how often do you hone

Well, looks like you are set, then.

FWIW I never have to re-hone my razors, once they are honed the first time. I have got my diamond on balsa stropping routine dialed in pretty good and it works great for my edge maintenance. And it is just as much fun as honing, too.

There are a lot of variations in stropping technique. Many routines work. Many don't. Many sorta do. But too much pressure pretty much never does. I pull my leather fairly tight. I have seen guys leave it in a big loopy droop and get good results.

One importnt thing is to use enough of an x motion so that if the shoulder is up on the strop in the beginning of the stroke, at least it is down off the strop partway through the stroke. The shoulder or stabilizer riding the strop will elevate the heel and then only the toe is getting love from the leather. So even with a straight edge and a wide strop, use a little bit of x stroke.

Some guys dont turn on the spine. You got to turn on the spine. The edge flips over at the end of the stroke. Spine stays on the strop. Helps prevent one of the causes of rolled edges.

Thats about all I got to say that isnt already said, except good luck and happy shaves.

gunner1087 said:

well that's going to be a lot so here goes so when I bought my razor and strop the guy at the store gave me a quick how too and I used his method first I was pulling the strop really tight I was also putting a lot of pressure on the blad also I was not using the cloth side and I had no compound on the cloth all of that added up to a dull blade but being new to this I didn't know any better and thought that the guy at the store had shown me what I needed to know yea right it's all good now I have a nice sharp razor and nothing is better than that

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Using the cloth side before the leather side definitely helps. I'll generally do at LEAST 40 laps on each before each shave. Holding your strop tight is good. Don't use alot of pressure with the razor. Use the least amount of pressure you can. You are doing it right. I hone a little every day with my coticule. But that is for practice. Its not necessary. It relaxes me like a meditation.

thanks guys it's been really informative like I said I still have a lot to learn but everyone has been so nice and help full I got me three razors in today and I'm very excited to take them for a spin around the chin what dose everyone think about switching to a 3 inch strop

Wide strops are great. I love me a strop between 2-1/2" and 3". But you still should use a little x stroke action.

I hone way, way to much. Like Keith I hone or should I say touch up with a JNAT every time I'm off but it's good practice and it's relaxing.

what should you pay for a decent 3 inch strop I'm using a 2 inch and I would like a larger one

gunner1087 said:

what should you pay for a decent 3 inch strop I'm using a 2 inch and I would like a larger one

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What kid are you using now? I don't have a lot of strops. Just a couple. I have a 3" latigo that I really love. It was like 60$ they only go up in price from there. I care more about the hones and the linen, than I do the leather. I'm not the person to ask I guess lol. As long as I have a leather to finish on I don't care. Im happy with whatever in the case of leather.

I'm using a dovo strop now but think that I want a 3 inch what about hones I would think they are expensive

gunner1087 said:

I'm using a dovo strop now but think that I want a 3 inch what about hones I would think they are expensive

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Depends. A C12k is an adequate finisher, and it doesn't cost much. I haven't priced any lately but I bet you can get a nice big one for about $40 or less. To move up a notch, google for Naniwa 12k Super Stone. This is a very good finisher, pleasant to use. Costs more. Still should be well under $100. I would guess between $75 and $90. Cheapest way to go is a piece of thick glass and some 1u lapping film. Cut a sheet in thirds lengthways. Each piece should do 10 to 20 razors. These are all finishers. A finisher is all you need for simply refreshing the edge that was already sharp but has gone a bit dull.It will NOT bring a long neglected or damaged edge any time soon.

You can also keep your edge going with diamond paste applied to lapped balsa.

I do a LOT of honing, but not by necessity. I just enjoy it and like to experiment. I probably hone at least a razor every day or two. I have a little cadre of razors purchased from eBay for peanuts that I use for testing purposes though. My regular shavers I don't hone more than once a year usually, which is only about 120 shaves for me, I usually shave every third day.

Most here because they like to not need to.

Those that need to hone the razor because is stops shaving after a handful of shaves are doing something wrong.

IMO with proper shaving and stropping technique most should be able to get around 75-100 shaves.

I had a TI with 135 shaves

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/296942-How-Many-Shaves?highlight=

Doc226 said:

Most here because they like to not need to.

Those that need to hone the razor because is stops shaving after a handful of shaves are doing something wrong.

IMO with proper shaving and stropping technique most should be able to get around 75-100 shaves.

I had a TI with 135 shaves

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/296942-How-Many-Shaves?highlight=

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I need to take a shaver thats in great shape and reset the bevel and come up thru my progression to finish and then start a shave log to see how many good shaves I can get without honing.

panther308 said:

I need to take a shaver thats in great shape and reset the bevel and come up thru my progression to finish and then start a shave log to see how many good shaves I can get without honing.

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I have a nice stainless NTS Solingen in my rotation I use for that. I bought it honed from TSS and it has a perfect bevel and fantastic edge. I use it as my honing benchmark/goal/etc.

I only shave off it rarely as I discovered 5/8" is not my favorite. Still, the thing is a vital part of my learning experience - and with luck stropping, it should be a good benchmark for me all year.