Thread: How many shaves between hones

I would like to know many shaves I can expect before I have to hone a SR. I have heard as few as 6 or 7! I realize the figures will vary considerably and there are many factors involved but what I want is an average. I presently use a DE and am learning on a couple of shavettes and want to know when and if I want to take the plunge into a real SR. Quite frankly, I don't want to have to hone the razor every week!

Jim

It really depends on a lot of things but typical is 3 to 6 months but with good stropping a year I have heard some guys say they have never rehoned certain blades just stropped them.

I say 3 to 6 months but that isn't really to a full rehone. This is when most need a touch up on paste or a barber hone or a finishing stone and be good for another 3 to 6 months and for the most part you can follow that pattern for a very very very long time.

Most guys that only get 6 to 7 shaves just really like super sharp blades or have a flawed technique that is causing problems with edge.

You will real only have to do a full rehone if you damage the shaving edge in some way.

Now those new to stropping can need a honing after a single shave or a couple do to poor stropping. And you will typical know that is the issue when your blade shaves fine one day and the next day feels like it is pulling teeth

For the average straight shaver, with all factors involved (and not knowing what type of beard you have or how often you shave), I'd guess somewhere between 20-40 shaves before a touch up which is a very liberal estimate. Keep in mind that a touchup is considered around 10 laps on a barbers hone, finishing hone or pasted strop. Really not that much maintenance IMO.

Most of mine are in the 15-30 shave range before needing touched up. I have one particular razor though(J. Wostenholm, Sheffield)that needs touched up after about 7 shaves. Really soft steel but shaves fantastically.

Jim,

On the whole, I give my 'working' edges a brief refresh on a CrOx pasted hard-leather paddle every seven (7) days of use; After a month of use they get a brief refresh on a Naniwa 12k. After a years worth of use, they get a 'full' re-hone (reset bevel etc).

I always err on the side of 'little & often'.

For me this gives the best results, but most will see this as excessive and not needed

Good luck !

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

I get a minimum of 30 shaves out of mine.

I hone after every shave, and sometimes during the shave between lathers.

Just kidding.

I am interested in this topic and wanted to subscribe.

At the current rate I am going, I will probably never have to hone a razor again (I just keep acquiring more before I blunt one)

Anywhere between 25 and 40 shaves for me between touch ups.

I have a four sided paddle strop with pastes for 3.0, 1.0, 0.5 and 0.25μ.
I use this maybe four times a year on all four of my razors, but not the stones. I will also strop each razor right before using it, so that prolongs the edge quite well.

To give you an idea of how tough my beard is, I usually have a 'shadow' by evening and a weeks' growth for me is enough to make me look a bit like Tom Ford. I don't shave against the grain and I think this is likely to be a factor too.

Hope this helps!

30 to 60. I had a hard time stretching a razor that far before going to a loaded strop or back to hones until I started using a horse butt strop instead of cowhide. I could go far more than 60, but I do like a fresh edge and I have a *lot* of stones that I have to pretend I have for a reason.