Thread: Dent on edge of razor

Good morning gentlemen!

Update: I have been shaving using the straight.....I can now shave with both my hands now albeit with a patchy chin. Today I felt the razor pulling and I am feeling a little irritation on the skin. I have decided to put the piece down for now and wait for the Norton to arrive. In the meantime I will soak in with as many honing vdos as I can.

Here's a little confession: I know I may get some stick for this......since I am aware that the blade WASN'T honed and NOT shave ready, I took the leap to shave to my chin and neck with my non-dormant hand a little sooner. I really don't know if I have broken a code doing it, but as a new comer not having a sharp edge has actually helped me to push myself to learn a bit quicker.

Well, yes and no. When your blade is dull you compensate for the dull edge. Usually this involves excessive pressure and this leads to skin irritation. After your razor is sharp, you probably will need to dramatically reduce the pressure. Keeping your strokes light makes a huge difference and sometimes I still have to remind myself to lighten up--at least when shaving!

I completely agree with Ron but understand where you are coming from. I started shaving and honing simultaneously so as my edges got better the pressure got lighter.

Once you do get that razor honed you are going to want to use the lightest touch or you will be feeling the burn. Not fun and you need to heal before you can shave again.

Good luck with your honing and hope it all comes together for you.

I'll second what they said above. When I was learning to hone and finally got an edge right it was next level sharp and well above what I had used prior. I've actually done that to myself a few times where my ability to hone a razor outstripped my ability to shave with it.

If you're still considering CrOx, SRD's spray is good stuff.

Thanks man! That's a valuable tip.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Well, yes and no. When your blade is dull you compensate for the dull edge. Usually this involves excessive pressure and this leads to skin irritation. After your razor is sharp, you probably will need to dramatically reduce the pressure. Keeping your strokes light makes a huge difference and sometimes I still have to remind myself to lighten up--at least when shaving!

Thanks for the wishes Eddy. Talks of "burn" , "heal" are really starting to give me the jitters! I was actually congratulating myself on been to able to use my left hand to shave!

Originally Posted by eddy79

I completely agree with Ron but understand where you are coming from. I started shaving and honing simultaneously so as my edges got better the pressure got lighter.

Once you do get that razor honed you are going to want to use the lightest touch or you will be feeling the burn. Not fun and you need to heal before you can shave again.

Good luck with your honing and hope it all comes together for you.

Hi Marshal

I was actually guided to the SRD spray. But I don't have any means to buy it off SRD's platform. Amazon is the only place I can buy stuffs from beyond Bangladesh.

Originally Posted by Marshal

I'll second what they said above. When I was learning to hone and finally got an edge right it was next level sharp and well above what I had used prior. I've actually done that to myself a few times where my ability to hone a razor outstripped my ability to shave with it.

If you're still considering CrOx, SRD's spray is good stuff.

Originally Posted by Marshal

....
If you're still considering CrOx, SRD's spray is good stuff.

Yes SRD's sprays are good sprays...
I would note that 1 micron and submicron sprays are not for putting
an edge on a razor but for changing the quality of an already sharp edge.

CrOx is very green and will stain carpet and stuff. Spray outside with an
old newspaper to catch any over spray. For the home shaver apply small amounts
over time. In a machine shop making razors and knives other rules apply.

I think of submicron sprays as canvas break in accelerators. Over time the
canvas side of a strop would collect bits of steel that oxidize and even bits of
grit from the hones. Red jewelers rouge is iron oxide and both red and black
iron oxide will polish steel. I love my old almost black strop and I think this is
why it works so well.

CrOx is very aggressive and will darken with iron quickly at which point
the aggressive nature gives way to a better (to me) stropping surface.

Summary: sprays are not for 'sharpening' but they can make sharp comfortable
and smooth.
If there was only one I would suggest 0.25micron Cubic boron nitride.
Use the finest you can get.. you cannot remove it if it is too coarse.

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to breaking it down for me!

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

Yes SRD's sprays are good sprays...
I would note that 1 micron and submicron sprays are not for putting
an edge on a razor but for changing the quality of an already sharp edge.

CrOx is very green and will stain carpet and stuff. Spray outside with an
old newspaper to catch any over spray. For the home shaver apply small amounts
over time. In a machine shop making razors and knives other rules apply.

I think of submicron sprays as canvas break in accelerators. Over time the
canvas side of a strop would collect bits of steel that oxidize and even bits of
grit from the hones. Red jewelers rouge is iron oxide and both red and black
iron oxide will polish steel. I love my old almost black strop and I think this is
why it works so well.

CrOx is very aggressive and will darken with iron quickly at which point
the aggressive nature gives way to a better (to me) stropping surface.

Summary: sprays are not for 'sharpening' but they can make sharp comfortable
and smooth.
If there was only one I would suggest 0.25micron Cubic boron nitride.
Use the finest you can get.. you cannot remove it if it is too coarse.

Hello Gents,

Here's an update - For the first time in my life (and maybe in Bangladesh) I have set the bevel and honed (I think) using

Lynn's circle method

on the 4k/8k Norton. Since I worked on the 4K side for the bevel setting, I did 3 sets of 40, where Lynn performed a single set.

The straight passed the TNT. Since, I have no idea how a shave ready SR should feel like, I am not sure whether it reached that level of sharpness. But it is popping hairs on my forearm, sadly it did not pass the HHT!

But the best thing is that the dent is gone now. Do you guys notice that the toe isn't reflecting light? Now I can't remember whether it was reflecting when I first got it....or that point wasn't pressured enough..let me know your thoughts.