Straight Razor Shaving

[Hawkwood]

I've shaved with a straight razor a few times just to try it. I went slow and found the correct angle/technique by trial and error. It's great for taking off beards as they don't clog.

 

[BillinOregon]

You guys have my utmost respect!

:bow:

 

[plinker]

Ok, time to break down and buy a stone. Does anyone have any experience with the Norton 4/8K stone? Will it finish the edge?

Pete: Those are beauties! Drool.....

The short answer to your question is "yes".

Here's the long answer. http://straightrazorplace.com/honing/77726-famous-infamous-norton-4-8-janorton-2012-a.html
The folks over at Straight Razor Place are discussing this now. The objective was to start with a dull razor and see if it could be sharpened to shave ready using only a Norton 4/8 and stropping with unpasted strops. It formally started the first of January. A very good discussion on different methods of honing just using the one stone. Read it, enjoy, and learn.

P.S. I said it was the long answer. As I submit this post, the thread on honing with the Norton 4/8 stone is 48 pages long.

 

[jbtusa]

Wow, what a lucky find! The Norton competition looks fascinating. I've got to get the stone and join in... this is too cool! By the time the competition is over, we'll all be experts with the hone and what an edge that'll be! Everyone in camp will be jealous of that edge!

 

[BigDogg]

I've shaved with a straight razor a few times just to try it. I went slow and found the correct angle/technique by trial and error. It's great for taking off beards as they don't clog.

I completely agree. I always have either a beard or goatee, and there is no better way to get sharp, clean edges around a beard. I always go slow too.

 

[Trench]

Ok, time to break down and buy a stone. Does anyone have any experience with the Norton 4/8K stone? Will it finish the edge?

Pete: Those are beauties! Drool.....

I use that stone, and I'd say it's best for maintaining an edge. I am beginning to repair an edge on a new razor and I'm starting with a 220 grit to get the nicks out. Up to an 800 grit, then 1200 grit, and finally the 4000/8000 grit using less and less pressure on the blade as you go up in grit. The final amount of pressure I use isn't much more than just laying the blade on the Norton Stone. Then, final stropping.

 

[MSW]

BigDog, that's why i do it. I got a Norton for Christmas, so I should be able to try it out soon.

 

[deanscamaro]

Okay, after originally starting this topic, I am going to bow out with my latest status. Had a theory that I wasn't doing an acceptable honing job on a good straight razor, so decided to try using one of those razors that use half a double-edged, replaceable blade. It works for me. So I am into using a Parker stainless steel and will be using it in the future.

Adios!
:v :v

 

[MSW]

welcome to the world of straight shavers...

if my SWMBO can take a half hour to put on a dress, then i should be entitled to at least half again that to shave my ugly mug.

just one guy's opinion...

 

[BigDogg]

Yep MSW! I used to have a helluva time getting nice clean edges around my beard with those cartridge razors. So that's one reason I thought I'd try a straight. Then I got a brush, a mug, and it became a whole ritual that I enjoy. And since I started, my ugly mug hasn't been peeling like a lizard with leprosy either! At the moment I have a fine Amish beard thing goin on...or a Captain Ahab...however you want to look at it I guess. :hmm:

 

[jbtusa]

Egads... somehow yesterday I dinged the edge on my full hollow. Now there's a small chip in the edge... so now I HAVE to buy the Norton 4/8K to hone out the chip. Drats...

My gosh, those edges are as fragile as feathers. What did the mountain men do to keep that feather edge?

 

[deanscamaro]

By the way, one thing I forgot, I got started into using a shaving cream vs. a cup-soap cake. An investment blog guy recommended Musgo Real, a great smooth shaving cream, about a year ago Christmas. I still have my old cup, but I just put the cream on my wet/hot, badger hair brush, with a small bit of really hot water in the cup and whip up a very creamy foam for shaving...it doesn't take much water if the brush is wet. It is a little costly (you can buy it through Amazon), but I have a beard, so I don't have to shave that often. But when I do, it has now become a pleasure.
:grin: :hatsoff:

 

[plinker]

Egads... somehow yesterday I dinged the edge on my full hollow. Now there's a small chip in the edge... so now I HAVE to buy the Norton 4/8K to hone out the chip. Drats...

My gosh, those edges are as fragile as feathers. What did the mountain men do to keep that feather edge?

I hear you there. I dinged the edge on my straight about 2 weeks ago. Not as badly as you did though. I didn't take a chip out of it. Just bent it over and I could see where it caught the light. Stropping wouldn't straighten it out. I finally had to go back to the 1k stone for about 10 laps to get it to where I couldn't see the damage. Then on to the 6k for 10-20 laps, the 12k for another 10-20 laps with no pressure, and it finally shaved as good as it ever did.

If your blade is chipped, you may want to look at one of the sets with the Norton 325/1000 grit, 4000/8000 grit and the flattening stone. Another good alternative set (this may depend on what you already have) would be the DMT 325, DMT 1200, and DMT 8000 diamond stones.

The cheapest alternative may be to just send it out to someone who does a good job of honing razors (not knives). But some of us (raises hand here) have the tool gene and like to learn how to do everything ourselves.

 

[jbtusa]

When the Norton 4/8K arrives, I was thinking of lapping the new stone by using 320 wet/dry sandpaper on a glass pane or floor tile pane to flatten it. Think it'll work?

 

[plinker]

When the Norton 4/8K arrives, I was thinking of lapping the new stone by using 320 wet/dry sandpaper on a glass pane or floor tile pane to flatten it. Think it'll work?

That should work just fine. Once I got it lapped with the 320, I would finish it using 500 or 600 grit wet/dry paper.

 

[jbtusa]

Here's a great "how to" video for honing with a Norton 4/8K stone including lapping the stone. Scroll down a bit.
http://straightrazorplace.com/honing/77726-famous-infamous-norton-4-8-janorton-2012-a-49.html

 

[paulvallandigham]

All of you will do yourselves a favor by buying the Razor Edge Book of Sharpening, and then ordering the blade clamps to hold those straight razors at the right angle so you can hone them properly, and quickly.

I have been honing tools since 1959, and after the first 25 years I found that I can hold a blade steady enough, stroke after stroke, to hone the edges without using my blade clamps. However, when I am working on someone else's knife, or razor, I use the clamps.

Often those clamps show me subtle curves or bends in the edges of the razor that are almost impossible to see with the naked eye. By using the clamps, I can straighten an edge and then hone it back to a usable tool. The next time its brought to me, its a lot easier to sharpen, and I have the option of using the clamps, or doing it free-hand. :hmm:

 

[Trench]

Just thought I'd share a picture that captures the romance of straight razor shaving. This is at the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Tippecanoe in Indiana. In the foreground I've got my tin of boiling water, brush, tin cup with soap in it, and two little corked bottles with Bay Rum and Whitchhazel. I'm using my early 19th century wedge razor for the shave.

 

[MSW]

Thanks for the post- it's a really nice photo.

Thanks also to jbtusa for the link on use of the Norton waterstones.

 

[BigDogg]

Now THAT...is authenticity my friend!! :thumbsup: Awesome!