Thread: Feather Blades vs. Sharpened Straight Razor

I have been shaving with a disposable blade straight razor for almost a year now. I love it. I purchased a real straight razor a while ago and had it sharpened professionally but the blade still isn't sharp enough to cut through my hair. I have no problem with the disposable snap in half blades I use. Is it possible to get a SS Straight razor as sharp as the disposable blades that I currently use? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth my time to have it sharpened again.

Thanks for the help

Kendrick

No it is not possible to get a straight razor as sharp as the blades you are used to.

They should however cut hair, and have shaved every type of hair out there for hundreds of years so it is unlikely in the extreme that yours is too tough for it to cut.

There may be a problem with your technique but with you having shaved with a disposable for a while now i doubt that your technique is bad enough to keep you from cutting at least some hair. You will have to learn a little different technique to get the most out of a real straight but not much.


The most likely cause of your problem is either a junk razor, or a bad sharpening job. These are both equally as likely. What brand is your razor? If it's good I would send it to Lynn for a real sharpening. Virtually no professional knife or scissors sharpener has any idea what to do with a straight razor. About the only guys who do this well will be found right here.

There are some who would say a disposable is too sharp. But I can't imagine who would say that.

I have a DOVO SS, I had it sharpened by Lynn a while ago and I only tried to use it once. All it does is tug at my hair. I guess I'll just stick to the disposable blades.

Thanks for all your help.

Kendrick

I've gotten a couple blades darned sharp where they were right up there with a disposable blade as far as mowing through even my chin hairs easily after a pasted strop.
The disposables are definitely sharper, but that usually manfests itself more in skin irritation than an easier shave.
Sometimes it's nice to just take out the shavette with minimal beard prep and get going, though

Originally Posted by sktaylor

I have a DOVO SS, I had it sharpened by Lynn a while ago and I only tried to use it once. All it does is tug at my hair. I guess I'll just stick to the disposable blades.

My guess is you rolled the edge stropping. It's very common when you're starting out. There's plenty of room for preference between traditional straights and disposables, but no properly-stropped Lynn-honed razor should be tugging, unless you've got porcupine
quills.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

There are some who would say a disposable is too sharp. But I can't imagine who would say that.

If we're talking about feathers I'd say that. Hate the things. I know for some they're the holy grail of razor edges; for me they're unnecessarily sharp, insufficiently smooth and a damn bad shave all round. There's one thing they're good for in my book: the ninety-second one-pass running out the door shave. They're pretty impressive in that regard. But ATG with a feather is just stinging nettles and barbed-wire on my face, and it's not for lack of trying.

If I did roll the edge stropping it, what can I do about it?

Well, you will need to rehone. But it's not a start-from-scratch type of honing. You've still got a good bevel and all.

Do you have a hone?

If not, you may want to send it to a honemeister. If money is an issue, I'll do it for free. I'm no Lynn, but I can get it back to a nice shaving edge and you can give it another whirl.

When you're stropping, you really do have to focus on keeping the spine in contact with the leather at all times.