Thread: My razor is too sharp???? I like a duller edge??

Originally Posted by gssixgun

OK, I have seen this statement one too many times...

First, please only answer if you can explain how you are getting a slightly duller blade...

I really don't wanna hear about "I like a Coticule" or a Ch12k or any other finish stone or paste....really that has nothing to do with "sharpness"..

Not sure why the sarcasm. I'm one of those making "I like a duller edge" sort of statements the last few years, so I guess I'll try to address your questions.

I think what you're missing is: duller compared to what?

What I mean by "I like a duller edge" is "I like a duller edge than a feather ac".

Basically, I don't like the sort of edges you get with the feather ac or even the DE blades. They leave my face feeling raw no matter how lightly I try to use the razor. My skin starts thinning out within a few days and gets so that I can't get through a shave without unexplained nicks, and sometimes if I rub my face during the day it will start bleeding in spots. It's likely that I'm using too much pressure, that if only I could lighten up a bit more everything would be fine and I could shave with the feather ac all the time, but after all these years I really don't care any more, I'm using as little pressure as I can and it's just not working.

Even with that knowledge, I used to believe that it was impossible to get a straight razor "too sharp". Once I got good enough with the hones, and got good enough hones, then I started having the same problems with my straight razors as I had with the Feather. This is a bigger problem with the heavier razors than with the little 5/8 solingens, but eventually I started having these problems with the solingens as well. Again, it's likely that I'm using too much pressure, that if only I could lighten up a bit more everything would be fine and I could shave with these edges all the time, but after all these years I really don't care any more, I'm using as little pressure as I can and it's just not working.

So, I've decided that I prefer a duller edge. Duller by the feather ac standard of sharp, and duller by my standard of sharp. I have no idea if the edges I'm using are duller by anybody elses standard of sharp, nor do I particularly care. With my preferred "daily sharp" I get a bit more resistance during the shave, but still get BBS and my face feels much better afterwards. Also, how "dull" the blade needs to be depends on the weight of the razor. For full hollow 5/8ths it's just below my max level of sharp, for big sheffield choppers it's even duller.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

So what do you "slightly duller" guys do???

Flunk a few tests???
The TNT slides ???
The TPT test is only sticky in spots???
It skips when you shave???
You cork it like a DE blade????


This I gotta hear, PLEASE somebody tell me how to hone my razors to a slightly duller edge???

I never do the TNT, whether I'm shooting for feather sharp or for my normal daily level of sharp.

I never do the TPT, whether I'm shooting for feather sharp or for my normal daily level of sharp.

I do have other tests that I use, and I use those whether I'm shooting for feather sharp or for my normal daily level of sharp.

The razor never skips when I shave, whatever the level of sharpness. That is simply not acceptable.

The razor never pulls uncomfortably, whatever the level of sharpness. That is simply not acceptable. A bit of resistance is fine, I get that even with the too-sharp feather, so I stopped worrying about it. It's not uncomfortable though.

My feather AC blades get corked about 5 strokes through cork before use. so if you've got a feather ac, that gives you an idea of what "slightly duller" means to me for a 6/8 razor.


As for how I do it when I'm honing, it's really very easy. All it requires is that when I get to the final finishing stage I don't sweat trying to get that final bit of sharpness. I stop at the 30k or Nakayama, instead of going on to the 0.1 micron diamond or 0.05 micron aluminum oxide or newspaper. If I'm honing a sheffield then I'll stop at the shapton 8k or 15k, or the thuringen, or something like that. My edges are very sharp but they are not feather sharp. They do not thin my skin like a feather. They are pretty sharp, but they are not as sharp as I can get them - they are "slightly duller".