Thread: keeping the blade sharp

I've found the same thing, before shave I use 30 linen and 50 leather, after shave 10 each

Originally Posted by trondsi

I had the same problem years ago. For me the answer was using a fabric strop before the leather. Once I started doing this the edge would last much much longer.

Marshal, that is a very interesting point you make of using a loupe. Now, for some of us who are a bit less knowledgeable than you, what is it exactly you are looking for when you use the loup? Is it a smooth unscratches cutting edge, no micro-micro chips? Would you define what it is you are looking for when you use the loup? I would like to know as well as some others whom may wander upon this discussion. Thanks.

Ray Clem. Therein is the rub. Having a hardwood forest on your face would seem to require the sharpening of a blade much sooner than one with a softer beard, then there is also an issue of beard density on the face. More material to cut the more frequent the need to touch the blade up.

My estimation of how long a blade retains its sharpness will be dependent upon these factors along with other variables. Yes?

thanks. I just ordered a loupe and a linen strop.

I hope your shaves improve.
Enjoy the shave.

Sent from my phone using some app

Originally Posted by Glock27

Marshal, that is a very interesting point you make of using a loupe. Now, for some of us who are a bit less knowledgeable than you, what is it exactly you are looking for when you use the loup? Is it a smooth unscratches cutting edge, no micro-micro chips? Would you define what it is you are looking for when you use the loup? I would like to know as well as some others whom may wander upon this discussion. Thanks.

Exactly that. At 10-30x the cutting edge of the blade should be straight, no chips, and burr free. The higher you go in magnification the more microchips you're going to see, but passed a certain point you're chasing things that don't really effect the shave one way or the other. Burrs/wire edges tend to look light and kinda like the edge is fuzzy. A few edge leading X strokes is usually enough to knock those off. Once you know what to look for the cheap 30x jeweler's loupes on Amazon are enough.

Scratches fall into that same category. No matter what hone you're using, you're always going to see some scratches. I can find them from my 12K, and .5 Chromium Oxide. All a matter of getting the right lighting and viewing angle. What I'm looking for there is the best that I can get out of the stone in hand. Which takes time looking through the loupe to learn. The fastest way I suppose would be to imagine you're going from 1K to 3 or 4K. Do circles on the higher grit hone until you no longer see 1K scratches, then do no pressure X strokes until those circular lines are gone and you have nothing but straight scratches. At that point you'll know what your scratch pattern should look like on that hone when it's time to move forward.

The other thing I look for is how the very edge looks. I turn the blade edge up, and look straight down at it with the loupe. What you should see is an almost invisible line where the 2 edges meet. Any shiny areas are places where either there are chips, or the bevel is not fully set. I do this check multiple times at all phases of honing just in case I missed something, and unless I'm at 8K or higher will usually try to just sort it out on the hone I'm using at the time.

I'll borrow a page from Euclid's book. This thread has a lot of really good pictures of all phases of honing:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...ggestions.html

The photos are higher magnification than what you'd see with a 30x loupe, but they're very clear and show what to look for as you go through the process with magnification.

I have been using the Carson Micropbrite "pocket microscope" and it works great, although it takes a little practice to get used to holding it steady when it is at maximum (x120).

Ok so i bought a 60X microscope and a cloth strop for cleaning. I looked under the micrsocope a lot of times before i somewhat figured what i was looking at and at various times (before and after honing, before and after stropping, after shaving, then stropping, etc.

I think based on being noob remember at looking at a microscope; that there are more scratches on the edge after stropping. I almost feel like stropping is degrading the edge somehow. But i think to the best of my knowledge i am stropping correctly. I am going slow not putting pressure on the blade, flipping it back to make sure not to nick the edge, etc. I watched videos and i feel like i know exactly what they are saying.

I cant find the exact strop online that i bought. It was on amazon for $35 a couple years ago.
It is 3" wide, and it doesnt have any markings on it. Its not the best strop of course, but its not also one of those crap strops. I bought the 3" wide specifically because i didnt want to do an X when stropping, and found this to be easier. Its never been pasted. And i oil it once in a blue moon with my hands with natural oil from my skin (not much at all). It does feel stiff but it is a thick cow hide strop.

It does have a lot of stuff on it. I have kids in diapers and the strop is hooked low under my sink. So it gotten drawn on via a pen by one of my kids (which im pretty sure wont effect it) but its got you know; dirty looking. It could be from normal wear and tear, but it could also be from dirty kids hands.

I have never sanded it though to clean it. So now i am wondering if that might be the culprit?

Hope this might help in what you are looking on the edge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZYFsOP7rBc#t=138

Bob

i didnt mean i am a noob at looking at the edge, i meant i am a noob at using a microscope and looking at the edge. I know those tricks already. There is no blunting, wire edge, etc. to re-elaborate: There razor is completely sharp and a good shave when i get it off the hone, but after a few shaves later is not regardless of stropping. My question was whether the strop was needed to be cleaned.