Thread: Problem with stropping and hair test

Originally Posted by mlodyellow

I will try your advices. Also it doesn't cut the hair ;( I apply mineral oil to better slip. So I have to make less circle? About 30-40 yes? I Will try it another time about 2 days I think

Fine, lay off the mineral oil. Too much of a good thing.

i could see you lifting the spine of the razor for the flip before the razor stopped moving on some strokes and the razor actually lifted fully off the strop and seemed to slap down hard on some strokes you would be rolling the edge and then doing more damage when you slapped the strop you need to slow down come to a complete stop before flipping it over and concentrate on technique it's not a race and wont take much longer doing it slow my computer is slow so it had to keep stopping to load and that was how i saw what was happening slow can be good

Ok, I will try to slow down and be more patient I will write after next shaving

I try to do your advices but I still can't cut a hair I only cut it if I hold it on my nail and then it cut off but in air I can't cut it... I hone again 2 razor and strop it very carefully and without too much speed and nothing

How sharp do you hone to mine i hone till arm shaving on my hard arkansas then several hundred lapps on the surgical black arkansas until it will cut hair close to where it's held and usually after a touch up it will pop the hair close to where it's held a few goes on the strop and amazingly sharp i test the edge on my fingers not the pad but the side next to the nail and can tell when it's getting sharper but i've been working with blades for 30 years so i've had plenty of practice,what hones do you have and how do you hone and test for sharpness as you go you may not be honing enough

I've got this hone

Osełka 12000 grit, kamień naturalny wodny (1383738624) - Aukcje internetowe Allegro

I do about 60-100 lap on it and nothing I've polished it on sand paper 600 because It had blemish and it's really flat now.

with a hone that fine and a razor that's not shaving sharp it will take more than 60-100 laps it will depend on how sharp the razor is to how many laps best i can think of is to start on the stone and make sure razor is sharp to start with, can you shave arm hair with the razor?? concentrate on how you hone making sure to keep razor flat,when you get to arm shaving sharpness your getting close but it could still take several hundred laps to get it hair cutting,once your shaving arm hair do twenty to thirty laps then strop 50 laps and try cut hair try cut it close to where you hold it if not lap on the stone again and keep trying every so many laps,maybe send one razor to be sharpened to shave ready so you have something to compare it with

You have 1 hone? ok, here is what I would do.
First, stop stropping on the coarse side.

Second, stop applying oil to the smooth side of the strop.

Third, clean that hone with water and a nylon scrubbing pad. The goal is to remove any "stuff" that may be embedded in the hone.

Fourth, use water on the hone when your honing. This will help keep the hone from clogging up.

Fifth, make a short video of you honing and put it in this thread, just like the stropping video.

Sixth, perform 200 round trip laps on the hone. Then strop for 50 round trip laps. Then test shave. It should be better than before. I suspect that you razor is not honed enough.

Seventh, forget the hanging hair test. Let the shave test be your guide.
Repeat the honing using 100 laps each time until the razor shaves you very well. If that hone is actually 12,000 grit and a slow cutting stone and the razor has never been honed professionally then it will take a lot of laps on the hone. This razor can be made shaving sharp on that hone but it may take a lot of honing and shave testing.

I am trying to keep this as simple as possible so I will not talk about generating and using a slurry or various honing strokes. I just want to give you a procedure that will deliver results.

Hope this helps,

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Originally Posted by randydance062449

You have 1 hone? ok, here is what I would do.
First, stop stropping on the coarse side.

Second, stop applying oil to the smooth side of the strop.

Third, clean that hone with water and a nylon scrubbing pad. The goal is to remove any "stuff" that may be embedded in the hone.

Fourth, use water on the hone when your honing. This will help keep the hone from clogging up.

Fifth, make a short video of you honing and put it in this thread, just like the stropping video.

Sixth, perform 200 round trip laps on the hone. Then strop for 50 round trip laps. Then test shave. It should be better than before. I suspect that you razor is not honed enough.

Seventh, forget the hanging hair test. Let the shave test be your guide.
Repeat the honing using 100 laps each time until the razor shaves you very well. If that hone is actually 12,000 grit and a slow cutting stone and the razor has never been honed professionally then it will take a lot of laps on the hone. This razor can be made shaving sharp on that hone but it may take a lot of honing and shave testing.

I am trying to keep this as simple as possible so I will not talk about generating and using a slurry or various honing strokes. I just want to give you a procedure that will deliver results.

Hope this helps,

This is really good, clear advice. I think this is the best post I've ever read.

Also, I want to emphasize slowing down a little on the strop. Both honing and stropping require patience and a careful thoughtful approach.