Thread: More questions

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Started off by honing it a bit, when I recieved it from the honemister it was so dull that its no wonder that I couldn't use it.

That shouldn't be so.

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Ah, so the method for sharpening a kitchen knife is smilar to that of a striaght razor. I keep telling my mrs that every home should have a sharpening stone to at least sharpen the kitchen knives and do double duty with the straight razor.

Did my second straight shave last night. Started off by honing it a bit, when I recieved it from the honemister it was so dull that its no wonder that I couldn't use it. Seem to have the honing method pretty good by now as its starting to be quite a bit sharper than it was when the hone mister sent it to me. I am still steaming aobut that one. Picked up a new sample of Shave Den jasmine shave cream, lathered it and went to town. Got a somewhat deecent shave with it, nothing near what one would call adequate but still good enough. I think that I am getting towards where I need to be in terms of shaving with the straight razor but I think that it will be a while before I can truely say that I do this adequately and can upgrade from a double edge.

Are you sure it was honed by a honemeister then?

Or maybe you damaged the edge stropping incorrectly?

When I went to my straight razor teacher for the first time he examined the razor and asked if I had honed it, "No" I replied "I was saving that for a later time." He then examined the blade and showed me how dull the blade was by attempting to cut a piece of paper with it and it would not. Again this was before he told me that I ahd to hone it for it to work, I was still thinking that stroping would sharpen it. He proved that the edge had not been stropped properly. Once I got the padle strop he then showed me how to accomplish the task and got me doing it and eventually the two of us got it sharp enough for it to cut some paper. Its now starting to reach a point where it can actually do some good.

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Personally I like the idea of a double grit better. I am leaning towards the 1K/4K double grit.

1k is to set the bevel and hone out chips, your new dovo doesn't need that.
4k is to bring the razor to sharpness where it can cut hair.
8k is to make the edge even sharper and smoother so that it's comfortable to shave with.

hence you want the 4k/8k combination stone.

for not much more money you can get the 220/1k and the lapping stone, but if you'll be only honing occasionally razors with good edge to start with there is no reason for the extra hones, as far as razors are concerned.

and yes it's redundant to say stainless steel, inox is just that. however not every maker calls their stainless inox, so i'm not sure if that's a trade mark or what, i wouldn't be calling say a hess stainless razor inox.

What test do you use to see if your blade is sharp enough to shave with? My teacher taught me to attempt to cut paper with the blade, if it can not cut paper its not up to the shaving task. So far my Inox can cut paper and can even cut a thicker slice of paper, such as a magazine page. I hesitate to touch the edge with my finger, as I did that once only to regret it and the blade was much more dull at that point.

Did not get to do a straight shave last night I was watching a DVD from blockbuster with my wife called the Day the Earth Stood Still. I know learning to straight shave is a more important than a movie but I wanted to see that one.

Edit - adding more information

Straight Razor Shave #3

did shave number three tonight after some additional stropping and pulled out a new tub of The Shave Den Sandlewood cream, that's a great cream but not runny, so if you like your creams runny don't look here. Did another careful shave and I am very pleased with the results, in fact I think I think that the straight razor is getting ready to pass up my double edge razors in terms of the quality of the shave that I have gotten from it. I have ten years to learn this task before I have to pass it on to my son who will be then starting to perform the task. I am attempting to start a family tradition here as my family has typically liked to discard anything that came before them as too old world for the modern era. Incidentally, and I am bragging here, I have cut my self millions of times shaving but have never done it with a straight.

Originally Posted by jbcohen

What test do you use to see if your blade is sharp enough to shave with?

Lather up and shave. If it tugs (assuming you lather work and shave technique is adequate), then it still needs more work on hones and/or strops

Keep shave testing until the razor lets those whiskers off with no less than a stern look!

Read the section on honing in the WIKI

Originally Posted by jbcohen

What test do you use to see if your blade is sharp enough to shave with? My teacher taught me to attempt to cut paper with the blade, if it can not cut paper its not up to the shaving task. So far my Inox can cut paper and can even cut a thicker slice of paper, such as a magazine page. I hesitate to touch the edge with my finger, as I did that once only to regret it and the blade was much more dull at that point.

Did not get to do a straight shave last night I was watching a DVD from blockbuster with my wife called the Day the Earth Stood Still. I know learning to straight shave is a more important than a movie but I wanted to see that one.

Edit - adding more information

Straight Razor Shave #3

did shave number three tonight after some additional stropping and pulled out a new tub of The Shave Den Sandlewood cream, that's a great cream but not runny, so if you like your creams runny don't look here. Did another careful shave and I am very pleased with the results, in fact I think I think that the straight razor is getting ready to pass up my double edge razors in terms of the quality of the shave that I have gotten from it. I have ten years to learn this task before I have to pass it on to my son who will be then starting to perform the task. I am attempting to start a family tradition here as my family has typically liked to discard anything that came before them as too old world for the modern era. Incidentally, and I am bragging here, I have cut my self millions of times shaving but have never done it with a straight.

Good advice, will do so when I get a little bit more time.

if you want to try to cut paper, which i wouldn't recommend, it takes a sharper edge to cut thinner paper, so something like an ATM receipt, or even a cigarette paper. according to the knife sharpening nuts at the other forum I frequent, it takes a keener edge to cut simply by pushing the blade into the edge of the paper than by using any "sawing" motion. YMMV.

i wouldn't let a razor cut paper between touching the hone and my face.
it dulls it significantly and i would rather have it sharp.