Thread: sharpening for a newbie

Originally Posted by warpigs421

My question is (finally... , is this just the way it goes? Meaning, sometimes, you think the razor is ready, you test shave, and 'it just ain't quite there'?

yes, especially when you start that's pretty much how it goes.

Originally Posted by warpigs421

Where do I go from here? Just keep at the conservative pyramid until I get an HHT to pass?

No, until it shaves properly. A proper HHT is not a pass/fail test, you'll have to learn how to use it by noticing the correlation between how the razor shaves and how the HHT goes.

Use magnification to check for any problems at the edge, you need to start with the correct bevel and often new guys can't notice chips and unevenness with the thumbnail test.

Originally Posted by gugi

A proper HHT is not a pass/fail test, you'll have to learn how to use it by noticing the correlation between how the razor shaves and how the HHT goes.

Use magnification to check for any problems at the edge, you need to start with the correct bevel and often new guys can't notice chips and unevenness with the thumbnail test.

Thanks for the advice Gugi!

I used an old printers loupe (I used to be in the printing biz) to examine the edge. One of the old junkers I have has a bevel that's not very even. The spine isn't even either. Think that one might be a goner, unless I had someone re-grind it maybe?

The other one I honed started out in good shape. Nice even bevel across the entire blade. I'm hoping for a better result from that one.