Honing Question

**AlexJade** · 02-17-2008, 10:26 AM

I am currently trying to decide on my first straight razor and I have been wondering about honing. I have a coworker who hand sharpens pocket knives and kitchen knives to a razors edge and was curious if it is the same process for a straight razor so that he could do all my honing.

**trewornan** · 02-17-2008, 10:37 AM

Absolutely not!

Not only do razors require a different technique to knives they also require different equipment. Your friend will not be able to hone a razor the same way he hones a knife and would ruin the razor if he tried. Whilst he may be able to sharpen a knife to "razor" sharp I guarantee it is not as sharp as a shave ready razor.

**Amyn** · 02-17-2008, 11:09 AM

Honing a str8 IS NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT the same sharpening a pocket knife. Just in case I did already mention it they are NOT the same.

**joel** · 02-17-2008, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by AlexJade

I am currently trying to decide on my first straight razor and I have been wondering about honing. I have a coworker who hand sharpens pocket knives and kitchen knives to a razors edge and was curious if it is the same process for a straight razor so that he could do all my honing.

As detailed by the others, it's a very, very different process. To put things into perspective - when I first started straight razor shaving, I could hone a knife up to a hair popping edge without ANY problems/issues, but for the life of me couldn't hone a straight razor worth a damn. It took me a REALLY long time to be able to consistently get killer edges on razors.

Ask your buddy what he uses to finish honing knives he sharpens. He'll probably tell you something along the lines of a 2,000 - 4,000 grit stone - which for straight razors, you couldn't comfortably shave off of. Hell, some of us use a 30,000 grit stone as a final polish!

Not only is the equipment different (IE the stones) but the technique is totally different - in fact if anything I think me having a background in sharpening knives HURT my ability to sharpen razors.

**johnniegold** · 02-17-2008, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by joel

I think me having a background in sharpening knives HURT my ability to sharpen razors.

I think the Dovo 5/8 you sharpened for me would beg to differ.

**jlander** · 02-17-2008, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by joel

...SNIP...if anything I think me having a background in sharpening knives HURT my ability to sharpen razors.

Originally Posted by johnniegold

I think the Dovo 5/8 you sharpened for me would beg to differ.

As would my LE Hammer.

In fact, I need to get that little jewel out.

**mparker762** · 02-17-2008, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by jlander

As would my LE Hammer.

In fact, I need to get that little jewel out.

Joel's right - my background in honing knives slowed the learning process for honing razors, because the technique is superficially similar but fundamentally different. I can get great edges now, but there was a lot of painful un-learning to do along the way.