Thread: When will I need to send my razor off to get it honed?

A little history: I purchased my Dovo SR in Germany when I was studying abroad in 1990. I don' t know what came over me, but when walking down a street in Cologne, I passed a barber shop that had a really cool display window. I was already a mug and soap shaver, with Bic disposables, but these straights looked intriguing. After speaking in my one-year of German language instruction to the seller, he sold me a razor and a strop for not too many D-Marks. I remember not really understanding a word he said, but he emphasized using the strop and showed me how to do it. I tried to shave with the razor for about a week, and after butchering my face quite a bit, went back to disposables, packed it away and forgot about it until about two months ago when I was cleaning up.

OK, remember 1990 - there was no such thing as email or the internet, and as far as I can remember, no books on the subject at my public library. By trial and error, I'm really lucky I didn't cut of my earlobe or worse.

So, before I started to use my razor, I found some internet resources (this site) and UTube videos and after about a week of "instructed" use, I was starting to get the hang of it. After a month, I was wondering why I waited this long. Now, I am at the point of no return.

So here is my question: I am not sure if the regular use and stropping has made my razor sharper and created a better shave, or if I am just getting better at holding it, consistently stroking and just plain getting better with each shave. I swear it's getting sharper and more comfortable with each daily shave. How long will this last without getting it honed?

Next question, where should I send this to get honed by a pro when it's starting to show the need?

Douglas, I watched several videos by Lynn Abrams, the founder/owner of this website. Look for his vids on YouTube. I bought my own stones (four of them) and learned how to set the bevel, go through the other grit levels and finally, to finish it on the linen and leather sides of my old shell strop. If you don't want to learn, send it to any number of guys here or on EBay who charge anywhere from $20-$40 to hone it. If it is sharp enough to shave with, you wont need to take it to any other stone again, with the exception of maybe a 10K or 12K finishing stone, if you let it get way dull. A little stropping on the linen and leather or just the leather side, before each shave, is all that is really needed. Keep reading here and watch some sharpening vids by honemeister Abrams. Have fun!

Thanks for the advice. I get the idea that Lynn Abrams is the word of experience on the sharp edge honing (and other shaving matters) I have seen some of his videos. However, I'm kind of intimidated by the whole process and I'd love to learn on a dull razor that means nothing to me so I can practice. Also, I get the impression that you can find a good quality razor that doesn't have all the trimmings for a fair price. Not so much with whetstones for quality honing.

I'd suggest to send it to Lynn a SRD.

There are also some great guys here on the forum.

And welcome to SRP!!!
Check out the library, there's a TON of great info there.
Ask questions, we're here to help
Enjoy and have fun!!!

I second what Dave said.
I'd also send it out for a real honing and pick up a second one off the B/S/T thread. Keep one with the perfect edge for comparison. When you think the one your using daily is getting dull or if you had a bad shave, you can break out the perfect edged razor and compare.

Read info in the library and welcome to SRP. A lot of great folks here so ask all the questions you want that have to do with Straight Razors and lots of folks with be happy to answer.

Douglas, yes, good-great quality stones are a bit pricey. I found a few of my 4 stones at a decent price. Don't worry about acquiring any natural Japanese stones or Belgian coticule stones or any Thuringian stones. I bought a 1000/3000 Suehiro stone. It is a Japanese company. I paid an affordable price for it. This one you can use to set the bevel of your razor. I next bought a 4000/8000 grit stone that was made by the famous Norton. You can find them decently priced on feebay (EBay). I then bought a 12,000 Shapton stone to finish them on. That is also a Japanese company. But these 2 Japanese stones I bought are not natural stones, they are made. "Jnat" is often used as an abbreviation for Japanese natural stones. I had no previous experience honing anything. I watched a few vids, got the simple, easy instructions down and did it myself. It is not actually hard to make a razor shave-ready. You can do this just like the rest of us learned to do. Jump in! The water is FINE!

Oh, yes! Welcome. I forgot that part. Oops.

Welcome!!

Its probably feeling sharper because you are getting better at angles, pressure, prep and stropping.

It will get dull though, my first line defense is a Chromium Oxide pasted strop for up to 20 laps then strop as usual, when that stops working then an 8k+ hone gets used (barber hone, synthetic or natural finisher)

Getting a 2nd from the B/S/T or some other place that sells shave ready razors would be good option in case one needs to be sent for a full honing or you just want some variety (or get addicted like most of us lol!!)

Welcome to the Forum. One more for having it honed. It might be a good idea to have 1 more razor while one is being honed (no down time). I think, reading your post, you've gotten off to a good start. You are in good hands here, these guys have so much combined knowledge it will make your head spin, take advantage of their experience.

Thank you all for the good advice and welcoming replies. I am going follow your advice to get a second SR and send my first off to be properly honed. SRP is really a fantastic resource and discovery for me.