Your experience appreciated: passes HHT but tugs and pulls and hurts

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Originally Posted by ffarouki

Edhewitt- In what way you mean? For me I'm thinking suppose no one had offered to help I would have paid £5 x 2 postage + £20 honing for each razor. If I have two then already that's the price of 1 Naniwa that I can use again in the future. Also, can be careful and pamper my blades as I want.

Problem is that I'm thinking it'll be difficult deciding on one grit. I thought maybe a well honed factory razor that passes the HHT might only need the 8k or the 10k. Perhaps a 3k/8k combination be nice for future planning.

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Hi ffarouki - I do not hone my own razors.

However, what has worked for me so far, is first learning to shave with the straight.

I've accumulated about 14 razors now and all have been professionally honed. The more I looked into honing, as far as my needs go, to become proficient in honing would take a money and time investment. With only 14 razors, that may need a full honing every year let's say, unless I practiced extensively on practice razors, there is no way I could become proficient in honing my razors.

Having said that, what I can do, is learn how to refresh my razors, once they have been professionally honed. I purchased a refresher kit, which is a Belgian Coticule, with a slurry stone that is capable of producing two grit levels, the kit also came with a CrOx pasted balsa board, and a leather balsa stropping board.

The first time I refreshed a blade, used the coticule, water only, then the CrOx balsa board, then stropped on linen (with Dovo white / grey paste), then stropped on the leather. The razor was superb, took about 20-30 minutes!

Beforehand, I visited the honemeister, who showed me how to use the coticule to refresh my razors, so when the CroX no longer brings the blade back, I will go to the coticule or a similar finishing stone (your preference). This way, I can keep my razors, "shave ready" with this large rotation, probably for a couple of years before they have to be sent out again.

This works for me, as the razors I've collected are important to me, and I'd rather have them done by someone that does this several times a day, rather than occasionally (which would be me).

Also, knowing that the bevel is properly set, and using a coticule or finishing stone (which I'm told does not cut that much), means that it would be difficult for me to damage the blade.

You can also pick up a barber's hone, which will bring a blade back to life as well.

Just to let you know there are other paths as well....

Here are a list of SRP members in London. Send them a PM to get started......

http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...rt=posts&pp=50

Here is a link to Razor Meets in your area in the past. This will start you on the path to making contacts............

http://straightrazorpalace.com/get-t...ng-2012-a.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/get-t...ater-year.html

This should get you started finding someone in your area to give you some 1 on 1 mentoring.

Hope this helps :)

Pinklather gave you some good advice on the Wacker razors. They are a challenge to hone and Pinklather has experience honing and has honed the Wackers so he does know what they take.
Point is, you need to stop trying to hone the Wacker for now.

My next point.... I act as a Mentor here in Minnesota and have had numerous new guys come over to my home for help. In almost every case they are stropping wrong and dulling their edge or are to tentative and not getting the edge in contact with the leather. Also, most do not have a decent strop.
I also advise them to forget about learning to hone right away. Just learn to strop properly, perform a very good beard prep and develop very good shaving techniques first.
Honing has the steepest learning curve and it is not necessary if you have someone close to you that can touch up your razor when necessary.

Just my 2¢ :)

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

Allan, are you serious about coffee cups? And how would that work? I am not being facetious here, just not sure if that part was a joke :)

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Yes, I was kidding . . . Mostly. I'm certain there is a flat abrasive, hone like element, in everyones house just waiting to be discovered. I'd also prefer to shave off of a poorly honed razor, than one not honed at all, as long as it was me doing the honing and all that other stropping followed.

Just had that one last shave with the Wacker.. Finished off halfway with my DE. Can't.

I know that SRs aren't expected to be as sharp as DE (read that somewhere) but relatively close no? Somewhere in the ballpark even?

Funny thing is it takes hair off my arm and chest like magic, passes the HHT, so it's sharp in a way. Maybe just touch up honing.

And you all already said that :) hmm.. So now send it or get a stone and learn. Seemingly, consensus is send it. But apart from getting really good shaves after, I've learned nothing and eventually will find myself here again.

A lot of good advice on these pages. My experience is that simple is always better(ok it's always easier may not be better!)
Idea a stop made from a cotton military type belt. The cotton webbing type with some paste. Try your hardware store or Sears for the buffing paste usually not named, just get the Green bar stuff. Rub it on the belt set like a strop and try 20 to start. Idea.

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Originally Posted by ffarouki

Just had that one last shave with the Wacker.. Finished off halfway with my DE. Can't.

I know that SRs aren't expected to be as sharp as DE (read that somewhere) but relatively close no? Somewhere in the ballpark even?

Funny thing is it takes hair off my arm and chest like magic, passes the HHT, so it's sharp in a way. Maybe just touch up honing.

And you all already said that :) hmm.. So now send it or get a stone and learn. Seemingly, consensus is send it. But apart from getting really good shaves after, I've learned nothing and eventually will find myself here again.

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Hi, I realised that I didn't really explain myself with the cutting corners and saving money part.
Yes you could buy your hone now (you are after all going to buy a finisher at some point) so you won't incur any cost that you wouldn't have in due course.
You will then try and hone a non shave ready razor to shave ready without knowing 2 things, 1- what should the edge shave like if properly honed. 2- will your finishing stone get you a shavable.edge. this is I guess the corner cutting.
If the razor still won't perform then you can either send it away or buy a coarser hone and try to do the job yourself again.
The result will either be a success or you will end up really annoyed with the whole endeavour.

If you send the razor out THIS TIME, then you will know how the edge should shave, and you will be able to maintain it with a finisher.

It's your journey, you can either travel a reasonably easy path or you can climb straight over the mountain.
I sent my razors off the first few times so that 1- I knew any issues were my fault not the razor. 2- on the second hone I got some feedback on how my stropping and the light touch up I did affected the edge.

All the best, Ed.

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Originally Posted by ffarouki

Funny thing is it takes hair off my arm and chest like magic, passes the HHT, so it's sharp in a way. Maybe just touch up honing.

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That would really make me wonder if it is a matter of technique and not the razor being dull.

Bob

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Originally Posted by BobH

That would really make me wonder if it is a matter of technique and not the razor being dull.

Bob

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Glad you spotted that one bob, I sort of didn't :)

Bob and Ed are making the same points I would. It's sharp but wont shave generally equals operator error eg your angle. Honing is a way to get a good edge and you could get the razor to shave but would it truly be what it referred to as shave ready or just passable. The problem is you don't know. Send one off for honing and try on the other. Worst that happens is you make it worse and send it off anyhow. Most buy hones and cheap razors to practice on so they don't stuff up the ones they shave with.