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First Post.

Laurens

Laurens

Member
Hello fellow paste-and-cut members.

Looking forward to conversing with you all and trading tips. Im a straight user of several months and am looking to hone my own blades which is mostly what brought me to this website. While I'm competent with shaving I'm lost as to how to maintain and improve razor edges. There is great information about which stones are needed and basic strokes the problem which I have is when to move from stone to stone. I have the equipment and have been honing dollar razors however I just need some knowledge from you to help me out. Other than that I'll no doubt be wanting to get any valuable information which you all have picked up from experience. Im also keen further down the track to experiment with natural finishing stones which is something I certainly will be wanting to discuss before I purchase. Have a nice day!
 
Hi there and welcome.

I'm a strickly DE guy - so no help to you whatsoever - but others around here will be!
 
Great to have another straight shaver on here. I've only just recently started my honing journey so I won't be much help but there are plenty of experienced shavers and honers on here.

Which razor(s) do you own?
 
@Laurens - the best friend you can get yourself is a cheap USB Digital Microscope. You'll get an adequate one on the 'bay for no more than $15. Go for 300-500X magnification, and you'll be able to see exactly what's going on with your edges. It will also be easier to help you if you can list what stones you have currently, and what you wish to achieve - keeping your edges keen, restoring neglected or damaged blades etc etc.

@khun_diddy is being pretty modest about his skill level, but he is right - there is expert help available here, particularly from our "Hone Ranger" @Mark. You're in for a great learning experience and lots of satisfaction.

Best of luck mate :)
 
Welcome @Laurens - I hope you will enjoy the journey!
 
Welcome Laurens!

Glad to see you're interested in the straight world. Plenty of assistance here to get you started up with a honing kit depending on your budget providing you're proficient with straight razor shaving, stropping and light maintenance. Enjoy your journey!
 
Welcome I too are strictly DE but admire the guys who use straights. Hope you enjoy your time here.
 
Thankyou all very much. khun_diddy I have 7 gold dollar razors, a prima klang, a friodur stainless steel 6/8, Dovo special 5/8, Dovo silver steel 5/8 and several blades I have bought off ebay/gumtree which appear older. A few have some substantial warping and two are wedges so I am staying away from them for a while! I didn't recognise the wedges were wedges when I purchased them BTW, they were 30 bucks a piece and they are sheffield made and in mint condition, albeit blunt as can be, so Im certainly not disappointed with them. Hopefully down the track I'll be able to hone them.........

Draco Noir Thanks for the tip I have a loupe I didn't realise a digital magnifier could be that cheap I will definitely get one ASAP. The stones I own now are the 1k norton, 4k/8k norton, naniwa 12k, Chromium oxide on nylon, DMT lapping stone and I have ordered a chosera 1k as I have read glowing reviews since hitting the web for information on honing.

In terms of what I'm wanting to achieve is being able to take a hollowed blade without significant warping, without rust and without microchips and take it from dull to shave ready. I previously had a gold dollar and my frioudur blades honed by a fellow who advertised on gumtree and they shaved marvellously, I managed to dull the friodur and gold dollar from trying to touch up that I prefer shaving with my safety razor instead.

I'm very keen to get at least one blade shaving smoothly as I do prefer the shave I get from straights vs my safety razor. I have been spending all my time on the gold dollar razors so really I cant see myself switching back until I am confident I can hone one of my other blades without taking off too much metal. Thanks again!
 
Wow @Laurens, you're keen! I'm interested in being able to hone as well (mainly so I can keep buying things online!) but the pricing just to get the right stuff to start with has kept me out of the market.
 
Welcome to the insanity.
Hope your stay is long and mutually beneficial :)
 
@Laurens you have a great setup, moving from a norton 1k to a chosera 1k is like night and day and your edge will improve. In fact the Chosera is faster while the particle size is about half of what the Nortons are due to different companies rating grits differently. I can give you a run down on how I would hone using your progression but first let me cover some basic key elements.

1. Bevel setting.
Bevel setting on razors will take up the most work in the progression as it's the process of establishing a primary edge in order to refine or hone it. If you don't have a primary edge, there will be nothing there to hone.

2. Lapping
You must always keep your stones flat and lap them before every use, especially the 4k side of the Norton combo as it's quite soft and has a tendancy to dish, if the stones aren't flat your razor will not be flat.

3. Strokes
It's important to work on your strokes to make sure you're getting the entire bevel from heel to toe, this is when x strokes come in handy, better strokes = a better edge.

4. Pressures
It's ok to use a bit of pressure initially, mainly during bevel setting for some speed cutting, but always finish off every stone with little to no pressure as if it were your final step, once you're done on the 4k side, the 8k and 12k should require no pressure. Skip the Chromium OX. for now to see how well you've honed the razor as you shouldn't need any further refinement after finishing on a 12k.

They're just the basics, of course lots of practice is vital and learning from mistakes is important. Hope this helps. Good luck
 
Thanks Mark I had no idea that moving to the chosera would make that much difference! I hadn't come across the point about finishing every stone with no pressure I'll definitely take that on board. Im curious if you think the 12k naniwa is enough for finishing? Would I be able to shave ATG with a blade coming straight of it?? I sure have been practicing a lot and my strokes have come along way already I believe. I have spent nearly all my time on the 1k trying to comprehend the TPT as I know how important the bevel setting is, I have been using no pressure as to allow me more time to practice my strokes. Hearing how you would progress with the stones I have would be greatly appreciated when you have time.
 
Laurens said:
Im curious if you think the 12k naniwa is enough for finishing? Would I be able to shave ATG with a blade coming straight of it??
Click to expand...
Yes absolutely, it's a fantastic finisher that leaves a very high polish and well refined edge. No compounds or extra refinement is needed after a good Naniwa 12k edge. You can definitely shave against the grain straight off it, even if you didn't strop. It's a highly sought after and famed synthetic finisher.

Laurens said:
I have spent nearly all my time on the 1k trying to comprehend the TPT as I know how important the bevel setting is
Click to expand...
An easy non technical way that you can check for bevel set is simply see if it shaves arm hairs at skin level, If it doesn't then it needs more work. Once you can confirm with me that you're positive that the bevel is set then we'll go through the rest of the progression which should be smooth sailing. But for now, work on the bevel as it's the most challenging and time consuming part in the whole process.

Laurens said:
I hadn't come across the point about finishing every stone with no pressure I'll definitely take that on board.
Click to expand...
Note: The more pressure you use, the courser the stone will act, the less pressure, the finer the results.
 
G'Day Laurens and welcome.
You might like to let us know where you are located - there might be another member just around the corner.
I'm in the Bris and would be glad to help if I can.
FWIW I have never been able to use the TPT and always use the TNT to check the bevel.
 
G'day @Laurens welcome to the P&C Wet Shaving Fan Club, and don't worried their are plenty of extensive experience straight razors here to help you as much as they can.

As for myself I'm a Safety Razor because I don't have enough guts or bare balls to try out a straight razor, because I like to keep my own head attached to my own body all in one place.

Any way Welcome to P&C
 
Thankyou Havachat45 and SpeedyPC. Interesting point about the TNT test I am at the moment trying to acquaint myself with it. It feels odd doing it I always think Im dulling the blade.... Fair point about my whereabouts I am just west of the Melbourne CBD.

Cya round!
 
Might I suggest that you have a look at YouTube and search for gssixgun - Glenn's videos are the ducks nuts as far as I'm concerned.
Ensure that you watch all of them 'cause there is a titbit of useful info in all of them that may not be in the others.
You won't damage the blade with the TNT and, once you feel it, it is the definitive test (IMHO) for a bevel and a few light strokes after restores any dulling that it might leave.
 
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