I got a Dovo Bismarck from vintage blades that arrived today and it said on the invoice that you did the honing, it was the best shave I have ever gotten from any of my blades, thank you, and thank you for your videos.
Just wanted to drop you a note to say Thank you for this video! I bought a Dovo Best Quality from you and you were kind enough to hone it for me. Well,long story short, the razor got dull and I didn't want to mess it up, I let a gentleman who said he was a hone meister work with it. He messed it up. I watched this video and decided to try fixing the Dovo with you method. It worked great, and I'm a total newbie on honing!! Thank you!!
Hi, I usually recommend that someone send out their first razor as it takes a little practice to become successful or start having successful results when you are learning to hone. It's like learning to use the straight razor which takes most people a few weeks to start getting the hang of it. It was an amazing holiday season for razors and we are all waiting on the manufacturers to re-stock. All the best.
I've been practicing. 5 nights a week for 3 weeks and more dull every try. I was about to throw in the towel until I came across this tutorial. Bless you, Mr. Abrams. You've saved my sanity.
just got my norton 4k/8k today. the circle method certainly put one heck of an edge on my razors. had to stop myself from shaving my arms clean. cant thank you enough for this and all your other videos lynn
Watching this to see where I'm going wrong and in the first minute or so I've already learned a couple of things I have done wrong, you sir are a legend!
hzh hzh it's best to keep it sharp on a leather strop but when it stops cutting well and starts to snag or pull the hair, that's when you want to hone again, so it will need doing again, sometimes once every few months and sometimes once a week, it depends on many things.
That Guy Max! Would you know where I could get a cheap stone of similar grit? I only have a $80 budget to work with. My razor is screaming at me after 8-12 months of abuse...
Very thorough and easy-to-follow process! Thank you for sharing your expertise and experience. With my having just acquired the Norton 4k/8k, your explanation and demonstration of 'how to' properly hone on this stone is greatly appreciated!
Thank you for your expertise Mr. Abrams! I just got my first straight edged razor ever... I'm a little apprehensive about shaving with a straight edge, but I like the fact that I won't have to pay Gillette anymore! They've made enough money from me over two decades or more! Now after my initial start-up cost a Naked Armor by Solomon; my razor has a 64 HRC hardness scale for edge retention! I will start saving money from here on out! My Sharpton stones were purchased with funds from my carpentry/painting company.. So I already have had the stones for some time! Now I put them to better usage! Thanks again for a great video Mr. Abrams!
I put a dent in my blade from the tap, I took the dent out and brought the blade back just with this stone and method. It's now sharper then when I bought it. This was the first time I have tried honing and I haven't been using a straight razor for long. Thanks yo your video I am now able to use and maintain my blade without any other help
Mr. Abrams, thank you so much for the videos. Could not figure out what I'd been doing wrong with stropping and honing. I am now almost afraid to shave with the sharpness of the edge I was able to put on my razor tonight. Barely ran my blade along my arm and hair flew off! I was ready to shelf my straight razor but not now.
I love ya man! I just set my first bevel and honed all the way to the 12k Naniwa. Woohoo! Im sending ya a man hug brother! Thank you for what you do! Thanking the family or to eat tonight. Lol! Thanks again! Greg B.
Hey Lynn, well thanks for the reply and I will find a honer. I will keep an eye on the forums and keep reading on the maintenance and patterns for honing. Again thanks and best regards from Los Angeles. Cheers!
Hi Daniel, We have them on order and hopefully soon. Be on the look out for some new Aust razors to hit soon, but be quick as they will be gone quickly. Great razors!!
Thanks for the good counsel brother. I think I figured out why my razor shaved like broken glass last time I tried to hone! I'm gonna try this method and see if I have better luck now that I also lapped my Norton 4k/8k stone as well.
There is a lot of personal preference when it comes to honing equipment and processes. I like following the circles with X strokes because I feel it helps refine the edge after the circles and this process has proven to be very consistent and repeatable in producing nice shaving edges. I also feel that the angled striations cut a little better for me.
Hello Lynn, first, I really appreciate all of the videos and great information. I almost got a straight from S.R.D. but unfortunately it seemed like a lot were out of stock, hopefully it means you guys are selling razors well! But I now have a Dovo 5/8, and the company did not mention whether it was shave ready or not. So I assumed it was not and started practicing a bit with my 4K side of the stone. Would you suggest I continue with the 8K side or have it professionally honed or ready to use?
Thanks for the video! I'm glad I found this video before I started working on sharpening my own razor. I have an old ($7) razor that doesn't cut even arm hair yet that I need to sharpen, so I can actually hone my new razor. I do have to ask (the resolution of the video isn't good enough for me to tell for sure) but is that a Square and Compass on your right ring?
I normally recommend new people just try to use either chromium oxide or .5 micron diamond paste or spray to refresh their razors prior to picking up any stones. When that quits working, then pick up a 12K or finishing stone. If you are going to be buying ebay razors and doing more honing then pick up a full set and start practicing.
Great vid and very helpful. I got an old razor that the blade was not even. I first ground it down to even out the blade and use your method to set the bevel and hone the blade to pass the hair test. My question is is the X stroke important even if my razor fits the stones?
I usually don't recommend placing the fingers of the other hand on the blade as this can cause uneven pressure when you are performing either circles or X strokes and that pressure may vary on both sides of the razor. That said, some people have become successful in using this approach. What works best for you is normally the most positive and successful thing to do.
Thank you I found this video to be very informative and have taken a lot from it. I am very new to honing, I currently own a Norton 4/8k and would like to ask you advice on what other equipment I require to get a shave ready edge on my razor. I would also like to ask you about "lapping" the new stone and what that process involves. Thanks in advance!
I find that by keeping even pressure on both the spine and edge, the stone does it's work on the edge and I can feel the feedback from the stone when working on it. I don't intentionally put any additional torque on the edge.
thank you so much for making this video, i took my razor to two different sharpening shops the first one made it duller and the second one sharpened it but mnot a desiered shapness, now i can save money and time because of this circle method, it took me about 8 cycles of the firm pressuer and 2 cycles of the no pressure to get my razor honed nicely. without this video i dont know if could have ever honed the razor by myself. also what would you reccoment for a finishing stone?
Hey Lynn, I've been practicing my honing on a Naniwa 3k/8k combo stone. The water doesn't pool up over the entire surface of the stone, it kind of slides in towards the middle and the edges stay dry. Should I lap it more? Try soaking it for 5-10 minutes before honing? Thanks for any input! Your videos are really helpful.
Hi Lynn, I recently purchased a new straight razor that is not "shave ready" and needs to be honed and after watching your informative video on honing I was inquiring should I use the same Norton 4000/8000 or are there other honing blocks to be considered?
Great video! Anyways, I have noticed that some people lightly place their fingers over the blade while doing the circles or the x strokes to make sure its flat on the stone. I noticed that you don't. Can using your fingers effect the quality of the honing process?
Some folks do use tape on the spine when they hone. It does create a micro bevel in the edge. Normally, I only will tape to protect the spine from wear on a damascus or fancy pattern type razor or when I am repairing an edge and removing a lot of metal.
Lynn...thanks for your videos on honing. A week ago I broke down and bought a norton 4k/8 and have been tinkering. I've done well using your video but it isn't quite good enough to shave comfortably as I'd like. I have a very old barbers honing stone which is easily somewhere near the 12k area. Can you please tell me what to do with it now that I've finished up on the 8 side of the norton.
hi lynn thamks for showing your method of honing. my question is if you have gold wash on the spine as well as the blade. does the honing remove the gold wash off the spine. only im going to buy a new dovo which has gold wash on the spone amd the blade..
Hi Lynn, as a soon to be norton owner (I gave in, I was getting sick of the guessing game of a one stone on a coticule, I can do it but sometimes I don't feel like it) when originally lapping am I just going until that grainy feeling is gone when rubbing my hand on it or under a blade? Can't wait to try this method, not sure where you're pyramid method video is? Thanks
Lynn, to keep the blade in contact with the hone, are you torquing the blade towards the edge or pushing straight down with even pressure on the spine and edge?
