Drybonz said:
Well, I thought I should post again regarding my ongoing learning process.
I honed the Le Grelot again and brought it back to the original state I had it in... being that it now provides a fantastic shave (I used it this morning). Instead of using the unicot method, as I had planned, I decided to be patient and resolute with the dilucot method, and this time it paid off.
The unfortunate this is that I cannot really provide any insight as to what things I did differently, or better. I think everyone's advice to just keep practicing is about the best advice a person could give. Although I didn't use my Le Dressante for that razor, I have been practicing with it as well, and I think the hand honing, with that stone, has been helpful, even when going back to my larger bench stone (LPB ) because I am starting to get a good feel for the blade on the stone, thanks to having the stone in my hand.
Anyway, just wanted to resolve this thread a bit... thanks to everyone for the advice. I am really enjoying this learning process... even when I hit some barriers. I wish I had discovered all of this years ago.
Firstofall, I have a friend who is full blooded Turk and he let me know that there are no spelling bees in the Turkish language because all words are spelled exactly as they sound. What a concept.
Secondofallandtherealpoint, you really could benefit from sharpness markers in the honing process. Honing with the stone in the hand provides much better tactile feedback as Paul was suggesting. Thumb pad tests are good for those who use them a lot, but the Mac Daddy is the hht, and you should really find a way to make it work with a consistent sample of medium to coarse, clean hair. We have talked about it so much that it is easy to forget that someone maybe hasn't researched here to get the finer points, but some are:
---hold the tip end of the hair so you slice into the shingles of the hair. Turn it around if you don't have success and maybe keep a known very sharp edge handy to test the test hair
---moisten the hair slightly
---clean the edge with tissue before testing
---use a little speed in the cut if you don't get results by laying the hair on the edge. I hold the hair vertically and slice away from me in a slightly upward angle, adding speed if necessary to see if I am getting close
---if right off the hone, you will need to do some light strokes, maybe a bunch, or five or six laps on linen or similar to further clean an edge that is close.
---try close to the point of hold first
In the dilucot method, I can get a good HHT at the final dilution, before straight water. Of course it gets better further along.
I am sure there are more hints, but that is all I can come up with at the moment. The key is a consistent hair sample that you are familiar with, and even then you will run into small variations. The first time you get a successful HHT it feels like a real breakthrough.
After saying all that, the true Mac Daddy to me is just as Paul has said and knowing when to stop by the feel of the honing process. This really does take time to master and the HHT might slow the acquisition of that skill. It is all experience and you will get better and better. You have no choice if you stick with it. Of course, Chris is excluded.
D
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