Thread: Finally need to hone

It has been over a year since I last honed any of my six razors. Today, one actually demonstrated a less than sharp edge. Still give a good shave, but just not quite as comfortable as it should be. Finally time to go back to the stone.

Have you used any pastes during that time frame? Just curious.

Originally Posted by keenedge

Have you used any pastes during that time frame? Just curious.

No, but I do strop before every shave.

I have a very few razors that can go that long between touchups but most can't.

Thebigspendour,

I totally agree most of my razors will not go an entire year without needing a touch up hone, but there are a lot of factors that go along with that necessity.

1. Beard density and coarseness

2. Shave prep, hot towels, oils, etc..

3. Use of pastes and stropping.

My routine is as such, I strop 10-15 strokes on leather before each shave. Very occasionally I will use the CrOx for some touch up work, but often i find by the time the razor needs that it time for the touch up hone.

My re-hone technique is as follows:

1. test and inspect the edge to see how much needs to be done.

2. If its minimal I do roughly 5 strokes in each direction on my 8k Naniwa.

2b. If it's intense wear or there are minor chips or serrations in the edge visible to the naked eye, I take it to the 5k, and onto the 8k to get the edge back in shape.

NOTE: This almost is never necessary unless something went wrong in shaving.

3. Then I polish her up starting with 1u diamond film then onto .5 diamond film.

4. Finally I give the edge 5-10 strokes on the leather if need be, if not I just start shaving with it. More often then not coming off the diamond film is so smooth I dont need the strop at all.

I do this whole proceedure to nearly all my blades roughly every 3 months.

I have a very coarse n thick beard.

Now I have 3 razors which never need this.

1. Wade and Butcher "The Celebrated"

2. Frederick Engles ( FWE) "Special" in celluoid

3. Simmons Barber's Pet #421


These are my tried and true blades. I just purchased a Boker "Good as Gold" so we'll see if she holds up like these 3.

Ironically these are also my most smoothest shavers, except my Joseph Rodgers 15/16ths which is also one of my smoothest as well.


Cool info
David

Originally Posted by fccexpert

No, but I do strop before every shave.

If I remember rightly you use only one pass, too. Could be a factor. Nice going anyhow, I don't think I could use six razors for over a year without a touch up or two.