Thread: Honing Success Story

If you haven't read my first trip into honing, check out the "6 weeks in - First Pink Lather" thread . . . I have two eBay razors I picked up after getting somewhat comfortable with my pro-honed SRD Ralf Aust. My first attempt at using the two was memorable, albeit bloody. I went back to the hones and came back with a better edge on the Dovo. It was cutting arm hairs easily and tree topping, although not quite as good as my pro-honed Ralf Aust. But, I stropped it on CrOx this morning, and then ran it about 50-60 times on linen then leather and decided to try a WTG shave with it for the shave test.

End result - zero nicks, and actually a decent WTG shave. For comparison, I relathered and did another WTG pass with my Ralf Aust and it did a bit more work, but overall, it felt similar to when I do a second WTG pass normally when the Ralf is used both times. So, I'm considering this a success!

I am taking it back to the stones before adding it in the rotation though as it did pull a bit around the tougher whiskers at my chin, but only a little bit more so than my Ralf Aust did after about 20 shaves before I used the CrOx on it. So, I feel there is still room to improve on that, but that was my third attempt at honing a straight, and I got on that actually shaved mostly comfortably!

To avoid too much irritation from the straights, I finished with my DE after doing a XTG with the Ralf. And turns out, this is one of the smoothest shaves yet.

On another note - picked up a Silvertip brush from Amazon (Simply Beautiful) and Thayer's Witch Hazel with Aloe. I must say, the Silvertip holds a ton of water compared to my Art of Shaving Pure Badger (which was nice, albeit surprising when I lathered up the soap), and I am really impressed with the Witch Hazel. Not much on smell, but really seems to close the skin up and soothe it real quick. After, I have an Aveda After-Shave Balm, and it feels like I only need about half of it now than when I used it before as my only post-shave treatment.

Great to hear you had success with honning! Not a easy task.. A lot of people have problems with honning theyr razors, including me I think we will get better at it with time. With the information at this site, we just have to keep in mind the basic points that the honemasters give us and we too, will have a EUREKA moment sometime soon Keep up the good work!
Kind regards, Stick

Originally Posted by Stick

Great to hear you had success with honning! Not a easy task.. A lot of people have problems with honning theyr razors, including me I think we will get better at it with time. With the information at this site, we just have to keep in mind the basic points that the honemasters give us and we too, will have a EUREKA moment sometime soon Keep up the good work!
Kind regards, Stick

I will say - my secret is trying to get feedback after every batch of strokes or circles. When I've switched stones, I check and see how it shaves arm hairs. There have been times when my technique has dulled the work of the stone before, so if I am shaving arm hairs pretty well after my 4k and it isn't working after my 8k, I know I need to go back. If it's shaving similar after the 8k as it did on my 4k, I need more work on the 8.

End result - I'm missing a lot of arm hair!

What stones are you using for 8k and 4k? Norton combo? naniwa?

Originally Posted by quicksilver

What stones are you using for 8k and 4k? Norton combo? naniwa?

Norton combos for the 1k-8k. Naniwa SS 12k.