Hello Lynn, I am new to straight razor shaving, however I have been unable to fully enjoy the experience since my straight razor (Dovo 5/8) just isn't sharp enough after stropping and paste, I am considering honing it, specially after seeing your informative video. However I am aware that many people do not advise newbies to attempt to hone their razors since we will most likely ruin them, What are your thoughts? am I heading towards disaster or do I stand a fair chance?
Lynn, I've followed your instructions with my new razor, and it's definitely sharper, but it won't pass the HHT. Does this mean that I just need to continue honing my razor or would that be a bad move?
Hey Lynn. I'm looking to get my first razor and I only want to order it from SRD. Any idea of when you will have Dovo 5/8 back in stock. Thank you for your videos.
How does it shave? I am not much on hanging hair tests. Also what honing regiment are you using including the number of strokes or circles. What amount of pressure are you using on the finishing stone? What finishing stone are you using? Is this your first attempt at honing?
i have a question, about one of your other videos, the naniwa chosera 1K, i am a little confused , I just bought one of these--is the nagura stone a cleaner stone or a slurry stone, do i need to make a slurry with the chosera to be effective or just straight water like you did, thanks
Thanks. Now I have a shaving question. I grow a beard pretty far down my neck and with the grain is center of neck to ears. Any tips to make that against the grain pass?
@daddycavefish The new Nortons definitely are grainy feeling. I do remove about 1/8 inch on the 4K side until it feels smooth and the grainy feeling is completely gone. I have noticed lately that the 8K side on new ones is a little grainy too, but it does not take much lapping to get them smooth.
Lynn Abrams I tried this method the other day Lynn. I repeated the 40 circles method x2 with a fair bit of pressure, then did the 40 circles x1 with weight of the blade pressure. Didn't even come close to getting it proper as I think I rounded the edge off. I felt like I was going to shave my skin right off when I went to test shave with it. Should I go back and re-hone using the same technique? Thanks!
Hi Lynn What other supplies besides a 1k, 4k and 8k stones are necessary for honing? Are pasted strops required to get a shaving edge? My razor is starting to pull hair as I shave and stropping isn't working.
did you make the lapping video---the reason i ask about lapping the norton, is i have read that if one uses sandpaper the 4k feels like there is grit stuck in it and the blade does not feel smooth have you run into that
hey friend, i have a chosera 1k, and ui just got a norton 4k/8k------- wow it feels alot more rough than my chosera 1k---- you mentioned i will need to lay about a 1/8 inch off will it them be a softer feel----------
Not yet. I normally use a DMT 325 or Shapton Glass Lapping Plate on the new Norton's. It is almost like an eighth of an inch that needs to be removed from the 4K side to get the grainy feeling to go away. Not so much on the 8K side. I have used wet-dry sandpaper up to 600 grit without any problems though. You definitely have to rinse more it seems to me, when using the sand paper.
I normally get 2-3 months on a fresh honing and my beard is heavy and gnarly, so not sure here. I am thinking that you may benefit from dropping back to a 1K stone and getting a good foundation with a bevel setting. Then repeat the circle process on the 4K/8K with your .5 and see if that helps. Good luck.
Hi Lynn. I have some progress in honing. Now my razor can cut a thin hair right near the holding point after a 6000 grit water stone. But when I try to continue the honing on my finishing stone, the blade loses its ability to cut head hairs altogether. What am I doing wrong?
I have been trying to hone my razor for about a month now and I have not been able to shave with it at all. As you can tell I just started trying a straight razor but I've tried loads of different honing techniques and none of them seem to work. I will try this one and get back to you, but if it fails would you be able to try and let me know what I'm doing wrong?
