I should be thanking you. It appears that either intentionally or unintentionally you were responsive to a comment I posted to one of your earlier videos. Bravo.
Thanks for this Keith. I hone GD and the like a lot and you've presented a lot of things for me to be cognizant of and look for. Appreciate the perspective and I always enjoy your clarity.
I have about 10 GD's from when I started honing. I've practiced so much on some that they have a century of wear on them. Good start into the hobby and you can get a nice shave with then.
After years of pondering these blades, I've found that it's better to start off with a vintage in decent condition. The steel will be more predictable and consistent, and the razor usually of superior quality overall. Ultimately, I find GD's do not sustain a decent edge long enough for it to be worth the while for me. For a beginner, I think they present too many problems to have to deal with initially. They're cheap, sure - but that low price comes with liabilities that I find to be counterproductive. Realistically, I can spend 30-40 on a decent Solingen that's worth $60-70 after I hone it or I can spend $10 on a Chinese razor that requires 10x more work to get into shape - and is worth $5 when I'm done. But when the start up investment for getting into the game is truly cost-prohibitive, then getting into GDs first might allow more funds to be spent elsewhere; that might be a valid concern for some. Value-wise, in the bigger picture, which is always my first concern (as opposed to 'cheap vs expensive) - most decent condition vintage blades are a way better deal. I have disposed of all but one of my GD honing test blades, they're just not worth my time.
@@KeithVJohnson1 yeah I agree for the most part. I do think for someone who's just looking to get a feel for honing they can play a role where you're basically honing then shaving, trying again, and again, and so on. If you're trying to get a razor to use long term at all I'd avoid them entirely. The original grind on every one I've bought has been weak to put it kindly but I think it gives you a feel for the process and technique. I've never tested edge retention as I strictly used them as test razors. Can't be good though I'm sure. My first razor was a $129 Dovo that I really like to this day. Might be a little pricey for some to start but it's going to last a long time. I also like the vintage route and with soo many available these days I'm sure it's a better option. Just would feel bad ruining a vintage razor to practice honing. My background is Japanese knives so I'm very comfortable on stones but razors is strangely very different. They can be fickle. I have a small "business" hand sharpening knives so I appreciate sharp which is why I got into straight razors in the first place. I've shaved my face with 8" hand made Japanese kitchen knives but it took a while to be as comfortable shaving with a razor as I was with a high end knife. It's a softer touch with a razor. Appreciate the response and enjoy the videos.
@@JeffSmith-eq3kc Typically, every beginner I've coached has done best when starting off with a razor that has good geometry. There is, IMO, no point to not starting with a decent quality blade. I don't mean a $500 custom, but a cheap-enough fleabay special will get the job done without requiring re-engineering efforts. Intentionally adding problems to the mix for the sake of $20-30, IMO, is counterproductive. Too many times (100s of times) new guys email me because they're frustrated with not being able to set a bevel. My first question is - always - "What Razor?" - 99 % of the time it's a Gold Dollar or similar. If any one of those guys who were struggling would have spent another $30-40 dollars on a decent razor, they wouldn't have wasted hours upon hours trying to set a bevel on a blade with a horrible grind. I can see why people go for them, it's just that I've gone there and I've decided that it's not worth the time and effort. I may re-visit GDs for some reason or another at some point but right now I'm done with them. Well, I did just use a bunch for rust-proofing tests actually, so there's 3-4 left over in my drawer that I will probably find a use for in the not too distant future.
Keith! thank you for sharing 👍 I never want to stop learning, and you sir, always present thought and action for me to consider in more than just honing 💈 GOD Bless, my friend 😊
I'm with you. If you can get a turd sharp enough you can shave with it. I've got a few turds & I keep them & use them. But my favorites are over 100 years old, some almost 200. Some were probably in the civel war. The history. Good steel well made is a delight to shave with. Enjoy the videos, Jed Sparks
Great demo as always from your videos. Two aspects I love in this one is the emphasis on does it really matter if it is technically perfect? No. My Gpa and Great Gpa were not measuring angles. They worked on the blade and used there vision to measure, fix, and fit. The other, what they had back in the day and what we have; bottom line, they just don't make things like they use to. A $.25-1.00 dollar skillet at a thrift shop or garage sale that's 50-60 years old is gonna last longer than one I spend $40 on today.
