Being new to straight razors, I've seen numerous videos that demonstrate time consuming and expensive ways to accomplish what you've shown me here. Your video is simple, economic, and informative. I shall make the initial investment and learn how to maintain my straight razor with the confidence you've shown me. Thank you.

Dr. Matt; bringing science, visuals, education and pocketbook concerns into our world with a smile.

I been using a DE razor and sharpen my own knives for the last five years. I watch a lot of KZfaq and this is by far the best informative video I’ve seen in five years. You did the hands on first and the. Educated on the back end. I want to go to a straight razor. This is helped with confidence I can at least sharpen it right. Shaving....... maybe a lot of manual education. Thank you!

Thank you so much for that, I have spent un told hours on some razors and got absolutely nothing I'm sure some were sharper when I started. One a full wedge was has been laughing at me for over a year. So as I watched you i decided to check it on a peice of floated glass and found out it was curved from front to back. Following your advice I took the bow out and using no tape I passed it over my charnley forest a dozen passes and it was catching the hairs on my arm. I am sure I will be shaving with it tonight

Finally a way to refresh the edge without messy pastes! Thank you Dr Matt!

This is great Matt. Easy to understand for beginners like me. Thanks for making it.

BRAVO! Keep posting your enjoyable videos Doc!

First video out of dozens I've watched that actually helps instead of making me more confused. Thank you sir. *Subscribed.

your coming back with force Dr Matt. watching now!

great explanation Not took the jump to straight yet. looks like maintaining the edge is easier than learning to strop correctly. Off work for a few weeks after an op on my hand so going to be watching a lot more of your content. great work.

Very nice! I think I just found my finishing stone. Thanks a lot! Great video.

Thank you... This is a great tutorial for edge maintenance.

This is a very helpful video. I’ve just got into straight razor shaving and would like to hone my own razors but without getting too much into the art of honing - I just want to keep a great edge so I get a smooth close shave. Thanks for breaking this down to the fundamentals.

Sir. I am a 2nd generation barber from the infamous 8 mile road in Detroit Michigan. I would like to thank you for this video. This is a dying art. And people like you keep it alive. Thank you.

Took me a decent amount of searching, but this was the video that helped me finally understand the honing process (with good results at home, too).

Thank you for the video Dr. Matt, you've provided a ton of insight for me and I really appreciate the help. Well done sir!

Thanks Doc. Loved your technique on the ILR. Pulled mine out, tried it and holy cow...WONDERFUL!!! Thanks soooo much.

I run dry laps on the ILR with my blades as the final step of my progression, and I think I get better edges as well.

Great video instruction. Thanks for the slides at the end, really drives home your point.

Great video Dr Matt. I really like the demonstration of the different scratch patterns, and would love to see more of it. Maybe do a video where you do the same procedure and show black arkansas, spyderco UF and of course many more :D Keep up the good work.

thanks so much for your feedback it is greatly appreciated.

Love your .45 T-Shirt!

Awesome tutorial, thank you so much for sharing. Just getting into str8 razors and your video was so helpful. All I have have is the Norton 8k 4K going to buy the the finishing stone you recommend.

Excellent instructional video. Thank you so much!👍👍

Thanks for the video. Very helpful and informative.

Great vid Dr Matt...first one I have seen..Just starting out with straights and it really helped on the honing aspect. Although I have the Norton 4/8K and a Chinese 12K I was able to get a really good hone and a very nice shave. I ordered the ILR and fire hose strop and we will see some incremental improvements hopefully. I really like the edge shots juxtaposed at the end..very informative.. Your channel will hold a place of honor..and look forward to more. Again thanks..really good stuff

Deffinately a fantastic video! I also enjoyed the way you shared your truth about the ILR.

Dr. Matt I took your recommendation and go the IRL stone and I am extremely happy with the stone. Using your running water method I am getting some amazing edges. Again thanks!

Awesome video.. ILR was my first finisher and still have a very special place between my stones..

Thank you for posting this video. Awesome!

The system you demonstrate here works perfect.

Very good instruction. Thank you!

Nice video ! Insightful and informative 👏

My ILR is scheduled for delivery today... I. definitely going to try that on my Fili after I get it lapped. Thanks for making this video, Matt!

Awesome honing techniques. This is a great help!

After using the Imperia La Roccia the shaving was nice and smooth despite the dry shave. Thanks for the information and techniques!

love your videos I am going to remember to get the ilr as soon as I get back to the US. love your videos and smile.

Great video Matt :) Just ordered myself a ILR

Great video. I’ve been using a shavette for about a year and have been apprehensive about moving to a real straight razor because of the cost and difficulty of maintaining them. After watching this I’m definitely want to try a straight razor.

Great Job! Learned a lot.

