Honing Help!! - Newbie having some issues!

[StephenKane]

OK - before I start - strange side note. Just a few weeks ago before I became obsessed with the art of shaving - I found out that one of my colleges is one of the owners of TrueFitt and Hill. I would of never started down this path but I'm walking by his office and before I know it he's loaded me up with every TF&H shaving cream, lotion or pre shave oil I could ever need - he even handed me a badger hair brush - so I blame him for my new found obsession. But I indirectly blame all of you smooth shaved lunatics for having such a great site and posting such detailed advice. It's so well done even fumble handed beginners like me think that "it can't be that hard!" Sigh! Great last words.

End of side note and beginning of honing questions

I have two new Dovo Solingen straight razors. One is relatively high end ($150) and the other is a carbon steel model that cost around 65 dollars(purchased from the Vintage Blade). I've read all the awesome posts on this site and followed the instructions to the letter. I had both razors professionally honed.
1. the high end razor was honed by the honemeister listed on Tony Miller's site - this one shaves awesome and is sharp enough to cut a thought.
2. the second one by Vintage Blades - the lower end carbon steel model - it really wasn't, in my newbie opinion, near as sharp as the Tony Miller honed one - but I had read the Do's and Don'ts and wanted to start with blades honed by people with experience - it's good advice.

I purchased a Norton water stone - Lapped it as instructed - I purchased a Chinese 12K - and lapped it as instructed. (THAT took some time!) I then have sat down the last two weekends and have step by step walked through the AWESOME advice on this site. I've watched the videos - the whole burrito - but I still can't seem to get the lower end Dovo carbon steel blade shave ready. Here's what I did:

I soaked the Norton (it's already lapped) gave it 15 minutes and sat down to hone. I gave the razor 10 up and back passes on the 4000K side - then I did the TNT - still didn't seem that sharp but what do I know? It seemed a bit rough at the beginning and end (heel and toe?) of the razor- then I completed 25 passes on the 8000k side - again, no pressure and real slow. I then completed 100 up and back passes on the 12k - stropped the razor 25 times on my newley acquired Tony Miller red latigo - rinsed the razor in rubbing alcohol and prepared my face for the shave.

Unfortunately it's still pulling on my face and I stopped right away. Very uncomfortable and no "butter smooth" feel like I get with the higher end Dovo. Can any of you gentleman give me some advice? Is it me? Is it the quality of the razor? I'm hoping to indulge this shaving compulsion but it will be a wee bit dissapointing to always send off my razors to the pros!

[Big_E]

You're going to step #3 before finishing steps #1 and 2. I do 30 laps on the 4k then 25 on the 8k.
Next, I do 25 on the 4k then 20 on the 8k.
Then, I do 20 on the 4k and 15 on the 8k. I finish off with 15 on the 4k and 10 on the 8k. I don't have a 12k so you're one up equipment-wise. Do start with a flat stone as you did. The only test I do is to shave with the razor.
When I re-hoe a razor or refresh a blade I just do 20 on the 4k, 15 on the 8k. Then 15 on the 4k and 10 on the 8k.
Ernest

[skiblur]

Like Big-E said, you probably jumped up in grit before the blade was ready to.

Since you are using a Norton, I highly advice you look into the pyramid method of honing with the Norton. It is well-documented and proven to work well. Find it HERE.

[StephenKane]

Thanks for the pyrimid help. I never knew you could go from the 4k to the 8K and back in a regimented way. I will try it. When I feel I've got the blade pretty sharp - should I continue to finish it out on the 12k?

[AustinC9]

Yes you should continue onto the 12k to polish out those scraches. I would cut it down to maybe 50 strokes there and back becuase you don't want to overhone. Its also a good idea to let your razor "rest" for about 24 hours after you hone and strop. Then after 24 hours you can re-strop and continue shaving until you feel like another honing is nesicarry. I hone about every 20 shaves. Good Luck

[randydance062449]

The carbon steel Dovo will hone up rather quickly. Try using the conservative pyramid first then test shave. If thats not enough then perform the conservative pyramid once more and test shave. If it still pulls then switch to the aggressive pyramid.
Then back down to the conservative pyramid if necessary.

You have made no mention of the amount of pressure you are using. The general approach I use is to perform the first 1/2 of the laps with some pressure, about 1-2 lbs, then the last 50% using a light pressure, just the pressure necessary to keep the blade flat on the hone. The distribution of the pressure should be slightly more on the edge than on the spine, slightly more, not a lot.
I would not use the 12k until the razor was shaving. You really need to learn what the Nortons are doing first.
Be sure to tape the spine with black electrical tape thru out the honing.

Hope this helps,

[StephenKane]

I will try it. I used the pyrimid method last night and it got sharper _ but no test shave yet. And as far as pressure - none at all. Maybe I'm being to easy on the blades. I will try again tonight and keep of the 12K until I can get it ready to shave with the norton. Again. Thanks.

[ScottS]

It can take a bit of work on the 4K to set the bevel to accept an edge from the handwork. The factory bevel is a bit different, to prevent hone wear on new razors.