This video has clarified a lot of uncertainty I've had about geometry considerations. It's interesting to note that you can potentialy have an even bevel despite of some uneven contact at the spine. I'd been experimenting with switching to very narrow hones due to some unevenness I've observed between the spine & a straight edge but this video seems to promote paying closer attention to the bevel so I feel more at ease with going back to full width hones. The exception would be runing into stubborn heal or toe issues that would justify a narrow hone.
Check the BST pages of shaving forums and you'll probably run across a few deals. My first straight was a Wester's 5/8 spike that I picked up in a flea market for $20.
Interesting! Are those digital calipers expensive. where did you get the bevel calculator? Are the simple to use? That would also be heplful on knives!
Ok I know this video is old but I have just started to watch the KVJ videos. I said it once and this video shows it even more than the other video I commented on. I watch a lot of videos with professionals, hobbiests, and other varring levels of skill level individuals doing all sorts of things (Golf, sharpening, auto repair, blacksmithing, etc..). And the way he goes about sharpening/honning razors is like no one else in any category. This guy not only has a connection with the piece he is working on he also has a full grasp of the craft he is preforming and how to talk about it to non experts. Just stop to think that this video is about him honning a blade from a company that he clearly is not impressed with and his approach isn't just to make a 2min video of "This is what you can do with a gold dollar" and just throw it in the trash. He takes the approach of "Well if its what you got lets make some music out of it." Just a real dude with a tallent and a love for the craft that comes through in his videos. I am not a sharpening expert, but this guy clearly is and he does it from feel, technique, and experience. Super watchable and i would listen to some of his videos without video, just listen. Pure craftmanship is meditative to me.
No prob, it comes across in the videos that the craft of what you are doing is important and not the BS that come with any community. Its easy to watch when its like that.
Unfortunately, I'm unable to tutor - my free time is nearly non-existent. That's why I encourage discussion here on my channel; there are a lot of great folowers that can answer just about any questions you might have.
Thats understood! Im very busy also. I dont want bother you much i just need a few basic questions just to get started. Im using a shavette now, and i want to start learning with a decent Traditional straight nothing very expensive, and learn how to hone and strop. ive just now went back to work been out for 8 weeks i tore up my tendons in my ankle.
So, basically - you need to learn everything. Lol. We've all been there, but like I mentioned, I don't have the time for tutoring or mentoring.There's a ton of info about honing and stropping in my videos - more than you'll need to get started. I don't deal in razors so maybe someone else can guide you on moving from the shavette to a tradtional blade.
It's funny how people are wired up the same, you start talking about cast iron - being a Griswold nut myself, maybe it makes sense I've been bitten by the razor bug - oh yeah, and guitar amps.
I have almost gave up on the forums. A person cant learn much, because things turns into a damn debate. Font get me wrong theres a lot of good people on some of the forums, but theres also a lot of childish people to. I ask questions to learn, not to argue!
Keith V. Johnson They are even people on youtube that dont want to help people. They sometimes come off with smartass coments! Man you pretty much just tell it like it is! And thats what i like! No beaten around the bush.
A man could if he wanted is to tape the edge with 2 layers of tape and put the razor on a belt sander to thin the spine!! Ive not tried it yet though. The belt sander would probly eat throught the tape very fast!
Lolz I like how they advertise new "vintage" razors that were made in China, maybe ten years ago max.... wouldnt it be a retro straight razors? I look oh "vintage razor" $8.... then it's new fro. China...
