Is Your Razor Sharp Enough?

Found this video on youtube that may help you answer this question.

YouTube - Straight Razor Sharp Tests

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Nice Video. Nice techniques to check the condition of the blade for buying or review before honing.

If the blade feels very sharp with the base of your thumb pad lightly touching it and you can dry shave a few hairs off your arm and feel the blade grabbing at the hairs and cutting them, then it is usually a good sign that it is ready to shave.

These days, I just feel the edge with my thumb pad and that tells me if it is ready to shave with. If not, I strop it some more or give the razor some passes on the pasted strop.

Pabster

I normally use Thumb Pad myself, actually, I only do it with a new blade, or Ebay, which I don't really use these days. Any new razors I buy are from respected vendors, so they'll be sharp, but if your new, and buying ebay razors, These new tests may be helpful to some. We get a diverse crowd here, young and old, so it your the later, Pick yourself up a jeweler's loupe, they are quite helpful when checking out your bevel....I don't own or use a microscope, I've never had the need, but many guys buy them too.
After you see the blade at 200x you may not want to shave ever again.....

Nice video. We used the light "test" on knives and other sharp tools, as one of the tests, when I went through blacksmith training back in 1981 / 82. Now I use a jeweler’s loupe if I'm in doubt....

That is one of ToxIk's vids he has some others on there to that you should watch,..