Bart
Well-Known Member
So you're all set for your first razor sharpening job. You have this decent razor that's not too precious to you.
You have a Coticule with a shape that allows a decent honing stroke. You have a slurry stone and a roll of electrical insulation tape. You're sitting comfortably on a table. Your wife is informed that things could get messy, but not to worry: slurry doesn't leave permanent stains. You're relaxed. You have time, the kids locked in the basement, the wife in front of the TV in the adjacent room. You have some smooth music in the background. And most importantly: a little bowl with water stands in front of you, next a beer bottle. Empty or full, I don't care.
Here are some tips for you:
#1: Learning a honing stroke is like riding a bike. You didn't ride to the next town, on your first attempt, did you?
I really recommend that you practice a few things, before you even start thinking about making a first attempt to really sharpen the razor. I am fully aware that almost no one will take that advice, without some exercise that might actually make the razor sharper. So here goes:
EXERCISE: dull the razor with one stroke on the beer bottle, as if you were trying to cut into the bottle. Don't apply any pressure. Just let the razor rest on the bottle and drag it towards you, from heel to toe. Check on arm hair. On some people's arms the razor won't shave a thing. On others is will require a second downstroke. That's okay.
Rub slurry. Take your time. Make it the density of coffee cream. Examine it carefully. Now repeat after me: «This is too thick». Dip your pinkie and ring finger in the bowl with water. (Let's keep the other fingers dry, because they will be holding the razor). Sprinkle a few drops of water on the hone. Put the razor on top of it and make 1 or 2 X-strokes to mix the water with the slurry. Repeat: water, mix. Now your slurry should look like milk. This is about right. Now repeat after me again: «I'm not afraid of the water. I won't allow my slurry to become denser than this».
Take the hone in one hand, the razor in your other (dominant) hand. Hold the tang between thumb and index finger. Put it on the razor. Make sure it's lying flat. Take it back off, but hold the razor while you wet your pinkie and ring finger and sprinkle some more water on. Start doing X-strokes. Watch the bead of slurry in front of the edge. Let it guide you to make perfect strokes. When you arrive at the end of the hone, turn the razor between thumb and index finger, much like you would adjust a small volume knob on a radio. (It's the same motion as turning the razor on a strop, but only in reverse). There should be no wrist movement at all. An imaginary coin must lay on the back of your hand and it shouldn't fall off during the entire X-stroke. Big chance that you'll find this awkward and slow in the beginning. Remember the first time you were on that bike. It will become second nature. Yet not before before you've been crying at the bosom of your wife that you're going to be the only kid in school that couldn't learn it.
Have confidence.
Stay at this for a while. Remember to add water. Remember to watch the wave of slurry. Finish the beer and tell yourself you did well. Call it a day.
Next day, repeat this exercise. As you gain confidence try to speed up the stroke as it sets in muscle memory, but slow down often to check the wave of fluid. Stay at it for 15 minutes or so. By the end of your exercise, check the razor for shaving arm hair. Probably not, but you never know.
Third day. repeat yesterday's exercise.
Fourth day. repeat your exercise. After that, refresh the slurry and start practicing half strokes, with a finger applying some pressure on top of the razor (place it nearer to the spine than to the edge). No wrist pressure, only finger pressure. It doesn't take much. Notice how this makes an incredible difference in speed of abrasion. The slurry will start to turn gray or even black within only very few strokes.
If the razor starts shaving arm hair, dull it again and start all over.
Fifth day. Repeat yesterday. Watch the slurry density. Watch the wave in front of the edge. When you hit "shaving arm hair" level, start doing full X-strokes. Per 10 strokes, add more water. Slowly dilute it till most of the slurry is gone. Dry the razor and store it. Finish the beer. Tomorrow we will put an amazing Unicot edge on it.
Sixth day. Tape yesterday's razor. Wet the hone and rub it a couple of times with the slurry stone till you see traces of slurry. Add a few drops of water. Make the 20 light laps out of the Unicot recipe. Rinse everything. Finalize with 30 of your lightest laps. Dry the razor. If you want, you can try a HHT now. Strop the razor well and enjoy the shave.
