The eternal question: is it sharp enough?

Ok, so I have been straight edging for something like 3 weeks. I have gotton some good results, and had a grand time. Throughout I have dealt with some "tugging", irritation, and razor burn, especially on the chin and neck. After reading dozens of other newbie posts and the replies to them I had mostly chalked it up to inexperience. With no benchmark it was I could assume.

I bought a brand new razor specifically AS a benchmark. A Thiers Issard singing from the classic shaving, supposedly prehoned by Lynn.

I tried the hanging hair test on day one. It didn't exactly cut the hair in half. In fact the only way I could get any effect was to cut the hair very close to my finger, where there wasn't much give. And even then it was more likely to split the hair than cut it.

I tried again today, after stropping it 50 on the linnen, and another 100 on the leather side of the strop. It took quiet a bit of coaxing to get a hair to split.

After reading a lot it doesn't sound like that is how the hanging hair test works.

Is it safe to assume that it isn't just me? I don't want to pay another 15$ to get it re-honed. But, while I am buying my own sharpening and honing set up (I'm thinking a DMT 8k and a 4 sided strop), I still want that benchmark, to know exactly what I'm trying to achieve. Any thoughts?

The hanging hair test means little to nothing and Lynn has said the same thing several times, what counts is how it shaves. Go ahead and shave with it. The hair on your face is different than the hair on your head,arms, legs etc. Different razors have different bevels and there are other variables. I have one razor that will and one that wont and shaves equally well. HHT is just fun stuff to play with, nothing to get concerned about. The only thing that does concern me is your stropping, I hope you stropped correctly and did not round the edge. Other than this, go and enjoy your razor!

I echo nun2sharp's concern that you may have rolled the edge on your razor while stropping. This is not uncommon when starting out.

IMHO . I think you may be stropping a little too much . I do 20 on the linen , and 50 on the leather . Of course , if you ask 10 different straight shavers , how many laps they strop , you will probably get 10 different answears .:shrug:

It seems to me that if the sharpness seemed to degrade after your stropping, then you probably knocked some the edge off with the stropping. With so many strokes, and inexperience it is possible that the edge was rolled over -- not enough to be visible with the naked eye, but enough to affect the "teeth" of the blade. I recommend trying stropping again with linen and canvas, but check the edge with the thumb pad test (TPT) after every 20 strokes to see if you feel improvement.

The razor isn't necessarliy lost as a benchmark either. When you get to honing other razors, you'll know how you're doing by either falling short or surpassing its current sharpness.

the HHT is a cool trick to impress people, but is not necessarily a solid indicator of how a razor will shave. some of my best shavers will not pass the HHT, and some of my razors that DO pass it don't shave especially well.

if it shaves well, then it's sharp enough, end of story.

Good one Jockey! However, newbies like us are still trying to figure out if it shaves well. I'll have a better feeling for it as I get more experience...

If it was professionally honed by Lynn, then I think that eliminates that variable. I would be patient, leave honing alone for now, and concentrate on your stropping and shaving technique. Be sure you are prepping well too.

All the razors in my rotation are good shavers.As much as I enjoy having a successful HHT, it really doesn't matter though. I find that through experience, you'll know what is sharp by just touching the edge with your thumb-and even then, the real proof is in the shaving test.

As you become more confident in your shaving skills, alot of the discomfort you describe will stop. I too have received a Razor honed by Lynn and I can assure you IT WAS SHARP. My advice would be to really keep your stropping technique correct-don't be in a rush, do a complete pre-shave prep, lather up and give it a go.Just remember to STRETCH your skin and let the Razor do the work-Best of Luck.

beard prep, shaving technique, and strapping well are what takes so much practice and time and effort. A sharp razor will not replace the need to practice practice practice those three things.

It may be hard, but I think you need to assume the razor is sharp for at least 5 or 6 shaves and see how your shaves improve through practicing beard prep, shaving technique, and leather strapping. I wouldn't question the razor's sharpness unless your shaves don't improve at all over several shaves. There are just too many other variables that can share the same symptoms as a slightly dull razor

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Originally Posted by Lt.Arclight

All the razors in my rotation are good shavers.As much as I enjoy having a successful HHT, it really doesn't matter though. I find that through experience, you'll know what is sharp by just touching the edge with your thumb-and even then, the real proof is in the shaving test.

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I don't try the shaving test until the edge is so sharp , I'm afriad to touch it with my thumb :D .

I remember my newbie days, and I also still get the occasional tug on a razor.

If you move the razor wrong, or if you are hesitant, or have the wrong angle, you can get pulling.

Mostly razor burn is from YOU pushing the razor into your face too hard. Light swipes across your face, not down it, prevent this.


My own personal test of a razor's sharpness is WTG on my mustachios. If it easily digs in and slides down my upper lip, giving a smooth finish, with almost no pressure, the razor is perfect.

If it wants to glance off the mustache whiskers, and I have to force it into them, it isn't sharp enough.

I bought a razor from Lynn, and not understanding exactly what I was dealing with (levels of sharpness), and being a first time straight shaver I questioned the edge. After shaving and honing other razors, I realize that was a damn sharp razor! I think after 4 or 5 shaves with your Lynn honed razor, you will find your sweet spot. I usually strop 20 on linen and 25 leather.

I find that hairs are more difficult to cut in one direction than the other. On some hairs for example I touch my razor more than 1 cm away from my fingers and the hair is cut and don't even feel it, sometimes I feel a faint tug and the cut. I turn the hair around and it's very difficult to cut without being maybe an 8th of an inche of my fingers.

This may be because hairs have a bark like surface and this surface has a direction (like scale on a fish). Try it both ways.

On the other hand, I don't think it's possible to learn to use a straight razors without nicks and cuts, since learning is a feedback process of "too much" and "too little" until it's "just right" hopefully. Hence "If at first you faill, try and try again".

McKie



Hair under a microscope : http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2164/...5a2dc63a_o.jpg

My goal is to get better at determining sharpness by using the TPT.
And here also there're several versions of the TPT, so go figure. :shrug: