Thread: Sound changed after honing

Hello folks.
I just shaved after getting my razor (professionally) honed for the first time.
I am used to having the sound of a butter knife on toast when shaving, but now it made extremely little to no sound at all while shaving.
I can't complain about the quality of the shave, but is that usually a good thing or a bad thing?

I would say a good thing. I hone my own razors. The most satisfying ones glide over my beard without a sound. I can tell when I strop the razor also. The well honed razors make very little sound on the strop and slide smoothly on the leather.

I don't know if that means anything or not. OTH if it shaves as well or better than before it really doesn't matter. The only razors I have that make that butter knife on toast sound are extra full hollows and they do glide along too, quiet on the strop also.

Bob

Thank you for your answers.
It is also very silent on the strop. It gave me a BBS shave so all is well but I was surprised since I was getting so used to that sound.
I will make sure to pay attention to whether the butter knife on toast sound comes back as the edge gets some wear and tear.

A microchipped bevel often makes that crunchy sound on the strop and on the beard. Honing it will remove the little chips so it is quiet and usually more comfortable.

Originally Posted by Peterlh

I am used to having the sound of a butter knife on toast when shaving, but now it made extremely little to no sound at all while shaving.
I can't complain about the quality of the shave, but is that usually a good thing or a bad thing?

Have you lowered the shaving angle maybe ? That will quieten the shave a little.

Originally Posted by Peterlh

Hello folks.
I just shaved after getting my razor (professionally) honed for the first time.
I am used to having the sound of a butter knife on toast when shaving, but now it made extremely little to no sound at all while shaving.
I can't complain about the quality of the shave, but is that usually a good thing or a bad thing?

I do my own honing and recently made a cotton material bench strop. A few days earlier I did my usual honing on a new to me vintage razor. I got my usual edge quality and a good shave. Everything was well enough. As usual I got that noise that I was used to on a full hollow 6/8 blade. No complaints, just the usual results. So since I had this new bench strop I figured I would test it on a recent hone. Hey, no harm done right?

20 or so laps later I went and did my usual shave routine. The noise and feedback disappeared! The shave was smoother, my skin was smoother when I was done, and each pass was "buttery" as I have only read about.

What you have is a very good thing. That honemeister has a very good technique for that particular razor. That was money well spent.

I agree low noise equals smooth slicing of whiskers without resistance or chatter. I have on occasion gotten a couple of my blades to do this for me, for my level of honing I would call it luck. The blade almost squeegees the hairs off the face. you are fortunate to have your blade in such condition.

Enjoy it.

Ah the silent choppers. Got to love when an edge just mows every hair down effortlessly. I would say its a good thing!

Thank you for all the replies. I am looking forward to shaving with it again.