Honed a vintage 5/8 Sheffield steel blade. Bevel set on 1K Chosera Pro, then on to an Apache red, and finished on the Apache Strata. Wonderful, smooth shave just completed with it.
After a mild restoration I honed this Old Sheffield steel made b G. Johnson. Butter knife dull. One tiny chip; nothing what the Norton 1k couldn't handle. Whacking arm hair right off the 1k. Followed up with my typical progression: Norton 4/8K, 1 um lapping film, trans Arkie, linen/leather. No surprises, scalpel sharp and smooth
Vintage Le Grelot 15/16. Honed it up yesterday (1K Chosera, Apache Red, Apache Strata, Butterscotch Arkie). It took forever to set the bevel, as these old 1/4 grinds are notoriously hard to sharpen. But once done, it shaved like a dream. Just finished my shave with it. Highly recommended for anyone that can find an old 1/4 Le Grelot to grab it and give it a whirl!
Lovely Razor..Aye..I have Honed a Number of these Grelots & Other Vintage French Razors..They are Very Hard Steel & Slow Cutting..Can Take More than a Moment to Set a Bevel..Froggie Razors for Ya.. Billy..
I honed a couple of new acquisitions last night. The Craftsman was a pleasure to hone and gave me a wonderful shave this morning. The Bismarck was a little more difficult for this rookie, but it seemed good when I did a test pass this morning. I'll use it for a full shave tomorrow.
Well congratulations mrchick! It's a good feeling when you get a good shave from one you honed yourself.
It all just a matter of practice. And with the collection that I've seen of yours just on here that should save you a small fortune not to have to send them all out to be honed.
Circa 1920's-1930's John Primble full hollow. This model sold for about $4.75 in 1922, then went down to only $2.75 after the stock market crash and onset of the Great Depression. Great shavers, made by H. Boker for Belknap Hardware, also stamped as being India Steel. That's just left over tap water on my black Arkie stone. I ain't much of a photographer, and just use my cell phone, to boot!
Nice looking razor, and Big Arkie. Let us know how it shaves. It's beading up, quite a bit on the Arkie. Have you used oil on it before??
Shaved great. Silly thing is, after a good bevel set, and a decent mid-range finishing stone, everything else is just a hobby. I have not used oil on the stone, only mildly soapy water, progressively watered down, until the final few finishing strokes are done under running water.
Lazy Sunday morning shave * SWK XL scuttle * Semogue LE 2011 * Otto Busch Worldmaster 6/8 * Prorasso green pre-shave * Stirling Lemon Chill Glacial * Osaga Rub * Prep asb
My 2nd Outing with My Recently Acquired Coticule Barbers Finishing Stone..These were Apparently Commonly Known as Lather Stones by Time Gone By Barbers..I Took My Otto Busch 6/8th Solingen to the 8 K & 12 K Naniwa Super Stones..I Tested the Edge with the Hanging Hair/Thumb Test.. I Done around 40 Sets on My Coticule with Clear Water ( No Slurry)..This Particular Coticule Provides Excellent Feedback..I Can Feel & Hear the Edge being Sharpened..I Done Another 40 Sets or So Using Lather..I Used an Italian Tallow Soap..The Razor was Sliding on the Stone like Glass & the Edge Refinement with Lather was Self Evident when the Coticule Edge Blew Away the Naniwa 12 K Hanging Hair Test.. The Edge I had in My Hand was Far Sharper from the Coticule than the 12 K Super Stone..I Am Seriously Impressed with this Stones Finishing Capacity..The 2nd 40 Sets or So on Lather Sure Picked Up this Edge from Just Finishing on Water..Night & Day Actually.. I Am Very Taken by the Edges from this Particular Coticule..I Was Smiling from Ear to Ear when the Finished Edge was Sharper & More Refined that a Naniwa 12 K Stone..One of Lifes Little Magical Experience's.. Canny Whack these Wee Moments.. Billy..
Scott..I Know Nothing about Coticules..I Can Only Speak for this Stone in Particular..This Particular Stone has Obviously Been Hand Selected for its SR Finishing Capacity for Barbers..This Particular Stone is as Easy to Use as a Synthetic Hone..That was the Sole Reason I Chose this Stone..I was Waiting & Waiting for a Barbers Coticule to Come Up for Ages & I Swooped on it like a Hawk on Steroids.. Billy..
