Thread: A 1000 grit revelation for me...

So I had been meaning to try something stupid for awhile and finally took the opportunity to go for it tonight...
I was doing some honing and decided to try shaving off some of my 1k hones...
The razor was Gugi's Frank Hess X Singing hollow...
I did a quick 10 lap bevel set on a Shapton 500, great stone BTW just got it in...
I took the razor to a Shapton 1k and did 20 mixed laps and had the edge popping arm hair nicely... at that time I rinsed the stone and did 10 super light X strokes and stopped...

Using the absolute worst prep and terrible made on the face William's lather, I tried a few strokes... No stropping at all, straight off the stone... Hmm a little grabby, but with some carefully strokes I got a decent shave... Not the closest by any means, but heck a passable, comfortable, shave... I did almost everything wrong I could, except the confidence in the shaving strokes themselves...

So I learned something tonight, something we say a lot of times but now I will totally believe it...The experience of the person doing the shaving is way more important then the edge itself...
Some thing else occurred to me, I have always said you are pretty much done "sharpening" when you come off the 4k stones, I really believe that now... I am not so sure how much "sharper" the edge is going to get smoother yes, sharper I am not so sure... I am definitely going to have to do some more experimenting at much lower grits... Not to worry Gugi I won't do it with yer razor ...

Try it for yerself see what you find out...

I have always said that one would be amazed at the shave one with experience could get with what many would consider a dull blade.

i would love to hear how many more people can get their razor pop up hairs off 1k. 4k i understand but 1k is far far away from my acceptance.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

i would love to hear how many more people can get their razor pop up hairs off 1k. 4k i understand but 1k is far far away from my acceptance.

arm hair type also plays an important factor

I can only imagine what a 1k edge would feel like on the whiskers around my chin, jawline and either side of my windpipe. That is one experiment I think I will pass on.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

i would love to hear how many more people can get their razor pop up hairs off 1k. 4k i understand but 1k is far far away from my acceptance.

I stay at 1K until I can pop the hairs off along the length of the bevel.

IMO 1K or the bevel set, is the sharpening level, as Glen mentioned. After the bevel is set the edge is not going to get any sharper, just smoother and easier to work with. For instance, if you can pop the hairs at 1K, your still able to do this at 4K and 8K but it just becomes easier, or smoother, if you will. I have read that where the real "sharpness" is at, is in the bevel angle. The lower the angle, the sharper the blade.

Originally Posted by sapito318

I stay at 1K until I can pop the hairs off along the length of the bevel.

IMO 1K or the bevel set, is the sharpening level, as Glen mentioned. After the bevel is set the edge is not going to get any sharper, just smoother and easier to work with. For instance, if you can pop the hairs at 1K, your still able to do this at 4K and 8K but it just becomes easier, or smoother, if you will. I have read that where the real "sharpness" is at, is in the bevel angle. The lower the angle, the sharper the blade.

+1 here....

I shaved for years honing with a Col. Conk stone (what is that, about 1200?), with excellent results. In fact, when I first got a Norton 4000/8000 in 2003, I couldn't shave after using it. After I got the hang of the Norton, I do think my shaves are a bit smoother, but one can easily shave well and comfortably with a much coarser stone.

Matt

Originally Posted by sapito318

I stay at 1K until I can pop the hairs off along the length of the bevel.

IMO 1K or the bevel set, is the sharpening level, as Glen mentioned. After the bevel is set the edge is not going to get any sharper, just smoother and easier to work with. For instance, if you can pop the hairs at 1K, your still able to do this at 4K and 8K but it just becomes easier, or smoother, if you will. I have read that where the real "sharpness" is at, is in the bevel angle. The lower the angle, the sharper the blade.

Excluding working with natural stones and slurry, I find this to be the case as well.

I've set bevels before with 2000 grit automotive sandpaper and had luck shaving right off of that. Can't go ATG on my chin or upper lip as easily as I can with a highly polished edge, but then again I don't have to for a "good" shave.