Thread: Should I go back to the 4K? or the 8K?

I tried honing my third razor last night, a 5/8 wedge that was just perfect when it arrived member-honed. I used a magic marker this time, that really helped a lot, and I tried the techniques of glen's videos on honing a smiling wedge....and it worked great! I was able to get an even bevel that looked like a mirror in most places.

Note, I said "most". I gave it the all important shave test today, but it's not quite there. Skin is a bit raw and red. My question is: should I take it back to the Norton? Which side, 4K or 8K?

If it's only "not quite there" then I would take it back and do a few more passes on the 8k. Also, did you strop it after honing and if so how many passes? When it came "member honed" what honing proggression/stones did they use?

From a learning viewpoint, it may be better to go back to the 8k.
Because if it fixes the edge and brings you a (much) better shave, then you know that your 4k honing was good but not your 8k.

The drawback of going back to the 8k would be that if it is not enough, then you would have to go through one more uncomfortable shave and another honing session.

For me, it seems like a trade off between "risk" (extra uncomfortable shave and extra honing session) versus learning opportunity (was my 4k good enough and only my 8k not good enough)


cheers
christophe

Originally Posted by Catrentshaving

If it's only "not quite there" then I would take it back and do a few more passes on the 8k. Also, did you strop it after honing and if so how many passes? When it came "member honed" what honing proggression/stones did they use?

I did strop it. 100 on both canvas and leather. I don't know what the member did to hone it. I should probably ask.

Most of us finish honing on a hone finer than 8k and some even use a paste/spray like CrOx of diamond. There are a lot of variables that we don't know the value of to give a definitive answer to your question. First, did the razor tug while shaving? If it didn't tug then I don't think the edge needs more on the 4/8k hones. If it's not tugging and you have some CrOx or the likes I would go that route. As for the 4/8k selection, it will always take longer on the finer hone to accumplish the same work a courser hone can do. After the bevel is set correctly, where the razor cuts hairs cleanly along the entire edge, every finer hone that follows is just refining, smoothing and polishing the edge. Wedges seem to make everything take a bit longer and if it's smiling, even longer again. Good luck and have patients.

Personally I would make a little more strokes on the 4K before moving to the 8K again, maybe 10 strokes on the 4K and test. I stay on the 4K until the water on the 8K side stays clear when I move to it. If I see any black from the razor on the 8K side I will go back to the 4K a few more strokes and try the 8K again.

Once the 8K after that I onlyu make 20-30 strokes, that's all the 8K needs if you're ready to be on that grit.

Hope that wasn't confusing.

Success!! I ended up taking it back to the 4K as I noticed the bevel wasn't uniform on one side. Then I spent a LOT more time on the 8K until the edge shone like a mirror. I still can't get the barber's notch perfect but it shaves.

Why are you attempting to hone the Barber's Notch?

Originally Posted by ace

Why are you attempting to hone the Barber's Notch?

So it shaves?? IDK seems like you'd want a nice edge all the way across the blade, from heel to tip, yes?

Errr I meant the spike point. It just hit me that I said barber's notch.