Honing advice

**sportshoes** · 04-30-2012, 06:54 AM

Hi. I am a first time honer and need some help. My Dovo 5/8 stainless was pulling my whiskers and had a couple of nicks on the the outer edge. I decided to try to hone it myself. Probably not a great idea to try with a stainless for the first time, but I did. I've got a norton 4000/8000. I started with the 4000 and got the nicks out. Went up to the 8000 and tried it on my thumbnail. Felt like it was cutting and was really smooth. I finished it on the back of a leather strop with Thiers-Issard sharpening paste.

Tried Shaving this morning and it felt very smooth and was gliding so nicely. However I realized it was gliding because it wasn't cutting. So now not sure where to go. I was probably not aggressive enough. Should I just continue on the 8000 or does it sound like I need more time on the 4000 or less?

Thanks

**goatee** · 04-30-2012, 07:01 AM

id say you need to set the bevel with a 1k. then work your way up. was the blade new? they dont come shave ready.
check this out...http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...I-need-to-know

**goatee** · 04-30-2012, 07:02 AM

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Inter..._Razor_Shaving

**Gamma** · 04-30-2012, 09:47 AM

Before you moved from 4k to 8k - did you test the edge to see if it was cutting arm hair?

**Doc226** · 04-30-2012, 10:26 AM

Sounds like you need to start lower than 4k. Amazing you were able to get nicks out with a 4k stone-how long did it take? Also are your stones flat? They don't come flat when new.

**sportshoes** · 04-30-2012, 10:29 AM

The blade was previously professionally honed. It was cutting after the 4000. I'll try working it again and if need be go down to 1000.

Thanks for the replies

**paco664** · 04-30-2012, 10:34 AM

He stated his problem in his question... He did the TNT (thumbnail test) then went and stropped...
drop back to 4k and make sure it cuts arm hair....

Then do not do the tnt...

Goto the 8k and do 40 careful laps then strop on the paste and then regular strop then shave....

It will be just fine...

**sportshoes** · 05-02-2012, 04:29 PM

Thanks for all the help. I started fresh with the 4000 and I wasn't getting great results, so I bit the bullet and took it down to 1000 and back up through 4000, 8000 and then sharpening paste. Now it cuts like a hot knife through butter. Success!