Thread: cutting paper to test sharpness??

I just read in another post about cutting paper to check a blade's sharpness.

I thought I had read somewhere that slicing paper would actually ruin a razor, but I can't recall. Any thoughts?

DISCLAIMER: I am well aware that you can't equate a sharpness test like HHT to the hallowed "shave test", but I wish there was some repeatable, objective way to be able to compare one razor's quality to another (without waiting to grow a new beard and lather up). I'm trying to compare a blade that i'm honing to a pre-honed blade, but everything i've read seems to suggest the HHT is way too subjective.

Please dont.

Don't cut anything but hair or you'll have to re-hone all over again.

Agreed, cutting paper is a sure way to damage a delicate edge. I wouldn't let any of my razors cut paper unless I wanted something to do (i.e. re-hone).

cutting paper is a common test for sharpness of knives.
a shave-sharp razor should most certainly be able to cut paper.
however i'm not so certain it's still shave-sharp after the test.

at the end of the day i like to use my razors for shaving, not as box cutters so the tests that are less destructive to the edge are preferable.

but of course everybody has their own opinion of how to do stuff.

I'd rather use glass if I want to breadknife a razor as it produces a more even dullness

I believe papa bull uses a paper towel to test his edges. I'll see if I can find the thread.

Amen! I too wish there were some objective way to test sharpness. The problem is there are too many variables. They range from the type of steel of the razor to the heat treatment of the steel, the angle of the bevel, the degree of sharpness of the edge, etc. and that's just on the equipment end! The HHT is notoriously subjective as everyone's hair is different in thickness and has different structure. Curly hair, for instance, has little bumps on the side of the hair which take up water differentially to the rest of the hair and make the hair curl. No bumps = straight hair. Problem: the bumps can catch the edge of the bumps and cut differently from the straight hair.

The best test I've found is how your razor cuts your beard.

Howard

This is exactly what my straight razor teacher taught me to do.

MY ZEEpk WILL CUT PAPER, BUT I DO NOT DARE PUT IT TO MY FACE. GOOD FOR CUTTING TAPE TOO.