You sir, you have conquered the art of honing an edge toe-heel so sharp it shaves. Well done!

This is the best ILR video ever!

Really great video, thanks! You answered my question comparing 12k Naniwa vs ILR.

Thanks again Dr Matt, I now know it's more affordable to being able to get started and to maintain a razor. I just hope I can put it to my wife as well as you have educated me on this. Very best regards Gordon. 🙏👍👌

works brilliantly thank you

Great video! I love my ILR.

Thanks! just found this after many years. subbed :) have a great day

thanks dr it help me understand better.

great video. keep em coming. love the microscope shots.

Great video Dr Matt! I enjoyed watching this

Fantastic! I ordered my first strop from your recommendation. Now I have a good idea where to start getting the proper stones and how to use them. That Japanese frameback was shave ready as advertised so hopefully I will be able to find out if the person used tape.

Just did my first touch up on the ILR using what I learned in this video to great results.

Thanks for the video. Love that shirt. My EDC is a Springfield Range Officer Elite Champion 1911 in .45ACP.

You know what I watched this again today on the computer. On the larger monitor screen the edge you magnified is clear as day that the edge is so refined. Never ceases to amaze me how good the ILR is for the money. Keith Johnstone must have been very unlucky to have caught two bad stones or he's got some other reason to say what he did. At the end of the day the stone works. Best maintenance video Dr Matt, when it's time I always give it a quick watch as a reminder. Just as a motivator to do it.. lol

I just had bought me a shapton 8K stone and I’ve bought the ILR so I’m going to do this same thing to get that cutting edge sharp!

Nice work, Dr. Matt!

Fantastic shirt! Couldn't agree more. Great video also, thanks for all of the great info!

Man I’ve done the exact process and it has created a phenomenal edge upon my razor! The cutting edge is amazing

Thank you so much for this.

Fun video. Thanks for making it.

Best video I could find !!!

got the ILR! works great!. wish you made more educational videos!

I know how to sharpen cooking knives to a razors edge and was wondering if it's the same with a straight razor and I believe it's similar. Thanks for the Informative video.

Good god man.... you really really truely love the sound of your owen voice..... i really like the way you do want to be a master at your craft and want to share it with the world that my freind is very awsome.... so i geuss just keep on keeping on man....

Shaved with my edge off the ILR today and it worked great. BBS shave with no irritation. What impressed me was how keen yet smooth the edge felt. It was almost like a coticle edge but keener.. I am impressed. Thanks for your help Dr. Matt!

I got that ILR hone the standard stone! Ultra fine! Thing is awesome! And their 3 inch wide strop the horween Latino leather

Great video!

Nice and informative vid! Thank you! Thumbs UP!

ehh doc love your vids I just bought a Chinese natural polishing stone from woodcraft in Minneapolis it's about 12000 grit for 26 us talk about a steal cheers

Dr. Matt, you rock!! :) awesome video

Now I understand, thank you Dr Matt..

Dr. Matt, I just bought my first straight razor this Black Friday. I checked the spine, doesn't need beveling, but it's not as sharp as I'd like it to be. I watched this video a little late though and already ordered an 8k Aluminum Oxide stone and a Naniwa Gouken 12k. The razor doesn't pull on my skin, but it also doesn't want to shave close so it might need to be honed... or it could just be " operator error " involved. 🤣Not sure about that yet. I definitely wanted to hone it anyway just for the sake of removing that problem from the list. Your videos, especially this one have given me an edge ( no pun intended ) on getting this razor honed when the stones get here and in the future when regular maintenance is required. I made the choice to switch to a straight razor mainly because I've been using the ol' school single razor disposable ( the double sided kind that tucks into the all metal safety razor ) for the last 3 years and I'm just getting tired of spending money on refills. I knew if I took this route, it'd pay for itself inside of 6 months.

thnks a lot man, i recover my old straight razor.

love the shirt. Great vid

one thing for sure. polishing a sword is WAAAAAY different than honing a straight razor. having a lot more difficulty than I expected! even though they're both simple high carbon steel lol. getting AN edge. Sharpie ink all gone, hangs and grips my nail a lot, cuts paper on a whim, but can't seem to get it to pass the hair test! Like I said, your technique is great, considering all the guys who never even touch the end 3rds of their stones lol as easy as it LOOKS, and really is, it isn't. if you know what I mean. don't let anyone bug you about that. I still have lots of work to do.

Hey Doc, I'm amazed at the wealth of information you continue to share and appreciate it. I've looked around for the fire hose strop and see many many options. I'm sure you have answered this question on one of your other videos but I don't see it in this thread... Where do I obtain one that meets your standards?

Thanks great video. I've managed to recover 2 razors after watching

Sir, I want to thank you for this video. I have a Thiers Issard "Spécial Coiffeur", 6/8 and Half Hollow, and your technique made it the perfect razor for my beard. And yes by the way, I also saved say $200 or more haha!

