Thread: can't be sharp enough right?

so much great advice!

Thanks again guys!

will go for another shave after more correct stropping tomorrow and let you know how i get on.

+1 for the barber's manual.

As a new straight razor shaver, I was having problems with keeping a good edge. It was recommended that I read the section on honing and stropping in the barber's manual.

After reading the manual, I discovered my grip on the razor during stropping was wrong and appears to have been the main cause of my problems.

I highly recommend reading the barber's manual. It was a great help to me.

Good luck

just had another attempt!

did 50 passes on canvas first followed by 50 on leather, and paid attention to technique resisting the temptation to go faster as felt comfortable with it and keeping the spine in contact at ALL times.

I'm still not getting the bite into the ball of the thumb mind but certainly sharper, now have my first small nick to prove it ;-)

the shave was noticeably better this time, much less pulling and even managed to shave my neck too this time, only leaves my goatee area which i'll try once i've had a few more successful shaves

so next question is: can you over strop? based on the improvement i got after this mornings stropping i'm thinking it needs quite a bit more to get it to full shave readiness but i don't want to make matters worse now by doing too much if thats possible?

thx again guys, feeling much happier today, what a difference day makes! (there's a song in there somewhere)

No, you cannot overstrop. You can, however, dull an edge quickly and efficiently by using inappropriate sharpness tests. The TPT is one such test.

Please have the razor professionally honed.

it was professionally honed by a guy from the forum so i think i dulled the edge some how when i first stropped it, kinda annoying but i can't expect to get it all right first time, as much as i try!

as i said, it was a BIG improvement today over yesterday and i'll strop it a load more tomorrow and see if that helps improve it again, the sharpness tests you posted are great, thanks for that, certainly not sharp enough for the HHT though so guess i've got some way to go before i'm truly shave ready.

i do have a norton combo stone 4000/8000 which i could (sharp intake of breath from everyone ) give it a quick go on the 8000 using the new info i have at my disposal.

Dont worry about HHT. HHT is a test used when honing and only after you have honed enough razors to "calibrate" the test.

Originally Posted by razormonkey

as i said, it was a BIG improvement today over yesterday and i'll strop it a load more tomorrow and see if that helps improve it again, the sharpness tests you posted are great, thanks for that, certainly not sharp enough for the HHT though so guess i've got some way to go before i'm truly shave ready.

I would avoid this. From what I can tell you are novice to Straights. It is very hard to hone a razor when you dont have a good baseline to go off or a good understanding of shave ready.

I would not bother with honing until you have mastered stropping and shaving. And then i would purchase a second straight, that way you have a "Known Good" to compare too.

i do have a norton combo stone 4000/8000 which i could (sharp intake of breath from everyone ) give it a quick go on the 8000 using the new info i have at my disposal.

The good thing is at least you know you're not rolling the edge since as you say, you have improved the edge with stropping .

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

You can, however, dull an edge quickly and efficiently by using inappropriate sharpness tests. The TPT is one such test.

Gotta disagree with this one.

Testing with the thumb pad after stropping is very appropriate. It is taught as a way to judge stropping progress in every barber manual I've read, and has never dulled one of my blades.