Thread: Is my razor honed?

I just bought a straight razor off of eBay. How do I know if the razor is honed and ready to be used? I asked the seller if he knew if the razor was honed and he said he did not know.

If it s from e-bay and the seller said they did not know if the razor is honed, I would bet it is not honed or not shave ready at least.
Can you post some pics of the razor?

Sanitize it and give it a shot. You will know soon enough if it's shave ready. Not trying to be a smart ***, just don't know a more definite way.

Originally Posted by matcha345

I just bought a straight razor off of eBay. How do I know if the razor is honed and ready to be used? I asked the seller if he knew if the razor was honed and he said he did not know.

Pictures would help....

Edit...
See the pictures in a post below below -- my initial post expected a
well used rusty 100 year old classic

Ignore the below until pictures are available...

A razor that has been sitting for a dozen years will
not be as sharp as we like because the very thin
edge will oxidize and dull a little or a lot....

As Hirlau said: "Sanitize and give it
a shave test".

The odds are that it needs to be honed.

Sanitize to me is to clean with
soap water, common alcohol and soap-
scum remover. Yes there are other
ways as well, Barbisol is high on the
list.

On an old blade I have used kitchen
cleanser (Comet, Bartenders Friend).
If the steel has bits or red rust sand those away
with 1000 or 2000 grit wet dry paper.
Sanding will dull an edge so plan on
needing to hone after.

Lightly polish with MAAS or
other polish then hone.

After exposing raw steel oil is needed to
keep new rust from getting started.

Clean bright steel is clean stuff.

At the top of this I said post a picture or
two. A number of folk here can tell
you if the blade and scales justify a little or
a lot of help.

Some problems are invisible until
the blade has been sanded, lightly polished
and honed.

With full disclosure and cautions some of the vendors
will tidy up an eBay razor and then hone it
for a fair price.

Tell me if you need more.

Looks like a brand new TI
These are sometimes pretty close from the factory, they like every other new razor can stand a tweaking to bring them into line...

Try a shave before you do anything , then try stropping it in... The big "Catch 22" here with new razors like the TI, is that they often can be "Stropped In" but it requires an experienced hand on the strop So the experienced members and the TI instructions say that, but the "new guy" usually ends up doing more damage in the trying....

Who can I send it to in order to have it honed?

I would suggest that you have a look at the 'Member Services' section of the forum, see who is closest to you and see if they can help you out.
My understanding is that they will all see you right.
Nice looking razor though.

+1 look here first

Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Originally Posted by matcha345

Tell me if you need more.

Scratch my post -- this is a new razor!
Unlike many eBay antiques this is ready to
go for the most part.

My TI was very shave-able out of the box.
I shaved with it for months before it needed
honing.

The factory bevel was not ideal for maintaining
the edge by hand and after shaving with it for
a while I had to hone the heck out of it with
my Coticle to reset the bevel when it needed
honing. As Glenn (gssixgun) noted above a tune up might
improve it.

So shave away and when it does need to be
honed send it out one time to a honemaster.
Yes you can hone it yourself but the first
time a honemaster will earn his fee.

My TI had been honed with the spine lifted
just enough to keep the spine pristine but
that lift set a bevel that was not friendly
to a hand honing with my then one and
only finishing hone.

Bottom line... great razor enjoy it. Do
avoid some frustration, one time have
it honed when it needs it.