Some people use the Nagura that comes with the 1K for both or either cleaning and making slurry. I find that I do not need slurry on the 1K Chosera. It is pretty quick on it's own for bevel setting. I normally just use a DMT 325 or GDLP for cleaning and lapping it. Have fun.
also as you know the cost for a new straight razor as well as the strop etc is quit high do i need to purchase a stone straight away. or can i do that when my blade becomes dull. let's say 3 months ir so.mamy thanks hope you had a great Christmas
Lynn, I've tried this on a razor that I haven't used in a while. I keep having a tinny sound to the edge. Very much like a very thin edge being dragged. I've tried going back to the 1k stone I have to set a bevel but I keep hearing it. Also hear it when I tried stropping. Of course shaving was as bad as dragging a cheese grater down my face. I'm not sure if I just need to keep doing more sets of circles or something else. I'm starting to get quite a bit of hone wear on the spine now so I think I want to start taping it. What would you suggest? I want to try and get it but I will send it to SRD if I can't. Thanks. Steve
Wow...I think I screwed my straight razor up. I was trying last night to sharpen it on the same stone you have,(new right out of the box) was going back and forth, and could not get the blade to take the hair off my arm? I think it might have been the X pattern that I wasn't doing. I was trying every method to no avail.
Hey Lynn, Love your videos. I have a vintage Wade and Butcher that I was refreshing on a 12k. I noticed that one one side, the edge did not lay flat along the entire length. I am guessing that the spine is uneven. Should I reset the bevel with a 1k then work through the 4k,8k and 12k? Or would it be best to just start with a 4k? Still learning the ropes but determined to get this right. The razor has seen lots of use before it made its way to me, as I am sure all W&B's have. Thanks, Ray
The razor may not be laying flat as a result of wear vs. any curvature of the spine. I find it best to use the Rolling X stroke on these types of razors. If the wear is not bad, just an X stroke at a 45 degree angle may work. If you're not getting the entire edge with the 45 degree angle X stroke, then definitely use the Rolling X. Try the refresh first and see if that works. If not, you can always try starting at the 4K or even re-setting a bevel at the 1K. Check out my Rolling X video. Good luck.
Hey there, I read a few comments here, but not all hope this is not a repet, the vid is great thank you for posting, I am a knife sharpener by trade and thought about straight razors, and it looks like you have it down right, good job. So now you know I will be asking questions when i start myself lol. Keep up with the great vids sir :). Roylee
Hi Brian, The Norton 4K/8K should work fine on a new razor. You may want to incorporate a finishing stone along with chromium oxide or .5 diamond as well.
I just got a straight razor for Christmas, I have made two attempts to shave, but my blade feels dull. The second attempt, was after making 10 passes on the 4,000 side of my Norton 4k/8k stone. It would be much appreciated if you could give me any other information that would help me. Thanks.
Hello sir, i have three questions if you dont mind answering. Do I have too set the bevel every time I hone? Or is it only when its needed? If so, how do you know when you need to reset the bevel.
great videos, i just bought the norton 4k/8k from you, and my question is when i want to hone my razor and set a bevel not sure if should kill the edge or not? been using your circle method, still confused on how much pressure to use? and finally should i invest in a finsishing stone and if so witch one? Thanks Lynn
+Stay Smooth Shaving I normally do not kill an edge before honing. I would use firm pressure 3-5 lbs approx if trying to set a bevel on the 4K. For finishing, the Naniwa 12K is a very reliable and consistent stone. I use one every day when honing. Have fun!
Results will vary by skill level, type of razor and your personal sensitivity to shaving. I would recommend that you practice some with just going up to the 8K to develop your sense of your results, test shaving and then deciding from there what is the next best step for you.
Lynn thanks for all great videos , Generally i use the x method for hone my razors(15/15, 10/10, ...etc , but as an expert would you advise me to change my way to the circular method?
If the current method is working, I would stick with that unless you just want to experiment with the circles and see if you like that method any better. Thanks.
Lynn, why follow the circles with x-strokes...what does an x-stroke give you that the circle doesn't? Also, what's the benefit to having angled striations from the x-strokes?
The X pattern for me is a personal preference. Some people to a large X pattern while others do a very small X pattern keeping the blade on the stone for the most part. In my opinion, if you are just going up and down and it is producing good edges for you, that is all you need.
Honing, like straight razor shaving itself takes practice. Most people are not successful the first few tries. Pressure is very important especially when on the final part of the process. Having the bevel set properly is also key. At this point, you may want to try a short pyramid like a 1-3 and 1-5 on the 4K/8K and see if that helps wake up the edge. If not, I would give the process another go.
This varies based on experience and beard type, but for most, you can usually go 2-3 months on a freshly honed edge, before you need to refresh the blade. Have fun.
