Thread: Going back to a straight, Trouble laying an edge on my blade

Good evening gentlemen. I have been lurking for a while but decided to join the masses, and ask a question.

Long ago, I use to shave with an old antique straight razor back in college. I have decided to go back to my old ways and try out a straight blade again.
Before I dove in on an expensive razor I thought I would try picking up a deal on a good condition blade on eBay. I picked up a 5/8 inch KeenKutter K10 for a song that appeared to be in good condition. The scales look new, pins are tight, and no rust or nicks on the blade, just a bit of polish to get it back in shape and a good hone to lay a new edge.

It is good and clean, looks practically new, but I having problems getting the edge to where I want it. After a good hand polish, I laid a new bevel with a 1200 stone, then a 4K to smooth it out. I picked up a Norton 6K 8K combo stone today since I could not find my old stones (no pun intended). I honed it on the 6K and then gave it a good 200 passes on the 8K to polish the edge. It is sharp, but not sharp enough, and I am stropping on an old horse hide strop (no nicks, smooth as silk). The edge will take hare off your arm like it was just laying there, but my beard fights back and I am not going to use a less than ideal blade on my face, dull is dangerous.

Any suggestions? I am thinking I need to go back a couple of steps and look at the initial bevel again. I may have not honed it down enough and I am just polishing a false edge. I think I can see a second bevel right on the edge. I can lay an edge on my hunting knife that will scare the hide off a deer but this straight razor is being a challenge. I believe the steel has the ability to take the edge and the problem is on the handle side.

I think it was a good $11 ebay deal, or did I make a mistake?

How many years has it been?
It is possible that you need your blade a little sharper but equally likely that it is poor prep, bad technique, or a combination of all three! You might consider sending your razor to Lynn or one of the honemeisters here just to be certain and then you can practice your technique and prep without being concerned about whether you razor is sharp enough!

Welcome to SRP, Dave,

I think double bevel may be the problem, so no harm checking it. You can mark the edge with permanent marker (jus put dots every mm or so) and do 2-3 swipes on the 8k, then check if the marker is gone completely till the edge.

You've probably read the copy of the barber's manual in the library section, but that's pretty much what it is - you need a light touch. It looks like way too many passes, but I'm really a newbie. Lynn has a system with doing pyramids (alternating between 4k and 8k sides of a Norton) which he explains in his DVD.

If you don't get more advice here, you may want to repost in the Hones section, or even better ask a moderator (bruno, azjoe come to mind) to move your post there.

Good luck


PS The razor looks good - I've never had one, but I hear they are nice shavers. And for $10 it's a very good deal as well. Looks like it's at 4/8 may be even less so certainly try to be conservative with your norton unless you want to end up with a toothpick. Not that you can't shave with a small razor, but lacking the mass/inertia it requires more skill.

It has been a few years but not as many as you might think. I am not that old. I think the last time I used a straight blade was in early 90's. Not quite sure why I started other than the fascination and uniqueness of using a straight blade. I never really had an issue with nicks or hamburger face and hope to pick up where I left off at. I have a full beard now so the shaves are cheek trims and neck but the clean edge will make trims nice and easy.

I thought about sending it off for a hone to start off right but thought I would try to lay an edge on it myself to start but do not want to hone it to a nub. I think I will double check the bevel than I may call the Calvary and have Lynn or one of the other masters get me off on the right foot. I never had and an issue keeping a keen edge, wish I knew where those old two razors I use to use went to.

i'm thinking that sooner or later you'll probably want to do your own honing and this razor seems a good one to learn on. if i were you i'd probably purchase another shave-ready razor here from somebody here - josh earl, heavyduty, izlat seem to often have inexpensive ones and they are perfectly honed.
i like two razors as i think most people here will tell you it's a matter of 'when' you ding your first one. the hard part is stopping at 2.
i hear honing a razor is slightly different than honing a knife - that's just from reading threads of people who say are very good at honing knives.

I put the razor down for the evening and got some sleep; I have had the flu all week and am still recovering. With a fresh eyes and the morning light I could clearly see a second bevel on the edge where it was honed long ago. So I sat back down with the whetstone and went back to work. A couple hours later I have a nice keen edge. A little stropping and I took it to the face this morning.

Whiskers be gone! They were long, I had not shaved in 4 days and they were a good 1/16 inch or longer, pretty scraggily. The first couple of strokes were slow as I got the action and balance back in my hand. No cuts no blood, just baby smooth cheeks and neck. I guess that is the nice thing about having a beard, no pesky under nose or rolling chin cuts to make. Two strokes for each cheek and a few under neck and I am finished. It still needs a hair more sharpening. I need to get another strop and run a little hone paste on it to finish off the edge, or get an ultra fine polishing stone.

I still think a new razor is in my future, probably sooner than later, but this get me started. My wife and kids think I am quite insane for using it but a man has to do what a man has to do.

Cheers and good shaving.

AHHHHHH!!! Just kidding. Go to the library section and check out the pyramid section under Norton 4k/8k. It helps.

To be more specific it's under library help guides,
permanent archives, honing and stropping then
Pyramiding with the Norton 4k/8k by Randy Tuttle.
Good information there. Good luck.

John