Thread: need help on sharpening

Originally Posted by a1boy

Ok well it seems to be majority consensus that I buy a properly sharpened one first so I'll make one my next purchase. I just don't see anything wrong with going the other direction and getting all the equipment needed to hone a razor to be shaveable first and then getting the razor that would be my first proper straight once I've learned a decent amount on the one that I don't care if I scratch and scuff here and there.

We say this because you need to know how a real straight razor should shave first. It's not just "well it's sharp enough to cut hair" -- it's more about comfort and smoothness. Imperfections are probably acceptable on most normal edges (e.g. kitchen cutlery) but it's a different story when you're using it on your face.

Originally Posted by a1boy

Also although I realise I could probly get away with just stropping to maintain the edge of a professionally honed razor for a long time. I feel like it's unsustainable to an extent because when it gets dull enough to need to be rehoned then I won't have the skill or equipment. We can assume that by the time stropping doesn't bring it back I will have collected a bunch of equipment, and by that order I'm able to get into actual shaving sooner, but I don't know why I'd just really rather learn the maintenance side first for some reason, It probably stems from my experience with pocket knives and how I see no point to buying an expensive ''from the factory sharp'' pocket knife when I don't possess the know how to maintain that sharpness, and the best way I found to learn was to practice with knives I didn't care about. That's the best explanation I can think of as to what angle I was coming from by trying to learn how to sharpen before I learned how to shave haha!

Honestly, I'm still suspicious about the razor you posted pictures of. I'm with rickboone in thinking that's a razor probably on our list of razors to avoid. No point in spending time and money on that.

Get a proper razor as you've said you would, see how it feels, then get some inexpensive vintage razors if you'd like to learn how to hone and upkeep them.

EDIT: Whoops, I totally missed that there were two more pages of posts.