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

Semantics, indeed.

Against better judgement, allow me to stick my nose in that wasps nest...

In my daily recurring pondering about razor edges, I differentiate in my mind between a few terms:

-Sharpness: how easily the edge can cleave (a whisker, in our cause): Both "keenness" and "jaggedess" contribute to "sharpness".

-Keenness: how thin the line is where both bevel sides meet each other.

-Jaggedness: microscopical irregular projections and indentations at the very edge (sawtooth patterns if you wish) add considerate penetration ability.

For some examples:

-The DMT1200 edge, which is very sticky on both the TNT and TPT and easily pops a hanging hair, lends it sharpness on plenty of jaggedness and reasonable keenness.

-The completed bevel on a typical Coticule with slurry feels less sticky on TNT and TPT, and does not pop a hanging hair. There is no jaggedness to aid the keenness.

-Often, progressing to a finer step in a setup of synthetic water hones, makes the edge appear less sharp after the first laps. I believe this is because the jaggedness disappears before the keenness catches up after doing some more work.

Now, as far as "too sharp" is concerned. I believe people sometimes say this when the edge is too harsh. Harshness, I believe is caused by jaggedness, even if this occurs at micron level.
"Too sharp" can also mean that the person using the razor, is used to shaving with and edge that is more forgiving to applied pressure or an edge that allows for a steeper shaving angle or an edge that sustains pronounced scything motions without sinking into the skin.

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

A few weeks ago I honed a razor for SRP-member Bromion, after he posted about ongoing irritation issues.
I first honed my usual routine. Shaved 4 full passes (1 WTG, 1 XTG and 2 ATG) with that razor, something I never do otherwise. Paid attention to the sting of the alum block. Before the next test shave, I toned down the edge a bit with 10 laps on a Coticule with very light slurry. (I know this brings the keenness down a bit).
Payed attention during the next test shave (again 4 passes) if I didn't went overboard. The razor definitely felt different, not as effortness, but certainly not pulling either. But: no sting on the alum whatsoever this time. That's how I send the razor to Jason.

I salute the guys from the Shapon 30K experiment. I love what they're doing. But I 'm not into shaving with feather light touch myself. I believe it's great that there are all these different preferences in razors, hones, pastes and the edges rendered by all the variables. Isn't that one of the things what keeps us all coming back to SRP?

Bart.