Thread: Do I need to Re Hone my razor

Today when I finished shaving I strop the razor like I normally do after I finish shaving then I did a thumb nail test were you wet your thumb nail and move the blade to check if it dull. As I did this I felt this small stubble like a small bump close to the heel and now in the toe . When I strop before I shave I also did the same test it just glided perfectly no bumps. could this mean I have micro chips in the razor do I need to hone the razor? Could some of the nicks in the Strop damage it.
Thanks in advance

One or two microchips shouldn't be a problem, if you have many more they will be. In that case you can only rehone your razor. If you have nicks on your strop you need to get rid of all the bits that stick out and smooth the leather out with a piece of pumice.

1. strop the razor before shaving and not after!
2. do not thumb nail test a keen razor because this damage the sharp edge! (after the thumb nail test, the razor MUST BE REHONED)
3. I dont believe that these nicks in the strop damage the edge
4. indication for rehoning is how it shaves

Originally Posted by Yannis

2. do not thumb nail test a keen razor because this damage the sharp edge! (after the thumb nail test, the razor MUST BE REHONED)

Wow. I never heard this before.

Originally Posted by Kyle76

Wow. I never heard this before.

Read this report from Mark:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showt...highlight=test

Viktor

theres no need to do the thumb nail test after you know the razor's sharp. every time you glide/dig that keen edge into your nail you are dulling it slightly.

to do it before shaving then after shaving.. thats alot every day and definitely a way to destroy that edge way faster then normally it would decline.

~J

Dang I didn't see this Thanks for the Info

Originally Posted by jscott

theres no need to do the thumb nail test after you know the razor's sharp. every time you glide/dig that keen edge into your nail you are dulling it slightly.

to do it before shaving then after shaving.. thats alot every day and definitely a way to destroy that edge way faster then normally it would decline.

~J

This is absolutely true. The thumbnail test is too harsh on the microscopic edge and it is only really useful to check if you have a good bevel off the 4K; it will not tell you if you are close to being shave ready. You can do the thumbpad test withouth damaging the edge.

colmustang,

If the strop was new when you received it and those nicks are something which developed from your stropping, it appears that you are reversing direction in your strop stroke before lifting the edge from the strop. If this is the case, that may be what is damaging the edge. From attempts at honing, I am learning how delicate these edges are and if you rotate the edge of the razor up while it is slightly embedded in the strop, you can easily be causing the nicks in the blade that you are feeling.

Bruce

Originally Posted by colmustang

Today when I finished shaving I strop the razor like I normally do after I finish shaving then . . .

Right in one!