Thread: Can t get my Boker Silver Steel sharp

Originally Posted by Icarusflies

hummm...actually I did not think about that...The Boker was honed by a different honer, a reputable one, he used power wheels...

He used power wheels to hone the blade? Or just to polish the sides (i.e. not touching the edge). If power tools are being used to hone the edge, is this a knife sharpener or a dedicated razor honer? I wouldn't let anyone near the edges of my straights with any power tool.

Quite apart from the potential for pretty explosive disasters should a powered tool catch the razor, there is also great heat buildup when using powered tools on a razor. The steel is so thin that it can heat to the point of ruining the edge's hardness in a heartbeat. If that has not happened, then the Boker should be fine once you get the right combination of honer and stone. They are good razors. If the heat treatment has been damaged by overheating, then I'm afraid you're hooped.

Originally Posted by Cangooner

He used power wheels to hone the blade? Or just to polish the sides (i.e. not touching the edge). If power tools are being used to hone the edge, is this a knife sharpener or a dedicated razor honer? I wouldn't let anyone near the edges of my straights with any power tool.

Quite apart from the potential for pretty explosive disasters should a powered tool catch the razor, there is also great heat buildup when using powered tools on a razor. The steel is so thin that it can heat to the point of ruining the edge's hardness in a heartbeat. If that has not happened, then the Boker should be fine once you get the right combination of honer and stone. They are good razors. If the heat treatment has been damaged by overheating, then I'm afraid you're hooped.

Yes, that was what I was thinking.

Bob

Originally Posted by Cangooner

He used power wheels to hone the blade? Or just to polish the sides (i.e. not touching the edge). If power tools are being used to hone the edge, is this a knife sharpener or a dedicated razor honer? I wouldn't let anyone near the edges of my straights with any power tool.

Quite apart from the potential for pretty explosive disasters should a powered tool catch the razor, there is also great heat buildup when using powered tools on a razor. The steel is so thin that it can heat to the point of ruining the edge's hardness in a heartbeat. If that has not happened, then the Boker should be fine once you get the right combination of honer and stone. They are good razors. If the heat treatment has been damaged by overheating, then I'm afraid you're hooped.

I was not there when they ¨honed¨ the boker but for when I asked afterwards they confirmed. I was told, not by them but by a reputable source, is that this is the way the barbers sharpened their razors many years ago in europe. Of course the razors would not last long.

The company that honed the Boker is one of the two that give this service in Barcelona (where I am right now). The other one is my friend and he uses stones. He is the one who honed my SR´s with the shapton. Again, he also honed the boker with the same stone before and after the power wheel treatment and still did not get the sharpness of the two other.

I would venture to say that you should have a conversation with them about what techniques (and stones) they used to hone your Boker.

I don't care what was done historically, I would NEVER sharpen my edge on a power tool, I screw it up fast enough on a 12k with 0 pressure going slow

regarding perceived sharpness, I had a Torrey wedge that felt dull compared to a full hollow anything, but it was very sharp, just didn't feel that way... it felt like a butter knife, totally dull and not seeming to grab anything, but then I would look at my face and realize all the hair was gone

can you get any SR, as long as it is in good condition, properly sharp? ... and if so why to buy a US$ 400 SR instead of a US$ 100 one...is it pure aesthetics, kind of buying a watch?

Originally Posted by Icarusflies

can you get any SR, as long as it is in good condition, properly sharp? ... and if so why to buy a US$ 400 SR instead of a US$ 100 one...is it pure aesthetics, kind of buying a watch?

Personally I would say any "well made SR from a reputable maker" vintage or new will hone up properly and shave well. Trick is to avoid buying inexpensive razor shaped objects. If you are looking at new SRs from reputable makers the price difference between entry level models and more expensive models from the same maker is normally accounted for by fancier scales, more engraving, higher polish and worked spines. All the things that cost more to add to a basic SR. So with those caveats, yes to both your question imo.

Bob

Originally Posted by Icarusflies

can you get any SR, as long as it is in good condition, properly sharp? ... and if so why to buy a US$ 400 SR instead of a US$ 100 one...is it pure aesthetics, kind of buying a watch?

Any SR that is a) made from good steel b) ground to a good shape and c) properly heat treated can be made into a good shaver. Much of the extra cost for the expensive ones if for razor bling: fancy scales, engraving, etc., OR recognition of the skills of an artisan if it was made by hand.

So a lower end decent razor (I'm thinking Dovo, Aust, etc) can be just as good a shaver as a top end custom. Whether the extra cost is worth it is entirely the buyer's decision.

However, remove one of the variables above (cheap steel, wonky design, bad heat treat) and you'll have a very hard time getting it to shave well.

EDIT: Bob beat me to it.

Originally Posted by Cangooner

He used power wheels to hone the blade? Or just to polish the sides (i.e. not touching the edge). If power tools are being used to hone the edge, is this a knife sharpener or a dedicated razor honer? I wouldn't let anyone near the edges of my straights with any power tool.

Quite apart from the potential for pretty explosive disasters should a powered tool catch the razor, there is also great heat buildup when using powered tools on a razor. The steel is so thin that it can heat to the point of ruining the edge's hardness in a heartbeat. If that has not happened, then the Boker should be fine once you get the right combination of honer and stone. They are good razors. If the heat treatment has been damaged by overheating, then I'm afraid you're hooped.

Excellent Post! The heat buildup issue make complete sense. I'm betting the fellow who used power to hone doesn't have a clue about SEs.