I hone my own razors I finish on a 12k naniwa but man that ilr stone is amazingly impressive I'm gonna get one and try it out I also restore razors if they ain't in to bad of shape

Hey brother! Keep up the good work!

Dr. Matt, very helpful vid. Thanks for putting it together! I notice that the ILR website offers a "Premium" grade for this stone. I wonder if this accounts for some of the variability in opinion about how well they hone? Do you know whether the stone sent to you for testing was standard or "premium"?

Very well done Matt! Excellent instructions for beginners. Simple, logical, effective and inexpensive. I even gleaned a pointer of this myself. Pleasure to watch.

I'm a woodworker, I have a Norton india combination for really hogging off metal. I own a set of Smiths Arkansas stones that takes me from soft, hard and black. I usually start with my Hard and move to the black for normal honing and strop for a good edge. Most of the tools I have found "in the wild" have had really neglected edges.

Bleeding is primal!

I am just getting into the straight razor style of shaving. Thanks for your candor on stones. I bought the Kuromako 8000, & the ILR stone. The price of the ILR's have jumped since you made this vid. They now cost 65.00.

Thank you!!

Nice video Matt. If someone needs to set the bevel, how many grits is the starting point? 1000 grit? After that, we need 4000k and 12000 K? Thanks

Hey DrMatt! thanks for the awesome videos! I wonder if your recommendations changed after 7 years of this video being published, will wait for the update!

Dr Matt....great video, and very instructional. But I would like to add another way to maintain a SR Edge. Using a barber's hone . That is all I use to maintain the edge. How effective is it? Ever since I use the barber"s hone (Franz Swaty) the last time I touched up my razors (with a stone) was well over a year ago, and they are every bit as sharp as they were when I first started using it. About the ELR.....its a great finishing stone, but if you use it in combination with a coticule (8000 grit) and an Escher (around 10000 grit) the ELR, the edge it puts out gives by far the most comfortable shave. Nothing beats it, not even a JNat....

Thanks for great info! My stones are coming in this week. I’m new to using a straight razor and found a nice intro Dovo for a descent price online. Quick questions, doesn’t the spine wear down and show abrasion when you sharpen the razor? Also suggestions on how sanitize the razor before using it? Thanks, Rob

Good day DrMatt. I made my entry in to straight razor shaving a couple years back, and after discovering this video, made my purchase of both of the stones recommended in this video. I rewatch it every time I'm going to refresh my razors. First I'll thank you for the info and instruction. Very valuable to me... I've had great success in maintaining both my razors without issues. I'm curious, how often do you think the stones need to be re-lapped over time with granite and sandpaper? Thank you ~Drew

I really enjoy your videos. my question to you is do you want command taping or no taping. and please include your reasoning thank you

Just got my 8k! Excited to use it. About how often should I expect to do this routine with shaving 3x per week?

Dr Matt, I realize this is an old video, but I enjoyed it. I wondered what you use for magnification. Would you mind sharing what you are using now? Maybe everyone would enjoy a video.

Hi dr.Matt! I’ve been watching your videos for a few weeks now and find them really informative! Anyway, I got my first straight razor for Christmas and after just watching your “sharpening your first new razor” video and then this one I’m just curious as to why you put the electrical tape on it to start with and then don’t bother putting it on with other razors? Again, thanks a lot for all your head these past few weeks

Hi Dr Matt, one of the best vids I have seen. Im new to straight shaving and had my razors professional honed. Will definitely order one of these. Any idea on the running water technique.on a japanese kamisori, as also added one to my collection. Also the jnat featured for $70, and idea where to pick one up. Keep up the excellent work.

Hi Dr. Matt! I love your videos and am learning a lot from your expertise. I notice you don't mention a leather strop in this video. What is your opinion on stropping on leather? Not necessary? Not as smooth or as sharp as the natural ILR stone? Thank you for making these.

Matt love the videos I am getting in to straight razors and sharping it. Would like to know more about Maintaining the ILR stone. And if it is better to pap it till shining smooth

Hi Dr. Matt!Love your vids! super helpful! Im looking to get the ILR stone. Ive just Gotten into (over the last 3-4 months) restoring antique razors and honing. im a student, so i dont really have the $$ to go and get 2-3 stones. So, the fineststone i have now is a 4000 and ive been finishing on thinn hard leather with a buffing paste on a flat surface. which ive been able to get comfortable shaves from, but id like a finishing stone to keep things nice and flat/uniform... If i didnt mind spending more time on the finishing stone, would it work to go from the 4000 straight to the ILR? Cheers!

I am a little new and was wondering what your set up was the the .25 and the fili