Thread: what do you do to get a new razor "shave ready?"

Some razors would only need a stropping but I'd rather shave on my edge, not someone else's. So I always reset the bevel on a new razor. You don't know if tape has been used, if the previous hone was lapped etc etc.

Dull the edge, go to the 1k, bring it back etc. That's the only way to be sure the bevel is set.

I went ahead and just stropped my new Dovo on a leather(smooth/skin side) paddle with no abrasive/polish. It shaved pretty well. I guess the problem is, and probably the problem for a lot of newer straight razor shavers, is knowing the feel of how a perfectly honed razor cuts. This new one cuts better than the other straights I restored. I imagine that's partially because there was a lot more meat behind the edge on the old ones.

When setting the bevel on a new razor, do you use tape on a stone when you go to the 1000 grit stone? Is it reasonable to set a bevel with a 4000 grit stone? I watched a few of gssixgun's youtube videos as suggested on page one of this thread and he used a 5000 grit stone to reestablish a bevel(that he had purposefully dulled on the side of the stone).

If it's not a good idea to set a bevel with a 4000-5000 grit stone and you think it's better to just use a 1000 grit, do you use tape to protect the spine? I know it's kind of a controversial subject around here but I imagine there's a way to set the bevel without ruining the polish on the spine.

The first thing I do is look at the edge under a microscope to see what I'm dealing with. In my experience, most razors come with a really lousy edge that is deceptive in that it might shave but needs more than a touch up to get it right. If the edge looks more like a mountain range, I go right to a 1k to get the bevel right and then on up. If the bevel isn't a total mess, a 4K might do. But either way, I like my own edges and will want to put my own on the razor. The last Ralf Aust I got from SRD I specifically requested that it not be honed. But it came with a decent edge anyway. But I honed it myself and it's just the way I like it.

On used razors, if there is a lot of hone wear (spine is worn) you might need more layers of tape. If I can't set a bevel or it starts getting wide I add more tape to compensate for what metal has been removed. Also check every used razor for a frown, they will be nearly impossible to hone correctly until the frown has been removed.

As others have said new razors can be hit or miss depending on where you got them, most factory edges are harsh unless you get them from a source that checks and hones each one

I have only bought two new razors. Both Dovos. One Inox and one Dovos best. Both needed attention to get to my satisfaction level. Rough spots near the heel that prevented a super fine honing.

So there are sort of two different things that you are talking about. One is restoration honing where no bevel exists because of restoration work and a bevel need to be made from scratch and a lot of metal need to be removed in order to establish the entire bevel. The other the apex of the bevel has been removed and the shoulders of the bevel still exist and only the apex is being re-established. It's two different cats. You can re-establish a bevel on a 4 or 5K without too much time, but it would be a long road on restoration honing. If you look with the loupe straight down on the edge and the point of the sex is pretty much invisible you have the bevel set. Sparkle and white lines means you are not there yet. It is most often best to look before you dive into a honing job.

“If it's not a good idea to set a bevel with a 4000-5000 grit stone and you think it's better to just use a 1000 grit “

Depends, on the bevel and the edge. If there is damage and if the bevel angle is set?

You have to do what the razor needs. If you are re-setting a bevel of a new factory honed razor, you will have to remove a fair amount of steel to get the bevels flat and in the proper plane, a 1k is probably the best tool for that.

Experiences hand can re-set a bevel on a 4 or 5k stone, depending on the stone. Re-setting a bevel from a jointed edge is something that can be done in 10-15 laps, Re-setting a factory bevel is quite another thing.

Tape is not controversial… Don’t use it if you don’t want to… But as you have seen with your “Restoration” work, it is very easily to ruin a razor and render it un-shaveable, though capable hands can revive most damaged razors.

The recommendation for, new honers is to tape the bevel until you master honing, then decide if you want to continue to use tape. There is no down side to using tape, there is a big down side to not using tape, especially for a new honer and especially on, new or nice razors. Tape the spine and keep replacing fresh tape on the spine, until you have gone through the whole progression, not just the 1k.

It is not just the polish, on the spine that you will ruin, but typically, you will needlessly grind the spine, by doing too many laps and using too much pressure, thereby altering the bevel angle permanently. Did I say Needlessly?

I know you claim, (“I know how to strop and hone correctly, so that isn't part of the question.”), but based on your questions, probably not that experienced, with straight razors. Stropping can take a year or so to really get to the level, where you are consistently improving an edge and not causing damage to the edge or strop.

Posting photos of your razors and stones will help in advising you further.


Which brand of stones do you have, I know you said you have a Naniwa 12k but what are the rest of your progression, and what power of magnification are you using?

I'd go along with what RezDog has said. Most old vintage razors I have restored the edge on may have had chips, some rust on the bevel or a frown. Things like that really are best done using a 1K hone.

One a brand spanking new razor from a reputable maker that should not be necessary and may only need refining on a finishing hone, 8K or 12K for me. If they are really not too good a 3K/4k/5K might be needed. I said reputable to eliminate new razors from China and the like which could likely fall under the restore category.

I use a single layer of tape even on the one brand spanking new razor I own. With vintage razors I do the math to see what bevel angle I without tape. Some have needed more than one layer of tape to bring the bevel angle into an acceptable range. IIRC only a couple needed 2 or 3 layers of tape out of about 40.

Bob

J Gordon, you sound like me. I am am knife maker too, the tough part for us is re-learning the use of hones, and most of all making the muscle memory of butterfly soft razor honing, I had and still at times use a bit too much pressure, it will come, as I hone at least an hour every night and get better constantly.

The One thing I know for sure is if you follow what the Gent's here have laid out plain and simple, you will be able to make most razors truly shave ready and have the confidence to tackle about any restoration.

Very very good information here everyone. Again, I really appreciate it.

@Euclid440- Yes, I'm not very experienced with straight razors. I hope I didn't say anything that would suggest otherwise. I'm sure you all get knife guys who come in here and think straight razors are just REALLY sharp knives, and in turn have it all figured out. I hope I didn't come off like that.

I did however become interested in straights through knife making. I've been working on a couple kamisoris and just finished heat treatment. I set them on the back of the shelf and told myself I'd finish them down the road after I figured out straights a little better. They're a side project for personal use and there's no timeline on them. So this lead me to get my hands on some straight razors and start studying the aspects that make a good razor. Here I am.

As far as my stones and my process goes, I watched a few videos on youtube. Lynn Abrams, Lewis Razors, and a couple others. I pretty much just got my strategy from them. I have Norton stones for 220, 1000, 4000, 8000, and the Naniwa 12,000. Then I have strops. When I "restored" the beat up craigslist razors I used a bread knife technique on the side of the stone to remove any smiles/frowns. Then I set the bevel with a 1000 grit. I thought I used the 220 grit but when I double checked my stones last night and saw it was the 1000 I used. I laid the razor flat on the stone and pushed it forward. I used my thumbs on the spine of the heel and toe and my index fingers on the top of the spine similarly. when pulling it back I switched index fingers to the spine. I applied VERY light pressure. After 20 passes per side I checked the edge with the loop to make sure it was even and the small chips were gone. There were a couple I had to go back and do more on and I think one that only took 20 passes. After that I'd continue with my 20 passes and check the bevel for an even bevel and for the prior grit's scratches to be gone. Then I'd move on. Did this until 12,000.

Towards the end of each cycle of grits I'd try and lighten up to using almost no pressure. I'm not sure where I read it but it made since to me, so I did it.

I AM familiar with the physics of stropping and I do know it's easy to screw up an edge with one. A lot of times guys use too much pressure and the leather mushes down and actually abrades the edge(especially with compound in the strop). That being said I am NOT very familiar with stropping straight razors. When I did the Dovo last night hardly used any pressure and stopped on a new paddle strop I made just for straight razors. I kind of just went at it with the cheap old razors I bought and refurbished. I'm kind of trying to employ a Hippocratic oath with the new Dovo lol.

I would have posted pics of the Dovo and my stones but they're pretty much brand new(I have a different set for knives). You could just find a picture online of either of them and it would be what I have at this point.

One more question, do you all use black electrical tape for the spines of your razors when sharpening? Pretty sure that's what I've been seeing but I wanted to make sure.

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded post here guys. I hope that clarified my intentions a little bit. I really appreciate the help.