Should I get my Dovo honed by a honemeister today?

New to SR shaving. Got a Dovo mid December. Got it pro-honed when I bought it. Been using it and stropping daily. I imagine that in the learning curve of being a newbie and learning to strop I have dulled the blade.

to answer your question of, Well, how does it shave?. It shaves good, I guess. It's hard for a newbie (for me) to answer this question this question, as I have nothing to compare it too. Maybe it should be shaving alot better and I just don't know.

So, should I go get the Dovo pro-honed today?

thanks

if you can't bring it back with CrO or Diamond strop, probably should send it out.

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Originally Posted by mainaman

if you can't bring it back with CrO or Diamond strop, probably should send it out.

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I guess my point is, I'm not sure what to "bring it back" to. Being new, I have nothing to compare it to.

Maybe I'm not making sense or being clear. That is always a distinct possibiblity with me

+1

If stropping with pastes won't bring it back, you should send it out.

:banghead:

Hello, Mr. Toplin,

I suggest sending the razor out to have it sharpened by a professional. Might as well work with a sharp razor as you continue to hone your skills.

Regards,

Obie

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Originally Posted by Obie

Hello, Mr. Toplin,

I suggest sending the razor out to have it sharpened by a professional. Might as well work with a sharp razor as you continue to hone your skills.

Regards,

Obie

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ok. I'm gonna spend the bucks to do it. gonna get it done in person today. inspect the blade with a loop, do the various tests, and learn. worth the 25$

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Originally Posted by Toplin

I guess my point is, I'm not sure what to "bring it back" to. Being new, I have nothing to compare it to.

Maybe I'm not making sense or being clear. That is always a distinct possibiblity with me

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does it pull when you shave? If it does then that means it is not trully sheave ready, if it does not then what is it that you do not like about the edge?

As a newbie also you could do like I did if you have the funds, since you seem to enjoy this type of shaving and want to continue. Buy a second pre-honed razor so you do have a standard to compare to. Then if you need to send the other razor for honing you can keep shaving.

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Originally Posted by Toplin

ok. I'm gonna spend the bucks to do it. gonna get it done in person today. inspect the blade with a loop, do the various tests, and learn. worth the 25$

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Wait one second that has danger written all over it

You are taking it to a RAZOR Honemeister right???? Not some knife guy :(

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Wait one second that has danger written all over it

You are taking it to a RAZOR Honemeister right???? Not some knife guy :(

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I took it to Ross Cutlery in Downtown Los Angeles. And I have to say, hats off to Richard. He brought out his belgium stone from the back and showed my first hand how to hone. He spent about 20 minutes with me. I got a loop and looked at the razor before he honed it and after he honed it.

He had me drag the razor across three of my fingers before he honed it, looking for the bite (there was none. i must have dulled it while learning to properly strop) and then he had me drag the razor across my fingers after he honed it to feel a proper bite. And I felt the difference. and then he stropped it. Oh, and he didn't charge me.


So, should I wait for a couple days for some whisker growth, or just shave tonight (I shaved last night)?

Hats off to Ross Cutlery in Los Angeles for defining what good customer service is. Richard is a honemeister and a good guy.

When you say you dragged it across your fingers, do you mean the nail? In fact, dragging an edge across a wet nail is something I would only do off a lower grit hone usually at the bevel setting stage. Nail tests do (or can) damage the edge somewhat, and I try to avoid them off higher grit polishers - most often a thumb pad test or HHT or arm hair wafting are the ones I use immediately prior to stropping a freshly honed edge.

I'm not saying you will not get a decent shave, or that what was done was "wrong" (I do not even know if you meant the nail or not). Just something to think about.

James.

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Originally Posted by Jimbo

When you say you dragged it across your fingers, do you mean the nail? In fact, dragging an edge across a wet nail is something I would only do off a lower grit hone usually at the bevel setting stage. Nail tests do (or can) damage the edge somewhat, and I try to avoid them off higher grit polishers - most often a thumb pad test or HHT or arm hair wafting are the ones I use immediately prior to stropping a freshly honed edge.

I'm not saying you will not get a decent shave, or that what was done was "wrong" (I do not even know if you meant the nail or not). Just something to think about.

