The Reluctant Russian and a synth/nat synthesis.

I just haven't been happy with the edge on my no date/name back russian 5/8 and it's taken a beating we me trying jnat protocols, working it on the coticule and then some combination of both.

both nothing's been working and I realized I should go back to basics and start over,setting the bevel on the 1 k  and then moving up making sure the damn thing is SHARP before I try to finish the edge.

I've been confusing sharpening and smoothing out the edge but now I'm clear. One can sharpen with coarser stones (of either natural or synthetic material) using slurry's on the natural to lower the grit and cut steel or use just lower grit natural stones or the synthetics.

I started with the norton 4/8 k stone and thought I should give that a try to regenerate this blade.It kept coming up smooth but not sharp enough.

And then I read this:

Originally Posted by CyiDev 

I redid my razors today using Wid's recommendations of 1,3,8,12k then JNAT. I also used what he said I should be looking for. 1k = shaves arm hair. 3k = shaves arm hair no pressure used. 8k = shaveable (used my hair on my hand to determine). 12k = mirror finish. JNAT I did his method and than varied on it for the other razor to being only 100 x strokes. The one using his JNAT method shaved pretty good. I nicked myself on my mustache area but did notice the blade was shaving better than before with less work. I have decided to sell my Naniwa's (there in the BST forum) and enter the coticule world. That way I can concentrate on one specific stone at a time.

on Badger and Blade forum it made sense. Instead of doing all the lower grit work on the jnat or coticule, which works on some of the blades I've done, just set the bevel and basic sharpness with the lower grits and synthetics and then get to optimum smoothness via the better natural stones.

So that's what I did but I got a little crazy :))

dulled blade on glass

5 laps of 30 circles on 1 k dmt stone, not shaving arm hair yet.

5 laps of 20 push strokes on 1 k shaving hair with some pressure

norton 4 k horizontal strokes with both hands guiding 35 laps on water

shaving arm hair with no pressure.

norton 8 k on water,30 X strokes with light pressure on blade

sharper but not enough

20 more laps

sharp enough

Chinese 12 k ( I've missed using this beautiful natural stone. there is a real prejudice against it vis a vis the jnats and coticules and I've been guilty of that snobbery as well. It puts a sharp finish edge on a blade, just not a smooth one but it is keen)

 sets of 5 push strokes 45 reps lots of water.

cutting leg hair easily but I can feel the difference between the coti and the jnat edges and these. these are not anywhere near as smooth; but if I don't stay in the sharpening stage long enough in a dillucot or multi cot approach it's smooth but not sharp enough.

It's all coming together.

Then; Oozuku on water

30 X strokes on the oozuku, test leg hair. nice and crispy. excellent

The onto the Vintage Coticule ( I told you I went a bit nuts. Soup to nuts :))

30 X strokes on this on water too. Feels much smoother.

30 laps on linen

50 laps on leather. Feels pretty good on the leg hair. we'll see tomorrow.

SHAVE REPORT:
THE MULTI STONE APPROACH WORKED LIKE A CHARM!! SHARP AS HELL and SMOOTH AS HELL. DID ONE PASS AND PUT IT UP . MISSION ACCOMPLISHED . AND THE COTICULE WORKED FINE AFTER THE OOZUKU STONE. I THINK THE KEY IS DOING THEM ON WATER TO GET THE HIGHER GRIT AND POLISHING ( SMOOTHING) EFFECT.

I THINK I FINALLY GOT THIS THING UNDERSTOOD.USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB