My new Koraat

:y It finally got here :y

7/8, quarter hollow, buckeye burl scales with carbon fiber liners, copper wedge, copper collars with brass pins, and a little file work on the spine.

It came in yesterday. So I stropped it and gave it a run this morning.

Whew...gotta say it's a bit of a beast but shaves great. I need a little time with it to really get it down, but man I'm liking it.

Slight drawback is now I know I need to keep working on my honing skills. I'm close, but this has a much better edge than I'm currently capable of producing.

I can definitely see another one in my future.

Nice looking Korat! The choice of materials gives it a cool look.

That is a gorgeous razor, JJ! I love the buckeye burl and copper. Funny, I've got one in progress with a copper wedge and collars if I can ever get back out in my shop and finish it.

And you'll get there on the honing. The difference between a great edge that gives a nice, crispy shave and the fabled "velvet squeegee" that you hardly even feel is "razor" thin. Maybe find out how he finishes his razors and see if you can emulate it on a similar one with similar finisher and techniques while you've got his fresh edge for a reference.

That is a very nice looking razor.

Thanks to all. To say I'm pleased with how it turned out is an understatement. I can't take all the credit for the design since my son and I collaborated on it, with the understanding it will one day by his. He said he wanted to use it this weekend and I told him it's his face, but he might want to get half a dozen shaves in with the 6/9 round point I started him with before he tries this one. It a great razor, but handles quite differently from anything else I've used.

SHD - I hear you on the honing. I know I'm close, one of these days something will click and I'll get that ah ha moment. Most of you have your needs honing pile, I've got an I think it could be better pile. I'm not saying I'm unhappy with my edges, they shave quite well, I've just have had this feeling they could be a little better. This razor just kind of confirmed my feeling.

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Originally Posted by JellyJar

Thanks to all. To say I'm pleased with how it turned out is an understatement. I can't take all the credit for the design since my son and I collaborated on it, with the understanding it will one day by his. He said he wanted to use it this weekend and I told him it's his face, but he might want to get half a dozen shaves in with the 6/9 round point I started him with before he tries this one. It a great razor, but handles quite differently from anything else I've used.

SHD - I hear you on the honing. I know I'm close, one of these days something will click and I'll get that ah ha moment. Most of you have your needs honing pile, I've got an I think it could be better pile. I'm not saying I'm unhappy with my edges, they shave quite well, I've just have had this feeling they could be a little better. This razor just kind of confirmed my feeling.

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JJ, since I don't hone for money and can afford to take my time, I go through that process with virtually every razor I hone from scratch. Step 1: "Finish" it, strop and shave with the new edge a time or two. "Hmm, great shave-could be even better." Step 2: Back to the hones to experiment. Maybe an Arkie edge needs a touch of smooth, so several slurry dilutions on a thuringian and more stropping. Oh, wait, maybe try thuri slurry on a Zulu Grey. "Ahhh, much nicer." It doesn't always work that way, but it does often enough that it's become kind of a go-to process for me.

Learn your stones, and what their capable of.

I prefer to use four, from bevel set, to finish. Though I can achieve it with three.

I know you've heard it before, but setting the bevel properly, is the most important aspect in honing

I've tried a few bevel setter's, and the Chosera 1K is the best I've ever put steel to.

I have a full progression of synthetic hones, but like a natural finisher the most. Now I only use the Chosera for setting bevels, and progress on Naturals.

To each their own, you'll reach yours, someday.

Yep, practice, practice, practice. I've been honing most every night for the last couple of months. I've figured out a couple of things and have really improved my bevel setting. I'm pretty confident with the 4 and 8K and test shave off the 8 just to be sure before I move on to my ark. I figure I'm not really getting as much as I could out of the ark at this point. I'll probably start messing with honing fluids again or revisit trying my hard ark before the finish ark.

I started messing with a cheap CNAT I picked up close to a year ago. I'm planning on doing a thread with it soon. I seem to have gotten a decent one, but it's not even close to challenging my ark.

I'm not in a hurry, my shaves are pleasant. I'm just having fun chasing the last little bit.

I'm just having fun chasing the last little bit.Bingo-I think that's why we're all here, getting that ultimate edge.