Thread: Can a blade be too sharp?

Originally Posted by Fido

As an experienced DE shaver I know that my skin does not take kindly to very sharp DE blades. Even with the lightest of touch I end up with a few nicks when using say, a Kai or Feather. So I get a more comfortable but still close shave with blades not quite so sharp.

As a newcomer to the world of straight shaving, I wonder if it is possible to have a blade that is too sharp for comfort for those with a sensitive skin? Or is there no such thing as too sharp in this sphere of shaving? And if there is such a thing is it just a question of laying off stropping until it settles down?

A razor does 2 things: it peels off skin cells and it severs hairs.
A good edge severs hair as effortlessly as possible and does no more peeling than your skin can take. Shaving pressure and angle play a big factor in that. But the edge itself is not less important. There is a wide array of possibilities to "finish" an edge with various hones and stropping compounds. Also the razor (grind, weight, steel type and temper) contribute to the final result.

Finding your own personal shaving style, and edge preferences is what makes straight razor shaving such an exciting venture. I don't believe there is a shaving method other than straight razor shaving that brings more variables to the skill of shaving. Because of that, your question is besides the point. The point is that we all search a razor's edge that has only individual meaning.

Best regards,
Bart.