Thread: Sharpening Experiment, anyone?

After some thinking and some private discussions with Jerry, all I know is that it is almost impossible to find the best stone/knife solution due to the differences between steel types, thickness of the spines, hardness of the steel, craftsmanship, and most varied- our tolerances to razor burn, and to the resistance of the blade - not to mention the type of hair on our faces!

But I am very interested in conducting an experiment, nonetheless. I want to buy some cheap ebay razors, and sharpen one each on the Nortons, my cotecule, King, Shapton Pros and Glass. The discuss the differences when sharpening, and when using. Unfortunately, this will probably only add to the confusion, and it will only serve to tell us which combo is best for cheap ebay knives!

BTW, if anyone has already done this, please let me know (it'll save me some time and money).

I've done something like that but with natural hones only. Here (lower part of the page)
The 5 blades were identical and the number of strokes as well.
Such a test to see what each hone can do is not too reliable
because you have a scratched surface that you want to get smoother.
Its like bending a horse shoe straight.
The better method would be using a hone on a pristine surface like a piece of a CD.

Anyway, cheap eBay blades can be very different.

Thanks Olivia.

I know what each sharpening medium can do, scratch wise. I am tryng to find out if the way these stones scratch is more beneficial to getting a better edge/shave. I had though about equal number of strokes, but I think there will be differences between the blades that will require each knife to just be sharpened with a different number of strokes. I don't want one medium to get a "lesser" mark because it may scratch slower than another.

The Scotland stone on your site is so beautiful BTW.

Oh yes I love it, too. Thanks!

The differences in steel quality and grind can be quite big and affect your test a lot.
Are you looking to prove your Shaptons as an "egg laying wool milk swine" kind of hone?
I think that's already been done.
They pass!

I'm well aware of Shapton's capability - that's why I sell them!

In my quest to become a better sharpener, I am not limited to Shapton stones, but I always return to the Pros because they can do the job better and faster. As much as I sharpen everything else, straight razors have been like a hobby for me, and I have only ever sharpened my own.

By comparing the results of each type of stone, it adds to my knowledge and experience, and it will give me an indicator of what is better suited and why. You've probably noticed by now that I like to analyze sharpening.

It's not so much a test to see which is "best", but more of an exercise in what are the differences and similarities in the results, and how this information can help my customers, and people in general, to make better informed decisions when purchasing their own equipment.

Like I mentioned above, I know how each kind of stone works, and I have my theories already as to which will be better and why, but I need to know for myself. Maybe some other may want to know as well . Using one knife and sharpening it 3 times will not allow me to compare directly. Who knows, I might be pleasantly surprised....

P.S. I've put in a bid for 3 New York Selective blades. Anyone have any general comments about their quality?

Originally Posted by jendeindustries

P.S. I've put in a bid for 3 New York Selective blades. Anyone have any general comments about their quality?

I hate to burst your bubble, but Selective is one of those brands to avoid.... Is it something like this? http://cgi.ebay.com/3-PCS-LOT-STRAIG...3A1%7C294%3A50

They're cheap, but can't really be sharpened properly (i.e. not tempered properly and won't hold an edge) from the accounts that I've read on here.

You should check out: Brands of Straight Razors to avoid - Straight Razor Place Wiki if you're going to buy on ebay.

This link to Badger & Blade shows a similar test. Maybe it will help in planning your own experiments:
5/8 Dovo Tortoise Special - 8-Ways…
Section 7 - 10, Dovo Tortoise Special Hone Comparison/Results.... - Badger & Blade

That is exactly the ebay knife I bid on! I'm not worried about the quality of the blades as much as about the journey. If nothing else, it will be a good lesson in futility

The experiment with the dovo razors is pretty much what I had in mind. Joel made some very good observations about how the razors feel against the skin. This is something that I've been trying to answer.

I've done a fair amount of razor honing over the past 6 years and here are my general impressions. The Norton 4k8k is a good stone. It must be flattened prior to use to get the glaze off and to lap it flat. They just don't come flat. The coticules in 8K and the blue belgian in 4K will give superior finishes to any Norton. The DMT stones are aggressive eaters of steel but even the D8EE needs a finishing stone to follow as the diamonds just don't give a smooth edge at the micro level. The Shaptons at 16k and 30k will finish hone any razor I've thrown at them to an excellent finish and subsequent shave.

The problem I see with recommending a razor/hone combination is too many variables. Companies use different batches of steel at different times and heat treating recipes can change. Those are all proprietary secrets of the company. They don't post analyses of their steel or their heat treating protocols or even what they're using to quench (it matters!).

A steel quenched in water vs. brine vs. any of the quenching oils yields a different result.

This whole endeavor is full of variables and that's what makes it as much an art as a science in my opinion.

I say go for it. What do you have to lose? If you were in the US I'd let you sharpen up a bunch of my razors. Win - win situation for both of us. I don't have to spend time setting bevels and you get free test razors.