Straight razor honing on Naniwas. Video.

macrob77

Hi.
Here's my honing video. Stones used: Naniwa Chosera 1K, Naniwa Super Stones 5K, 8K and 12K.

Enjoy watching:)

Maciek.

uncle_sam_ie

macrob77, Excellent video.
Would you ever consider doing a class on honing? Also, how many stones do you recommend for maintaining a razors edge? Would we need to get all 4 stones?

macrob77

Please call me Maciek:)
I would, we can organize something.
For refreshing the edge you'll need just one. A finisher. It can be belgian coticule, thuringian, synthetics 8K+ or any other natural stones.

Maciek.

uncle_sam_ie

Thanks Maciek,

I'm going to the US in May and was looking buy the Naniwa 12K, http://www.straightrazordesigns.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37&products_id=2864 Is that what you'd recommend?

skankles

Got my naniwa stones from these guys, better price than invisible edge. FYI. knivesandtools.co.uk/en/ct/naniwa-super-stones-japanse-sharpening-stones.htm

macrob77

I bought from them as well. Naniwa 12K is very easy to learn. Have look on belgian coticule. It can be used for one stone honing. Very good stones.

Maciek.

hitemfrank

0.5 micron lapping film will only cost a few Euro and can be used as a finisher. I do personally like the feel of honing on a stone more than the film, but lapping film gives me nice edges at a fraction of the cost of a high grit stone.

skankles

Coticules look like theres a high learning curve. Slurry ratios etc. naniwa are more user friendly. In my own opinion of course.

macrob77

Unicot is very fast and easy method:

Maciek.

cardwizzard

Maciek, if your ever to put on a class for honing I'd be very interested also. For some reason I find it difficult.

macrob77

Ok. If you tell us what is the problem maybe we can help you here. There is few people who know how to hone here. If you send your razor to me I can make it shave ready if you want.

Maciek.

hitemfrank

What's your current honing set up carddwizzard? Describe what your normal routine for honing would be and if there are any obvious issues we should hopefully be able to steer you in the right direction.

cardwizzard

Thks for the offer of help, could appreciate it.

Firstly ive only tried honing a few times, if you remember you sent me some lapping paper Frank. I used that and again different paper I bought. Id rather wait until I know what I'm doing before investing in a stone.

I have a couple of vintage straights which I love, and a Chinese GD, which I don't care for much. When honing I just can't get it sharp enough, using 1,3,6,9,12k. I realise this is entirely my technique, so that's why id love a class or two.

macrob77

We can organize something. But where? I live in Enfield Co. Meath.

Maciek.

cardwizzard

macrob77 wrote: »

We can organize something. But where? I live in Enfield Co. Meath.

Maciek.

I'm in Ratoath Co Meath but I'm flexible, and can travel.

macrob77

Maybe next week? Do you have any stones?

cardwizzard

I don't have any stones, but I can buy one and see if it gets here on time???

Any recommendations for someone like myself?

Or indeed if anyone has a stone for sale close to Dublin, Id be interested. Thks

macrob77

Don't buy anything yet. I have a few stones. I'll let you know early next week.

Maciek.

hitemfrank

cardwizzard wrote: »

Thks for the offer of help, could appreciate it.

Firstly ive only tried honing a few times, if you remember you sent me some lapping paper Frank. I used that and again different paper I bought. Id rather wait until I know what I'm doing before investing in a stone.

I have a couple of vintage straights which I love, and a Chinese GD, which I don't care for much. When honing I just can't get it sharp enough, using 1,3,6,9,12k. I realise this is entirely my technique, so that's why id love a class or two.

The only thing I would say about that setup is that getting the bevel set is the most important part. There is no point moving to a different film If the bevel isn't right. With that said I don't even use the film to set a bevel.

I use a 1k Chosera (same one as in Macieks video) and once I have a bevel I'm happy with I'll go to the films. They are a wonderful cheap way to finish honing a razor.

macrob77

+1 on setting the bevel is the most important part.

Maciek.

skankles

Can someone simplify this for me. Do I use jewellers loupe & see bevel is set. i.e. sharp edge on both sides of razor edge. Or thumb test or Hanging hair test. How do I know when the 'bevel is set'.

hitemfrank

See if it shaves arm/leg hair or chest hair. If it removes hair from heel to tip of the blade without any problems, you should be good to move on to the next stage.

If I've been honing a few razors from setting the bevel to finishing I will end up with bald patches on my shins or forearms.

skankles

I have a Naniwa Speciality 1k stone. (They used to be called Naniwa Super stones). Is there a noticeable functional difference between that and the Naniwa Chosera 1k stone. (Now rebranded as Naniwa professional). Chosera 1k seems to be the go to stone on the forums for bevel setting.

hitemfrank

They are both 1k rated so they will both set a bevel. From what I've read the Chosera is just better at doing it and is harder than the Super stone so it is going to last longer.

The super stone is going to take a bit longer to get the bevel set but it will do it. There is no point in you buying the Chosera when you already have a bevel setter. Spend the money on a good finishing hone instead would be my advice.

macrob77

skankles wrote: »

Can someone simplify this for me. Do I use jewellers loupe & see bevel is set. i.e. sharp edge on both sides of razor edge. Or thumb test or Hanging hair test. How do I know when the 'bevel is set'.

This how i do it. I'm dulling razor on glass with no pressure. Inspecting bevel with 30X loupe. If i find bigger microchips they need to be removed first. If there's none or small ones i start setting a bevel on 1K. When working on 1K i observe how edge is undercutting water on the stone. If there are any spots that's don't i need to focus on them. From time to time i'm doing thumb pad test. The edge should "stick" to thumb pad. Do that carefully to not cut yourself. If i'm happy with thumb pad test i don't need to test how it shaves. Visual inspection. Bevel should reflect light as a one line.

That's for bevel setting.

Maciek.

skankles

Hey. Just grabbed a nice little raza off eBay for first honing project. Its a Vintage Carl Friedrich ERN, 5/8 with some sexy scales.
url]http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac86/neilfog/th_857e1a3f-ae78-4b46-83e0-3a789704bfcd_zpsqzkb2dao.jpg[/url
Honing Set up. Naniwa Specialty 1k...Norton 4k/8/k...finish on Naniwa 12k. Strop and go hopefully.

So thanks to all you crazy ones, misfits, rebels, troublemakers, round pegs in the square holes for inspiring what will hopefully be a new (and very expensive) hobby!

macrob77

Cardwizzard, i am sorry but i can't make it this week. We'll meet next week, i promise.

Maciek.

cardwizzard

macrob77 wrote: »

Cardwizzard, i am sorry but i can't make it this week. We'll meet next week, i promise.

Maciek.

Maciek,

That's no problem. Im in no rush whatsoever. I hope I'm not putting pressure on you, that wasn't my intentions. When your ready that's fine.

macrob77

Cardwizzard, my apologies, i hadn't got a time lately. You know what, send me your razor and i'll hone it for you. PM me if that's suits you.

Maciek.

skankles

Struggling to set a bevel at the minute. One side looks good under the scope otherside barely there, despite hundreds of X patterns. So i'm putting alot of time honing into the ackward side but I might be focusing on wrong side.

QUESTION (stupid one probobly) Side A (Engraved side let's say) if i do hanging hair test with side A facing my arm is it side A thats doing the cutting (thats how I understand it)or is it actually side B the side facing up?

hitemfrank

On the side that doesn't look good, put in more work. Try 30 strokes on just the side that doesn't look good and reevaluate. You might need to do even more strokes on just that side until you get it looking good. Doing that should help and then you will be able to go back to the X patterns to refine the edge a bit before moving on.

tunney

macrob77 wrote: »

I bought from them as well. Naniwa 12K is very easy to learn. Have look on belgian coticule. It can be used for one stone honing. Very good stones.

Maciek.

Pardon my ignorance - so if I wanted to hone a straight all I would need is a belgian coticule. Not restore a straight. Just not 100% convinced the razor I got from the invisible edge was fully "shave ready"

skankles

I got a boker from them and it was fine. If its a new razor you shouldnt need a stone yet. If it passes hanging hair test you should strop and go!

hitemfrank

The Invisible Edge have a good reputation for sending out shave ready razors from what I remember.

And yeah, you can go from bevel setting to finishing an edge with a coticule but it takes some practice - practice you don't really want to do on a brand new razor.

tunney

Any links to a coticule that would do the trick?
And where to pick up a razor to practice on?
please

Dramatik

tunney wrote: »

Any links to a coticule that would do the trick?
And where to pick up a razor to practice on?
please

As it is a natural forming rock, different cuts will have different properties, some will cut faster than others, some will be better at finishing.

Have a read through that:

http://www.ardennes-coticule.be/en/products/coticule.html

Should explain things in more detail. You can also buy off their webstore.

For a razor, you should probably learn about uneven hone wear first and how to spot the signs of bad hone wear, if you're thinking about learning on a vintage razor. As if you buy a razor that has prevously been honed badly it's going to make learning a lot more complicated. Like if your first razor you buy is a wedge with 150 years of honing on it, it's not going to be an easy ride and the chances of you actually getting it shave ready are slim to none. It would probably be better to practice on a hollow ground razor that has been honed evenly first off, there will be less variables to deal with that way. When you get proficient in that respect then you should try a razor that needs more correctional honing work done, to further improve your skills.

Personally when I get a vintage razor, I will draw the edge across a glass first, to knock the edge off, if there is one. Then as much as I hate to do it I will do a few laps on a bevel setting stone with no tape, just so I can see better, what work the previous honer has done. If there's major work to be done I will correct the issues as much as possible with the bevel setting stone. I will then move to the coticule with heavy slurry to further refine the work done with the bevel setter. As the coticule is slower cutting then my bevel setter, it allows me to more accurately target smaller problem areas and even everything out in a less aggresive fashon.

Once I've evened everything out to the best of my ability, I will polish the blade, when that's done to my satisfaction, I will once again knock the edge off again by drawing the edge across a glass. Only at this point will I start actually setting the bevel for real with a single layer of tape. For me personally It is best to elliminate as much variables as possible (eg. uneven honewear) early on rather then running into them down the line.

What I'm getting to here is, if you take some time to inspect a razor first before buying and it has even honewear, you won't have to go through this process, thus saving yourself a whole load of hassle. You can just wack a layer of tape on the razor and immediatly start setting the bevel.