Thread: Harsh Shave

Hi Sy,

There are a couple things that stand out to me.

1) 20 laps on CrOx is a lot of laps. IME, I've burnt perfectly good edges using just 12 laps. I stick between 5 and 10 if I'm using it as a touchup or off the hones. It's entirely possible that you had a great edge and the CrOx took it away.

2) The Naniwa 12k is a fast cutting hone. If everything else has been done properly, I've found that 15 X strokes on the hardest steels will clear up 8k scratch marks. Usually, I stop at 10 and check. If I need another 5, I only do it after I've looked at the blade and given it a thumb pad test.

3) At the 8K and above, there is no need for pressure. Just the weight of the razor.


I'd try going back to the 4k and doing 5 really light x strokes, then about 20 light x's on the 8k. Test shave...comfy? Yes....go to leather strop. No....go back and do 10 more strokes on the 8k.

learn to push your 8k as far as it can go before you add the variables of a 12k and the CrOx. Check out the JaNorton thread. A bunch of people honed a whack load of razors last month using different techniques on the 4/8 combo. I bet you'll find some useful information in that thread.