Dropped Razor, Please Help!

I bought a shave-ready razor from here and am getting ready to shave. I've actually tried a few times with mixed results. Anyway, I bought an Heirloom Strop. I was stropping my razor for the first time, and while stropping, I accidentally dropped it on my hard wood floor. I immediately noticed a jagged piece of the edge towards the point. I tried to strop against the rough side of the leater, and it did leave a mark. I've attached a picture of the razor for further clarification. Can this be honed out with a Norton 4k/8k or does it need to be sent to an expert? Either way, hopefully this rookie mistake can be salvaged. Please help! And, thanks in advance for any advice you may give.

http://thejonesnetwork.net/misc/str8/SANY0171.JPG

http://thejonesnetwork.net/misc/str8/SANY01722.JPG

If all that you did is those chips then yes it can be honed out. Unless you have some skill at honing you might be better off sending it to a honemiester. :gl:

Wow...if that's all the damage you did you got off pretty light.

+1 on what Jimmy said...it can be fixed but unless you know what you're doing it's best to send it out.

This is why I don't hone, strop or shave barefoot anymore. :w

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bajjer31

I bought a shave-ready razor from here and am getting ready to shave. I've actually tried a few times with mixed results. Anyway, I bought an Heirloom Strop. I was stropping my razor for the first time, and while stropping, I accidentally dropped it on my hard wood floor. I immediately noticed a jagged piece of the edge towards the point. I tried to strop against the rough side of the leater, and it did leave a mark. I've attached a picture of the razor for further clarification. Can this be honed out with a Norton 4k/8k or does it need to be sent to an expert? Either way, hopefully this rookie mistake can be salvaged. Please help! And, thanks in advance for any advice you may give.

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The mixed results were probably because the razor should have been stropped before each shave.... That is neither here nor there at this point, the razor needs to be honed, and unless you are experienced at it I would also recommend sending it out.... BTW it not that bad from what I can see in the pics, but it is not a simple touch up...

Well, I'd say this may be a good opportunity to learn honing, if you would like to do it. By the time you get those chips out you should be able to put a shaving edge on the blade.
But it's perfectly fine to have it honed too.


Edit: Glen, thanks for the color :) Yeah if you haven't gotten used to shaving yet, don't tackle honing and shaving at the same time.

The damage is light and it can be honed out, but you'll need to re-hone the edge. Actually I'd start on 1000 to remove the damage and then hone from scratch on the Norton. I'd leave that to a pro if I were you.

Is this your one and only razor? If I were in your shoes, I'd probably do one of these:

1. Send this out, wait to get it back, practice lathering, etc.
2. Buy another to use, and start learning to hone on this one (especially if you didn't spend so much on the first one) - go slow. While I myself would likely resort to a lower grit as Ilija advised earlier, for you it may be good to just work the 4k slowly - you'll benefit from the practice anyway. It can definitely do the job with time. Don't be tempted to press too much to hone out the damage quickly :) take your time and enjoy the proces / progress

Cheers
Ivo

Thanks to all that replied. I feel better now, anyway :) I'll think it over on whether to service this razor myself or send it out. I'm tempted to send it out just to see what a properly honed razor should look like.

BTW, the suggestion that my mixed results were due to lack of stropping and or skill were absolutely accurate! I did strop a bit, using newspaper and glass, and the razor, I believe was shave ready. It's the skill of my hands that need work!

Thanks again,
Bill