Thread: Dull in center ?

I picked up a razor from kenrup a few months ago. I never got around to actually shaving for some time. I picked this up because advice was to get a shave ready razor. So I did. I have quite a few others from a collection that I am planning on getting ready as well. Not sure if letting it sit would have caused any oxidation or such ?

But to the problem. I used it for the first time about two weeks ago. At first I just did one cheek, that was ok. Next shave I was doing fine so I kept going. It *seemed* to be going ok until I tried to do my chin.. where it is the thickest. And it was HARD to push through the hair. Changing my angles etc, did nothing to help it. Seemed like it wanted to pull the hair out and not cut it

I did not know how to test sharpness really and since then I had read alot on running your thumb along the blade. And I have now been doing this, stropping like mad, and doing it again.... and again... and again.

I can get the heel and toe VERY sharp as it bites into my thumb pad with no pressure and I can most defiantly feel resistance. But not in the center, with the ease as which it cuts into my pad at the ends is not even close in the middle. After stropping many times on more than one different strop I continue to get the same results.

I grabbed another razor that I have and have not used yet, but has been used in the past. And touched it up on a swaty, linen, and then strop and I get he same results. Sharp at both ends... not in the center.

If I lay the blade down on either strop(I have two other strops that I have not tried though) it is making contact across the entire blade.
This is after I saw that my dovo strop was not making contact in the center, I used my thumbs to flatten it out. And have stopped ALOT after doing such. On both strops, but alas I cannot get the center as sharp as the edges. I took another try just now of about 100 laps on the linen and then probably 80 or so on the leather, seems a bit better but not nearly as sharp as the edges which are great.

Did I just dull my razor in the center and cannot bring it back without a hone ? Or could my stroping be doing this ?

Originally Posted by Charon

I picked up a razor from kenrup a few months ago. I never got around to actually shaving for some time. I picked this up because advice was to get a shave ready razor. So I did. I have quite a few others from a collection that I am planning on getting ready as well. Not sure if letting it sit would have caused any oxidation or such ?

But to the problem. I used it for the first time about two weeks ago. At first I just did one cheek, that was ok. Next shave I was doing fine so I kept going. It *seemed* to be going ok until I tried to do my chin.. where it is the thickest. And it was HARD to push through the hair. Changing my angles etc, did nothing to help it. Seemed like it wanted to pull the hair out and not cut it

I did not know how to test sharpness really and since then I had read alot on running your thumb along the blade. And I have now been doing this, stropping like mad, and doing it again.... and again... and again.

I can get the heel and toe VERY sharp as it bites into my thumb pad with no pressure and I can most defiantly feel resistance. But not in the center, with the ease as which it cuts into my pad at the ends is not even close in the middle. After stropping many times on more than one different strop I continue to get the same results.

Wait, are you saying that you tested the sharpness of the edge by cutting into your thumb?

[redacted!]

EDIT: here are some explanations of the tests:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...ests_explained

I'm still new to sharpening razors myself and I always test my edge by shaving arm/leg hair at 3 or 4 different spots on the razor.

The TPT is done running the moistened thumb pad from heel to point. Not across the blade as when stropping. You could have rolled the edge partially I suppose. Try back honing a bit on your Swaty and see if that improves anything. If you have an eye loupe or a microscope you might be able to see what is going on a bit better.

Hi Charon,

Since you are getting the heel and toe nice and sharp, your stropping technique must be generally good.

Have you tried moving your blade in an "X" pattern when you strop? If you're going straight down the strop with the blade edge aligned straight across the narrow dimension of the strop, slight cupping like you observed might still be happening, not touching the center of the blade quite enough. Having the blade go slightly cross-wise might even up the edge contact somewhat.

Cheers,
Jeff