the progress of the edge as you strop it. After I shave, the edge usually barely passes the HHT. When I'm done it's back to the level I got off the hone--sometimes better.

I'd suggest reading up in the stropping forum. Pay special attention to posts by AFDavis and honedright. They have some good stuff to say.

One more tip: I strop the night before, when I'm less rushed and can experiment a little more. The edge doesn't seem to go anywhere over night.

Good luck,
Josh

I could not agree more wholeheartedly with that Josh has said re the above. I would bet a months wages your stopping is dulling the edge.

People say about how hard honing a razor is etc but I would say that stropping is actually more difficult as there is more chance of ruining the edge.

Maybe that's just me but I have found honing quite simple but my stropping was terrible.. Now though I have nailed the stropping.

Start off slow and let your stropping speed build up naturally, for if you get it wrong, you'll surely never get a sharp edge.

What about tecnique?