Thread: Begineer unable to maintain shave ready edge

I would also guess your stropping technique isn't quite there yet, maybe to much pressure or flex in the strop. You could also look into a CrOx pasted paddle, use it at first sign of pulling/tugging, then strop as usual

practice makes perfect
keep trying and go slow

Hi,
As I think you've probably gathered it sounds like your razors do in fact need honing if they are not now sharp enough to shave with. I'd agree that it's most probably your honing that has dulled the edge, but don't forget that prep pays a big part.

I'd recommend a Shapton 16k hone for touch ups, as few as 10 laps can be enough; at least in my experience.

I'd still do as suggested and get both professionally honed, and then use one as a bench mark. So, when one gets dull, use the Shapton 16k to bring it back to being shave ready using the razor you haven't yet used as a guide. Then, assuming they are now both shave ready and reasonably equal in regards to sharpness, you could use the other not yet used razor until that needs a touch up and so on.

When you get them honed I'd ask the honer to use tape on the spine (but that's just my preference) and then continue to tape the spine when you use the Shapton 16k. You can touch up a razor on a hone like this for a long time before it needs a harsher hone'; I find I haven't needed to go to a coarser hone since the original honing on many of my razors.

be careful that a cheap razor is actually worth honing. Cheap razors can have a lot of spine wear and/or warping of the blade, as well as other problems like being honed to the stabiliser...

Carl

After you get your razors fixed you may want to reduce the variables by placing the strop on flat surface (e.g. table, countertop). Then all you need to worry about is keeping the spine of the razor in constant contact with the strop - the edge will take care of itself.
Ten shaves are not much, so you could try light abrasive on one of your razors only. 0.5u (microns) chromium oxide is fairly standard, but you can use diamond or other 'pastes'/'powders'. Sparing use is important both in application of the abrasive to whatever surface you use (piece of wood, even the back of your strop may work), and in refreshing the edge (by shave 5 you would have deterioration so 3 laps and test, if necessary do 3 more - this order of numbers).

Keep us posted on the progress - it's much more difficult to do it over the internet, but chances are your issues are solvable.

Originally Posted by monkeyboyo

Confused about what combination to buy for maintaining shave ready edge, and for honing. Thanks again for any help

ps I have a 1000 grit Japanese stone available to borrow, but was unable to improve on edge using that.

1k is for bevel set, 4/5k is for sharpening and 8k is basic polishing. Anything higher is refinement on the polishing. More info here
What hone(s), paste(s), or spray(s) do I need? - Straight Razor Place Library

Secondly if you used a 1k hone on your shave ready razors you have completely removed their edge and will defiantly need to get them honed.