Thread: Help me get my edge back!!!

I got my vintage straight razor last week, it had been honed and stropped and was lovely and sharp - HHT no problem.

I've shaved with it three times and stropped it about 20 times before and after each time. However, after the second shave I applied some strop paste (Dovo stuff with the yellow stripe) to the strop. It seemed so go in reasonably well, but the next time I stropped the spine got some paste on it, so perhaps I put too much on? Anyway, I gave it a wipe and took off the excess (I think) and kept stropping. Still no more sharpness.

I looked at the stropping video and in the Wiki and realised I'd been far too agressive with my stropping (too much pressure on the blade) so have since been stropping more gently.

Now my question is - can I get the edge back with stropping alone, and how much would it need?
Or have I ruined the strop with the paste? What can I do to get it back to what it was like when it was new? It's a smallish Dovo strop, btw.

In terms of hones I only have a small BBW (4000 grit) at the moment, so can that be used to get some edge back, and if so, how?

Should I get the coticule and get to work with that in the pyramid method recommended here?

Help, guys! My technique is getting better but obviously if the edge isn't keen enough I need to make more passes to get all the hairs, and this means more irritation.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Om

I'd try a few passes on the 4k and then strop on newspaper using the TPT and HHT very frequently to get the edge where I want it. Don't overdo anything since making it worse could put it out of reach of these tools.

X

Thanks, X

Should I wrap newspaper round the strop to use that method? Sorry if this is a daft question...

I've actually never used newsprint, but I'd fold up a small section and lay it flat on the counter like a sort of paddle strop.

I've begun this process - a few laps on the 4k then lots on the paper, then repeat; and I think I can see progress.

The whole honing/stropping thing is a slow, delicate process, isn't it?

Patience and technique are obviously the way forward here...

Thanks again X for your advice.

Anyone else have a perspective here?

If you would like and want to pay the postage, I'll be happy to re-hone it for you at on me.

Let me know and good luck.

Lynn

Omikin, I use the newspaper to smooth out the Norton 4000/8000 stones and if you can lay the newspaper on something flat, such as a dry stone, or paddle strop, or even a book...it will go pretty easy for you to strop this way.

...or you could send the razor to Lynn. He's honed a couple of razors in his life.

Lynn's the man!

Originally Posted by omikin

I've begun this process - a few laps on the 4k then lots on the paper, then repeat; and I think I can see progress.

Well I don't know about repeating. I suspect the more you keep at this the harder it will be to achieve the edge you want. A few laps on the 4k would dull the edge a little and then you'd want to buff it back up with the newsprint. This is all just theory for me since I've never tried it.

Originally Posted by omikin

The whole honing/stropping thing is a slow, delicate process, isn't it?

You're at a disadvantage with the less than ideal set of tools you're using. If you had an 8k waterstone, it should be pretty quick provided you're using good technique, which is quite a variable for a n00b.

Originally Posted by omikin

Patience and technique are obviously the way forward here...

This is true.

There's a great satisfaction in achieving the edge yourself, but you can't expect a lot if you're just getting out of the gate. If you're not getting the edge, you should take Lynn up on his kind offer until your skills/tools come together a little more.

X

Very nice Lynn!