Honing Questions

[mcgruff]

A little while ago I bought a shave-ready razor which inevitably became blunt. My first attempts at stropping probably made that worse, not better. Time to get sharpening.

My honing/stropping set up:
- 30u, 12u, 9u, 6u, 3u, 1u and 0.3u aluminium oxide lapping film
- CrOx balsa strop
- FeOx balsa strop
- cheap leather strop

On my 2nd try I managed to get a shaveable edge - but only just. The blade scritched & scratched through stubble rather than gliding through it like it wasn't there. But it did cut. On the plus side it was a very gentle shave. The mild edge was very forgiving. That was nice - but a little sharper would be better.

I started on the 30u, raised a full-length burr both sides (as best I could tell) with about 300 single-sided laps each side and then worked through the progression all the way down to 0.3u. 50 laps per sheet. Then I shaved with the razor straight off the film. No stropping.

* I guess if I want a sharper edge I need to go right back to 30u and start from there, re-setting the bevel?

* Not sure about the final steps. Should I use a leather strop after the 0.3u film? I wasn't sure if my stropping technique could be trusted not to mess up the new edge so I didn't bother.

* Is there any benefit going to the pasted strops after 0.3u film? The vendor listed the CrOx as 0.5u and the FeOx as 0.1u.

* Once I've got a good edge, what do you recommend for occasional maintenance along with regular stropping on leather. Pasted balsa? Or just stick with the 1u and 0.3u lapping film?

Thanks for your help

 

[Fergiebilly]

Around 90 % of the Magic Happens on the Bevel Hone..In Other Words the Bevel Hone & Bevel Setting is the Most Important...I Have Used Lapping Film to Set Bevels..It Can Be Done Yeah...But..Its Not Ideal..I Would Suggest Buying a Naniwa Professional 1 K Bevel Stone to Set the Bevels..Thats the Best Advice I Can Offer..Lapping Film is Great for a Progression..

But if You Stick with the Lapping Film the Razor Should Shave Arm Hair from the 12 Micron No Problem..There is No Point in Going Any Further if it Doesnt..

Billy

 

[mcgruff]

After the 12u it could just about shave arm hair but it would take several passes to clear a patch of skin.

Thanks for the advice. I was hoping to avoid the expense of building up a set of stones but maybe I'll need to bite the bullet.

First I'll have another try with what I have. Maybe start with wet & dry sandpaper this time.

 

[Fergiebilly]

After the 12u it could just about shave arm hair but it would take several passes to clear a patch of skin.

Thanks for the advice. I was hoping to avoid the expense of building up a set of stones but maybe I'll need to bite the bullet.

First I'll have another try with what I have. Maybe start with wet & dry sandpaper this time.

Folks Do What they Do..Up to You..The Naniwa Professional 1 K Stone is the Best Bevel Setter on the Market Today & I Can Tell Ya..Some Razors are Really Challenging to Bevel Set..As a Friend of Mine from the ShaveDen..Glen Says.."Honing Razors is Easy Until it Aint"..And thats with the Correct Tools at Hand.. He Hones Razors for a Living..

Billy