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

Hehe, it's def not burr matey

What I'm referring to as the bedding-in phase where the razor becomes a little more dull that straight off the hone and subsequently provides with me better shaves. The razor hits a 'peak' around this time.

Of course, this is probably different for others as many factors/variables are involved.

It's a pity I can't find the thread I mentioned as it was a very detailed discussion which most folk agreed with me on and would take too long to go through and explain all again.

Is it off topic to ask why the couticule will not raise a bur. I only recall seeing it stated as an opinion of experience without explanation

If we look back at Verhoeven's micrographs isn't there always a bur

The scale of the object is different I realize the ones we can see and feel and the ones that exist in the world of ESM

Originally Posted by poona

Hehe, it's def not burr matey

What I'm referring to as the bedding-in phase where the razor becomes a little more dull that straight off the hone and subsequently provides with me better shaves. The razor hits a 'peak' around this time.

Of course, this is probably different for others as many factors/variables are involved.

It's a pity I can't find the thread I mentioned as it was a very detailed discussion which most folk agreed with me on and would take too long to go through and explain all again.

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....

Johnny I don't know where you are in this great wide world but here is an offer.....
Send me the razor I will hone it and get it to shave ready all the way through stropping it and send it back to you... No charge, that way you can test the blade from that point, and see if perhaps that was the problem all along....If yer not in the CONUS maybe one of the EU honers can make the same offer????
PM me if you want to accept the offer....

Originally Posted by kevint

Is it off topic to ask why the couticule will not raise a bur. I only recall seeing it stated as an opinion of experience without explanation

If we look back at Verhoeven's micrographs isn't there always a bur

The scale of the object is different I realize the ones we can see and feel and the ones that exist in the world of ESM

In the traditional way knifes are honed, by honing one side till a bur folds over and next honing the other side, then the coticule produces a bur. If I'm not mistaken Verhoeven deals mainly with that kind of honing. Wire edges on razors are very closely related, but not entirely the same thing. When honing razor-style (flipping the blade over with each stroke) a coticule does not allow for a wire edge to be formed. As far as I can tell, that's an empirical truth. I believe that the coticule's very typical garnets are responsible for that. http://uk.ardennes-coticule.com/images/sites/grena.jpg
They're approx. 15 microns in diameter. An shaveable edge width is less that 0.5 microns. I think those garnets "round" the edge at a microscopical level before it can become so thin that it decays into a wire edge. The edge just maxes out before a wire edge can start to develop. The downside is that if you raise a slurry on a coticule, the edge maxes out at a level that does shave, but still leaves a margin for improvement. When used with water only, the edge again maxes out, but at a significant keener level.
Sorry for the .

Bart.

If you're smart you should take up glen on his offer.

BTW, Glen, I have about 50 straights that I'm not sure why they don't shave...

I'm not smart, but I'll take Glen up on his offer anyway. PM sent.

Originally Posted by gugi

If you're smart you should take up glen on his offer.

BTW, Glen, I have about 50 straights that I'm not sure why they don't shave...

hahahaha, classic gugi.

The mail delivery service in my area is so incredibly lousy, I'm getting cold feet about mailing the W&B. Just the other day they delivered a sizeable IRS refund check to my next door neighbor, and another razor I bought to a lady who lives in a house with the same number, but on a different street. She dropped it into a mailbox marked "re-deliver" and they sent it right back to her.

Glen, how do you feel about doing this experiment with my Famous Double Arrow instead? It's a very good shaver but I'm not emotionally attached to it. I've got a lot of work in the W&B and it is my favorite razor. I would be pretty upset if those clowns delivered it to god-knows-where, as they seem to be doing with more & more of my mail.

Originally Posted by kevint

Is it off topic to ask why the couticule will not raise a bur. I only recall seeing it stated as an opinion of experience without explanation

If we look back at Verhoeven's micrographs isn't there always a bur

The scale of the object is different I realize the ones we can see and feel and the ones that exist in the world of ESM

As for the coticule not raising a burr, this is not uncommon of all natural stones because the natural abrasives are different (less harsh) from those used in manmade hones. It also has to do with the method of honing razors; alternating sides versus continuing on one side for a period of time.

And yes, there is almost always some burr or edge inconsistancy on the ESM level but proper stropping will eliminate anything that could be felt by your skin.