Thread: Can a blade be too sharp?

I think it is possible for a razor to be too sharp. The idea is that it should cut the hair and not the skin. It seems that for most people there is a level of sharpness that does these two things, but I don't see a reason why it would be the same for everybody.
Every person has different hair and skin as well as different skill about handling a razor.
You should be able to find something that works well for you the same way you have found DE blades that do.

Hmmm. I also like the shave with a DE after it's been used a couple of times. But, I started to think about it, because an ultrasharp SR gives a great shave.

I think it has something to do with the angle. You have very little control of the angle on a DE, but you have complete control of the angle on a SR.

At the moment I believe that there is no such thing as "too sharp razor". It could be DE or straight no matter.
I believe that everything depends on muscle memory.
Each blade & razor needs its own "touch" and that touch must transform due to many variables like Bart mentioned.
Some variables to mention
*lather
*balance
*stroke
*angle
*pressure
*soap or cream
*which manufacturers soap/cream
*shaving moment
*your feeling to shave
*your experience with that particular razor in your hand (muscle memory with that razor and especially with different variables)
*shaving time (hurry or not)
*prep work
*climate
*your stress factor
*your muscles stress factor
*your whiskers type
*your skin type
*how many days grown
*and so on & on & on

It is not only sharpness thing or how much pressure a man load into the blade.
But at the end..... it is fun and challenging to learn different razors.

Originally Posted by gugi

I think it is possible for a razor to be too sharp. The idea is that it should cut the hair and not the skin. It seems that for most people there is a level of sharpness that does these two things, but I don't see a reason why it would be the same for everybody.
Every person has different hair and skin as well as different skill about handling a razor.
You should be able to find something that works well for you the same way you have found DE blades that do.

The reason I disagree with this is that there is no sharpness that will allow cutting without pressure... and as sharpness increases (with no maximum) pressure decreases. If a blade is sharper, it takes less pressure to cut the beard, thus you use less pressure, thus you aren't any more likely to cut the skin. The exception is if you're familiar with a significantly duller blade and then suddenly start using a sharper one, you may not adjust fast enough and then you are more likely to cut yourself. Give a kid who's used to a butterknife a kitchen knife to cut his grilled cheese, and yes he's more likely to cut himself. Give an adult cutting a potato a sharp knife in place of a dull one and he's MUUUUUCH less likely to.

Originally Posted by IanS

The reason I disagree with this is that there is no sharpness that will allow cutting without pressure... and as sharpness increases (with no maximum) pressure decreases. If a blade is sharper, it takes less pressure to cut the beard, thus you use less pressure, thus you aren't any more likely to cut the skin.

So why this theory makes you disagree with me? Now imagine that somehow the top few layers of your skin disappear, do you think you will feel the same about shaving? Why do you suppose when people get razor burn they need to skip a shave or few - if the skin wouldn't matter you could just use less pressure and not cause any more irritation.

What I wrote is most certainly correct - I am pretty sure 99.99% of the people lack the skill and precision to move the razor along the skin only, so you rely on the skin not being cut by the edge, while the hair is.
If you think you're that good try shaving at a 95 degree angle, i.e. almost perpendicular to the skin, see how that goes.
The reason for using about 30 degree angle or less is precisely to make it easier to cut the hair and harder to cut the skin, the closer you move the razor to your face the larger the spread between these.