Thread: Hand American 6.0 micron compound.

Since I have no experience with the Shapton 15000 I will only suggest caution.

You did not give me enough info on your razor or the hones you are using to make any recommendations.

New razor, previously shaving razor, ebay special etc...?
Hones - which are you using?

Let us know,

Originally Posted by jmsbcknr

I have a Shampton 15K. I am working on a razor that is almost there. It does not pull too much when I use it, but neither does it take off much. Would you suggest using 50 to 100 reps to get it closer to super sharp? Then what, go to the .5K leather strop or to the plain strop before shaving?

jmsbcknr

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Chaaaz was the first person to experiment with that many laps on the 12000 stone and had success. So, I tried it and also had a noticeale improvement in the blade edge. From that I guess you can conclude that the Chinese 12000 stone is very slow cutting.

So before, you were going from the Norton to the paste, and since adding 50-100 strokes on a 12k stone between the two, you have achieved better edges? Is that right?

X

Originally Posted by xman

So before, you were going from the Norton to the paste, and since adding 50-100 strokes on a 12k stone between the two, you have achieved better edges? Is that right?

X

I don't know. To me it seems like an awful lot of work, so it can't be very efficient. Usually it's more efficient to work you way up. For example, you might be able to get a fine barbers' hone that will bring you to a 12K finish more quicly and then finishing with a lot fewer strokes on the Chinese stone.

Yes I have

Originally Posted by xman

So before, you were going from the Norton to the paste, and since adding 50-100 strokes on a 12k stone between the two, you have achieved better edges? Is that right?

X

Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

I don't know. To me it seems like an awful lot of work, so it can't be very efficient. Usually it's more efficient to work you way up. For example, you might be able to get a fine barbers' hone that will bring you to a 12K finish more quicly and then finishing with a lot fewer strokes on the Chinese stone.

That makes sense too, Joe but my success with the barber hones seems still to be eluding me so I'm not enthusiastic about trying that. I've got a Honemaster and a Pike Black Beauty by Norton by the way which I believe are both very fine hones. Both just seem to polish the fins away on me.

I've been able to get the hanging hair reluctantly popping, more like breaking off over the blade, but not quite as sweetly snapping away as when it first arrived from David. I had a faintly difficult shave the other day (which might have been the stropping) so I took it back to the paste for 50-60 passes and although it didn't attack the hanging hair any better, it shaved much better. Further evidence of inferior stropping?

I've been thinking about adding another stage in my honing since I notice more difficulty as the keenness goes away. I was considering the .25 micron paste, but now I may seriously consider the 12k as well or instead.

Anybody with thoughts on that?

X

Originally Posted by xman

That makes sense too, Joe but my success with the barber hones seems still to be eluding me so I'm not enthusiastic about trying that. I've got a Honemaster and a Pike Black Beauty by Norton by the way which I believe are both very fine hones. Both just seem to polish the fins away on me.

I've been able to get the hanging hair reluctantly popping, more like breaking off over the blade, but not quite as sweetly snapping away as when it first arrived from David. I had a faintly difficult shave the other day (which might have been the stropping) so I took it back to the paste for 50-60 passes and although it didn't attack the hanging hair any better, it shaved much better. Further evidence of inferior stropping?

I've been thinking about adding another stage in my honing since I notice more difficulty as the keenness goes away. I was considering the .25 micron paste, but now I may seriously consider the 12k as well or instead.

Anybody with thoughts on that?

X

There's a lot here that doesn't make sense. But it's not rocket science so we should be able to figure it out.

First of all, barber hones have been around a long time and many more people have used them successfully than anything else. The most effective use of a barber hone is the one you tried. You have a keen razor that's starting to pull and you want to refresh it. What you're supposed to do is a few swipes on a fine hone (prferably a Swaty type), strop and you're done. And a few means 5-10 light strokes. Doing that you can maintain your razor indefinitely without serious honing. You did a lot more and you're unhappy with yur results. Could it be you overhoned?

There's no magic here. It works, but the barber hones are fast. Using a .5 pasted strop you can do a lot more strokes, but the principle is the same. But 50-60 strokes again seems like too muuch. I would think no more than half that number.

That 12K stone is not intended for that purpose, it's more like a fine finishing barber hone (the honemaster), which is slow. It's what you use at the end of a razor restoration to complete the edge, not for a quick refresh.
I don't now what the Black beauty is, but you need a Swaty type hone (fast, but fine). Unless you want to do a lot of work with the finishing hone. A barber hone should work, but you need to keep at it. Jumping around to different products without taking the time to learn one is not going to be helpful for you.

I used the 6µ compound with a textured strop. The razor wouldn't shave arm hairs, but under a cheapo scope it didn't look totally dead either. It took a long time, probably 250-300 laps, I lost count, but it did make a comeback. After the 6µ I move to the 1.8µ on smooth unfinished leather for another 100 or so laps, I lost count again, could have been closer to 200. I finished up with the Hand American .5µ paste and then a plain strop.

The razor still will not pass the hanging hair test but it shaves my arm, and more importantly my face just fine.

It might make sense to eliminate the possibility of over-honing. Try the method suggested by David Uthe and also shown on the Greg Ives-John West video. Perform 3-5 back-honing strokes (edge trailing) then follow that up with 5 normal honing strokes, then test the edge to see if there has been a change.

If there is no change then going back to a hone not quite as fine as the two that you have would make sense. You may have rounded the edge a bit and a slightly coarser hone would help re-establish the bevel.

Hope this helps,

I am glad to hear that the razor is shaving just fine!

Just one question please. Are you using a pasted hanging strop or a pasted paddle strop?

Originally Posted by Dick Danger

I used the 6µ compound with a textured strop. The razor wouldn't shave arm hairs, but under a cheapo scope it didn't look totally dead either. It took a long time, probably 250-300 laps, I lost count, but it did make a comeback. After the 6µ I move to the 1.8µ on smooth unfinished leather for another 100 or so laps, I lost count again, could have been closer to 200. I finished up with the Hand American .5µ paste and then a plain strop.

The razor still will not pass the hanging hair test but it shaves my arm, and more importantly my face just fine.

I used a Hand American flatbed hone.