Touching up a factory fresh razor.

Macion grey · Sep 24, 2009

I have been told that a factory fresh razor does not necessarily need a hone session to become shave ready.

What it needs is a touch up, mainly a large stropping session (100 passes) and perhaps some CrOx stropping to restore the blade to shave ready status.

Thoughts?

Chimensch · Sep 24, 2009

It really depends on the condition of the individual razor and where it is purchased. In my experience, razors purchased from stores that don't offer a honing service generally require more than stropping or CrOx. I think that your statement applies more to razors that have been honed before being sent to you. There are some online vendors that supply razors that are superb out of the box and others that require the type of touching up you describe.

mdunn · Sep 24, 2009

ive never bought a factory new razor personally, but ive heard that new razors definately need a hone

mparker762 · Sep 24, 2009

The last half dozen or so new razors that I've bought needed only a thorough stropping - I'm fairly experienced at stropping though. But if you're just starting out then I highly recommend getting it honed by a honemeister, because your stropping technique and shaving technique will be poor, and you need every advantage you can get.

Macion grey · Sep 24, 2009

I am unsure whether there is anyone in Australia that hones straights.

My school of thought is this: I have to strop my damn razor anyway, so why not give the blade a thorough strop to start with? I have devoured every piece of stropping footage and text that I could find, so I won't do anything stupid like try a 'Hollywood Strop' or even attempt to go quickly. I honestly don't care if it takes me a whole afternoon to get the first strop right.

It just makes no sense to be to get my new blade thoroughly honed, then dull it with poor stropping anyway. I may as well concentrate 100% on getting a thorough strop done and end up with a servicable razor.

Chimensch · Sep 24, 2009

Macion grey said:
I may as well concentrate 100% on getting a thorough strop done and end up with a servicable razor.

Sure, go for it! And if that isn't enough, I know for sure that there are members here from Australia who will hone your razor for you, maybe for free.

Macion grey · Sep 24, 2009

Another thing I am considering is using a sharpening strop with 1.0 and .5 diamond pastes to finish off that edge before shaving.

Would I even need to go as high as the 1.0 micron though?

gugi · Sep 24, 2009

that's the problem with this - you don't have the experience to evaluate the razor to do what is necessary, and it is really hard for any of the experienced people to figure it over the internet.

so, as chimench said, give it a try if you must and if/when you fail send it to one of the guys who offer honning. if not here, i'm pretty sure there's one person on straightrazorplace that hones in australia.

you should go with the least aggressive method and if that doesn't do it, use increasingly more aggressive ones i.e. strop, 0.5u paste, 1u paste.

nothing like learning from experience by trial and error - skin grows back afterall.

Macion grey · Sep 24, 2009

I did check out the razor honing service based in Australia via your reccommended website. It is bookmarked.

I still want to see if I can manage to achieve 'shaveable' status with a thorough stropping (and a less fulsome application of the treated CrOx on my incoming Filly Strop). Like you said, if that doesn't work, step up the abrasiveness, in my case that will be a Sharpening Strop with suitable diamond pastes. I have heard that is much harder to stuff up than it would be with a stone.

I do acknowledge my chances of absolute sucess are significantly lower due to my inexperience with straight razors, but don't write me off just because of that. Intellect is a companion of adaptability, and I am not a dullard.

jkh · Sep 24, 2009

Macion grey said:
I did check out the razor honing service based in Australia via your reccommended website. It is bookmarked.

I still want to see if I can manage to achieve 'shaveable' status with a thorough stropping (and a less fulsome application of the treated CrOx on my incoming Filly Strop). Like you said, if that doesn't work, step up the abrasiveness, in my case that will be a Sharpening Strop with suitable diamond pastes. I have heard that is much harder to stuff up than it would be with a stone.

I do acknowledge my chances of absolute sucess are significantly lower due to my inexperience with straight razors, but don't write me off just because of that. Intellect is a companion of adaptability, and I am not a dullard.

Nobody is assuming you are a dullard or writing you off. I would typically classify the straight razor crowd as a very intelligent group of folks. That said, even the most intelligent, capable, dexterous person is going to fumble at the strop, the hone, and the shave ... more than once. Trust me, everyone offering advice to you has screwed up stropping, honing, and shaving many, many times. We all wish you the very best of luck, but it is important that you set your expectations at the appropriate level.

leighton · Sep 24, 2009

I personally think its just luck of the draw. Some of the factory razors will be shave ready by the time they reach you (albeit lower end of shave ready), and some will not be due to either lack of skill of the honester or too much time in storage.

There are plenty of people in Australia that hone razors.

Macion grey · Sep 24, 2009

Recieved the Razor in the mail today, and I would judge it to be around or just under a shave ready status. Mind you, I am not willing to shave with it until I have recieved my strop and have given the blade a nice wake up.

Since the strop is from your end of the pond, it will likely be a couple of weeks before we all find out how this goes anyway

. I'll let you guys know.

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Touching up a factory fresh razor.

Macion grey

Chimensch

mdunn

mparker762

Macion grey

Chimensch

Macion grey

gugi

Macion grey

jkh

leighton

Macion grey

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