Thread: OK. I am official totally clueless!

Alright so I recently bought a wapi and it was a lot sharper than a supposedly "shave ready" I got from a forum member. Afterward I found out that this forum member had tried to compose a faq for straight shaving that had many objections from other forum members. So as you can guess, it is not that surprising that the razor was not all that sharp.

Anyways, my wapi was much sharper but still not all that fantastic. In its defence I have been told I have very thick and coarse hair both on my head and face. Anyways, I was looking to get it a bit sharper and to have something to do some maintenaince on my blades so I ordered a chinese 12k because it was cheap.

So I did about 50 passess on the chinese 12k and the blade felt a bit duller on the TPT and performeed worse on the HHT (now it will only cut a hair if the blade is pretty close to the point where it is being held. So I thought I had dulled my blade, but since everyone says that shaving is the only true test, I gave it a shot.

Holy Crap! Not only was the blade noticeably sharper (Normally there is a lot of pullling on the first pass!) but it was waaaayyy smoother than my first handful of shaves with the same razor. This really had me stumped because all the tests didn't really give me much feedback as to the condition of the blade.

Are these tests just less reliable as the blade gets sharper or is it just a lack of experience? Has anyone else had a holy **** moment like this?

Sounds like a lack of experience, but let what you've learned soak in. It should have been passed the HHT a long time ago (HHT shouldn't even be an issue, even my bad honing jobs pass HHT). What you should have done is mostly smoothing. The TPT is mostly to assess stropping quality, not general sharpness. Yet, another falacy were stuck with.

Hair has a tendency to get cut better by rougher edges. An overhoned edge will do wonders to a hanging hair. Shaving with it on the other hand, well just plain sucks.

The good news is that the razor shaves better and it sounds like you honed it up better yourself, thats very commendable.

With some really good stropping the blade should be really, really good. Some guys that hone blades for others actually stop at 8K so you have less chance of screwing up the edge on a strop. Not sure if that was the case here.

50 passes on a 12K is a very sweet edge in most cases. One of my fav ways to finish.

Thanks! Your post is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for - Honesty, and a bit of other information to help sort through all of this other information!!!!

I think part of the success on the chinese 12k was because I had heard in a few places that some people like to go really light on pressure the further up they go on grit. Also, this was probably safer seeing as my technique is probably not all that great! So I figured even if my touch is too light at least it wouldn't do anything too bad. That is why I was so amazed when it shaved so well, I thought I had still managed to mess it up.

Your welcome. Sounds like you've got some inherent honing talent. I'll keep you in mind when I need a touch up!

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Your welcome. Sounds like you've got some inherent honing talent. I'll keep you in mind when I need a touch up!

Thanks for the support. I know you were kidding, but I wouldn't touch another persons razor with a ten foot pole. Is it just weird or does your razor become very personal?Is there an unwritten rule that states you cannot touch another man or womens razor without there permission? Maybe everyone can compile a list and make a little poster or something...

for me it is like tools... i won't let you borrow them until i see how you care for your own. 3 of my nephews use straights and drop them by for me to hone while they help themselves to others... but i now limit their borrowing to "normal" razors... not the customs, or rare ones... they have returned razors that needed more than a touch up...

by all means dry your razor well!

The only test that I use in determining the sharpness of the blade is by shaving my face with it. If the blade is not performing like it should, I go back to the hone, simple as that.

i'm glad this was posted as i have had some similar moments where i was using the HHT and then kept with my technique as i went up the grits and the HHT got harder to do. it is a good lesson for noobs(like me) for sure. i guess i should just start trusting my edge as i have had some pretty good shaves from razors i have honed. i guess the only cure is experience.

i know what you mean with the razor becoming personalized. i think it is the same thing as any item you put a lot of time into. i know with my guitar if somebody just grabs it and starts playing or god forbid if somebody sits on my motorcycle without asking i'm ready to smack them crazy. i have put a lot of time into both of them, whereas my car, not so much, not that i don't care as i really like my car but it is just a car.

Well done !
Smooth as well as sharp is what it's about.
You don't say if the HHT failed pre or post stropping. Redo your HHT after stropping you may find it's all good.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the Hang Hair Test is not necessarily the end all – I’ve got blades that pass it and I can’t get a decent shave from them and I’ve got blades that will not pass it and they squeegee my face.