Thread: Why is the 1st shave after honing so disagreeable?

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Graham:
Yes I remember that thread as well we were discussing the merits of the blade really coming into being sharp after the first shave, and then about restropping with a pasted strop to attain the most from the edge.. I just looked for it also.... it is still on here but buried deep....

Don't leave me in suspense ... please post a link

Barney

Originally Posted by barneycg

Don't leave me in suspense ... please post a link

Barney

I found it
http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...r-peaking.html

I PMed Puffah, since his advice so far has been spot-on & I wasn't sure he was still following this thread. Here is his advice, enshrined for posterity:

Quote:
Originally Posted by PuFFaH

Hey Johnny
I would need to know what type of strop and how many reps you are doing prior to a shave to help answer that.
If the edge is like you say then this can be smoothed by a few on the linen. This I would do with toe leading X pattern and with a BAR tight strop and no weight on the razor. This would be followed by 50 laps on a good drawing strop or a russian finish.
When I have got an edge like you describe, I generally have found it to be where I have got the edge to exact sharpness...but just went a stroke over or so. Stropping will correct this no problem and if you have a finer hone this would also. CrO2 will ruin a fresh edge so try not to resort to it.
As a help to me, did the lightest touch shave clean and leave no stubble, or was weight or multi passing on an area needed to remove the stubble?
Cheers for the heads up on your progress

Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny J
I have an antique horsehide strop, and I do 100 laps on the leather before the first shave after I've honed. Normally, I do 50 laps. I've never stropped with a toe-leading X, normally I do a heel-leading X.

The first two shaves after honing do shave clean & leave no stubble, but I tend to nick myself all to hell. The edge is unforgiving & leaves no room for error. Hmmm, maybe *I* am the problem, not the razor. Perhaps I have simply become accustomed to shaving with razors that are slightly less sharp.

I'd like to move this to the thread so it can be enshrined for posterity. I think this is turning out to be a very useful thread!

PS: The Lithide barber hone is the finest hone in my set-up

Quote:
Originally Posted by PuFFaH

100 is over the top post hone. 50 should be more than enough. Only strop toe leading on linen and pasted strops to help align an edge followed by a few in the normal X pattern.
This nicking problem you have now I would put down to you having to adjust your technique and pressure to suit the sharper edge. You should only need the lightest of pressure on the razor for it to shave close and clean. If a small amount of weight is needed then the edge is degraded, go back to the strop and possible a bit on the linen. Remember...keep the strop bar tight when using the linen or a pasted strop.
Cr02 comes in when the linen is failing to get the edge to standard. Don't use linen post Cr02 or you will loose the benefit, only use leather post Cr02. Or you can forget the Cr02 and just give the razor half a dozen on the Lithide ( which I rate at 8k btw )

OK, more microscope pics:

First shot is my Fernando Esser right off the 1 micron diamond lapping film.

The second shot is the same razor after chrome ox balsa stropping (10-15 laps on a 8" paddle), latigo stropping, and shaving with it twice.

The blade looks a bit dirty, as I apparently didn't get off all the oil before taking the pics. Ah well, I suppose that's the "real world" edge you'd be using anyhow!

I didn't really feel a difference between my first shave and the second one.

It looks like the chrome ox on the paddle is making the edge coarser, not finer (!)

I'm starting to get the feeling that maybe abrasive pastes became popular because most people only owned one not-terribly-fine barber hone, and pastes were the only way to get a really fine grit. Of the 6 different barber hones I own, only the Lithide could truly be called a finishing hone. All the rest would need SOME extra step before you could shave with them.

Is that plausible? I hope so, b/c I just pulled that theory out of my ass

I think mu chrome ox may be contaminated or something? I am using the big wax bar stuff.

Anyhow, refreshed that edge with 3um, 1um, 0.5um, and 0.1um().

Bevel sure is shiny, but the very edge looks a bit uneven. We'll see how it shaves...

Here is a little clarification on what linen and leather strops actually do, thanks to Seraphim finding the old article, that I had been looking for to explain about the micro-rust and roughness......

I'll link that thread here for you, some interesting info there

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...tml#post250807

You can either strop on leather or on your face. If you use your face, the first shave will be a bit rough. I like to use the strop first. I use natural leather as CrO degrades my edges off of the coticules.

Insure the package. Even if you just insure it for $50, it puts the package into a whole other level of importance to the post office. It sounds like your carrier is having some kind of a problem. It happens especially so in the summer when the regular carriers are on vacation and there are subs.