James.

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No. We did not drag it across the finger nail, but, holding the razor in my right hand and using the palm side of my left hand, I dragged the blade about an inch and half down on the skin of my index finger, middle finger and ring finger

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Originally Posted by Toplin

No. We did not drag it across the finger nail, but, holding the razor in my right hand and using the palm side of my left hand, I dragged the blade about an inch and half down on the skin of my index finger, middle finger and ring finger

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I'd like to see a video of what you're describing here...

But if it's what I THINK you're talking about, you should not do that. You do not "check for a bite" on a razor the same way you do for a knife.

Look in the Wiki, and check out the Thumb Pad Test. IF you have to check the edge without shaving at that stage in the honing, the TPT is the way to do it.

I'd like to know this guys experience with razors. At least he used a coticule :p

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Originally Posted by avatar1999

I'd like to see a video of what you're describing here...

But if it's what I THINK you're talking about, you should not do that. You do not "check for a bite" on a razor the same way you do for a knife.

Look in the Wiki, and check out the Thumb Pad Test. IF you have to check the edge without shaving at that stage in the honing, the TPT is the way to do it.

I'd like to know this guys experience with razors. At least he used a coticule :p

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nah, we didn't do it like the wiki said to do it. I don't know anything, I'm new. Maybe he was showing me incorrectly.

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Originally Posted by Toplin

nah, we didn't do it like the wiki said to do it. I don't know anything, I'm new.

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Read this: Sharpness tests explained - Straight Razor Place Wiki. It is perfectly acceptable to lack knowledge when one begins. It is utterly unacceptable, however, to propagate wrong solutions (especially those that could, like in this case, damage a razor). We did not compile the information in the Wiki for nothing, "Toplin".

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Originally Posted by Toplin

Maybe he was showing me incorrectly.

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Even if he was not, the method described by you is definitely not best practice. You might want to spend some quality time with the information provided on this site.

Robin

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Originally Posted by BeBerlin

Read this: Sharpness tests explained - Straight Razor Place Wiki. It is perfectly acceptable to lack knowledge when one begins. It is utterly unacceptable, however, to propagate wrong solutions (especially those that could, like in this case, damage a razor). We did not compile the information in the Wiki for nothing, "Toplin".

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Yes sir. I understand.

ross cutlery has been around for a while and have pretty good reputation.
if whatever test they use to check the edge work for them i don't see any problem with that.
tests are just that, a way to get an estimate of where the edge is because checking the progress by trying to shave (which at the end of the day is the reason for sharpening the razor) is a bit inconvenient.

i'd wait till i have some stubble to shave, don't see the purpose of mock shaving a smooth face :)

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Originally Posted by gugi

ross cutlery has been around for a while and have pretty good reputation.

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Never heard of Ross Cutlery. But why take the advice of a cutlery shop over a group that is dedicated to straight razors?

I would like to think the combined knowledge of the people HERE would FAR surpass that of someone at a cutlery store.

Not saying they are TOTALLY wrong, but I would personally take the advice of people that specialize in a field over someone else.

Just my feelings :p

I hope they got your razor good and sharp :)

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Originally Posted by Toplin

No. We did not drag it across the finger nail, but, holding the razor in my right hand and using the palm side of my left hand, I dragged the blade about an inch and half down on the skin of my index finger, middle finger and ring finger

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If you did that with one of my razors , you would have a deep nasty cut on those fingers .

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Originally Posted by avatar1999

Never heard of Ross Cutlery. But why take the advice of a cutlery shop over a group that is dedicated to straight razors?

I would like to think the combined knowledge of the people HERE would FAR surpass that of someone at a cutlery store.

Not saying they are TOTALLY wrong, but I would personally take the advice of people that specialize in a field over someone else.

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I certainly realize you haven't heard of that place, so I'd recommend you do a search at the place you trust i.e. this forum and see what you learn.

Generally I dislike dogma, and I'm of the opinion that if somebody has honed and shaved with a straight razor for years they can't be all that bad. So if they are willing to spend some of their time and share what they know with another guy, that can't be a bad thing.

I'm all for combining knowledge as you can infer from my post count and my wiki contributions, but a forum on the internet is definitely not a hands on experience.