Thread: Too Sharp?

I know that this has been asked before, but seriously...can you hone a razor so sharp that it is uncomfortable to shave with?

I am getting better at honing and have some natural waterstones above the grit of the yellow couticle. I have noticed I am getting what I might call "tension cuts" occasionally...it seems that just touching the edge perpendicular as I do under my nose or on the neck...or just by mistake is now causing some minor cuts that I didn't used to get. Or; hey, maybe I am getting to casual with the blade?

Comments Anyone ?

A very sharp razor can be uncomfortable to shave with. This is where green chromium oxide paste comes in. A couple of laps over green paste will tame the edge and make it more comfortable to use.

I would investigat the "getting to casual with a blade" angle first. I've done this too and I haven't changed my honing stones since I started, though I have gotten better at using them I haven't gotten that much better.

OOOOwwww don't use that term too sharp. A razor can never be too sharp. However once you reach a certain point you can just mess up the edge or overhone. remember that honing a razor is a balancing act between getting an edge so kean and delicate it will simply crumble when you use it and it not being kean enough to do its job properly. You need to find that ideal state. Complicating this is the fact that different honing media produce different blade characteristics vis a vis comfort. You can hone with a coticule and get a very kean and comfortable edge or you can use .25 diamond on a pasted strop and get a very kean edge but it will be on the harsh side. As you move from material to material and hone to hone this all changes. But in the end you want an edge that will last. You don't want to rehone every couple of shaves do you?