More tips to follow later.
Bart.
You have a Coticule with a shape that allows a decent honing stroke. You have a slurry stone and a roll of electrical insulation tape. You're sitting comfortably on a table. Your wife is informed that things could get messy, but not to worry: slurry doesn't leave permanent stains. You're relaxed. You have time, the kids locked in the basement, the wife in front of the TV in the adjacent room. You have some smooth music in the background. And most importantly: a little bowl with water stands in front of you, next a beer bottle. Empty or full, I don't care.
Here are some tips for you:
#1: Learning a honing stroke is like riding a bike. You didn't ride to the next town, on your first attempt, did you?
I really recommend that you practice a few things, before you even start thinking about making a first attempt to really sharpen the razor. I am fully aware that almost no one will take that advice, without some exercise that might actually make the razor sharper. So here goes:
EXERCISE: dull the razor with one stroke on the beer bottle, as if you were trying to cut into the bottle. Don't apply any pressure. Just let the razor rest on the bottle and drag it towards you, from heel to toe. Check on arm hair. On some people's arms the razor won't shave a thing. On others is will require a second downstroke. That's okay.
Rub slurry. Take your time. Make it the density of coffee cream. Examine it carefully. Now repeat after me: «This is too thick». Dip your pinkie and ring finger in the bowl with water. (Let's keep the other fingers dry, because they will be holding the razor). Sprinkle a few drops of water on the hone. Put the razor on top of it and make 1 or 2 X-strokes to mix the water with the slurry. Repeat: water, mix. Now your slurry should look like milk. This is about right. Now repeat after me again: «I'm not afraid of the water. I won't allow my slurry to become denser than this».
Take the hone in one hand, the razor in your other (dominant) hand. Hold the tang between thumb and index finger. Put it on the razor. Make sure it's lying flat. Take it back off, but hold the razor while you wet your pinkie and ring finger and sprinkle some more water on. Start doing X-strokes. Watch the bead of slurry in front of the edge. Let it guide you to make perfect strokes. When you arrive at the end of the hone, turn the razor between thumb and index finger, much like you would adjust a small volume knob on a radio. (It's the same motion as turning the razor on a strop, but only in reverse). There should be no wrist movement at all. An imaginary coin must lay on the back of your hand and it shouldn't fall off during the entire X-stroke. Big chance that you'll find this awkward and slow in the beginning. Remember the first time you were on that bike. It will become second nature. Yet not before before you've been crying at the bosom of your wife that you're going to be the only kid in school that couldn't learn it.
Have confidence.
Stay at this for a while. Remember to add water. Remember to watch the wave of slurry. Finish the beer and tell yourself you did well. Call it a day.
Next day, repeat this exercise. As you gain confidence try to speed up the stroke as it sets in muscle memory, but slow down often to check the wave of fluid. Stay at it for 15 minutes or so. By the end of your exercise, check the razor for shaving arm hair. Probably not, but you never know.
Third day. repeat yesterday's exercise.
Fourth day. repeat your exercise. After that, refresh the slurry and start practicing half strokes, with a finger applying some pressure on top of the razor (place it nearer to the spine than to the edge). No wrist pressure, only finger pressure. It doesn't take much. Notice how this makes an incredible difference in speed of abrasion. The slurry will start to turn gray or even black within only very few strokes.
If the razor starts shaving arm hair, dull it again and start all over.
Fifth day. Repeat yesterday. Watch the slurry density. Watch the wave in front of the edge. When you hit "shaving arm hair" level, start doing full X-strokes. Per 10 strokes, add more water. Slowly dilute it till most of the slurry is gone. Dry the razor and store it. Finish the beer. Tomorrow we will put an amazing Unicot edge on it.
Sixth day. Tape yesterday's razor. Wet the hone and rub it a couple of times with the slurry stone till you see traces of slurry. Add a few drops of water. Make the 20 light laps out of the Unicot recipe. Rinse everything. Finalize with 30 of your lightest laps. Dry the razor. If you want, you can try a HHT now. Strop the razor well and enjoy the shave.
More tips to follow later.
Bart.