Thread: Sharpening anxiety!

The thing I hate with being a beginner is that nagging feeling behind my neck of "am I doing everything right?" even when things are looking fine...

I have a DOVO BEST 6/8 I got from ClassicShaving shave ready with a DOVO Russian leather strop in June. I spent the last months learning how to shave with a straight. Took a while to figure out pressure, angle, and stropping. My poor strop is rather nicked, and I polished it with a pumice stone some time ago to flatten it. I hope to get a new one from SRD for Xmas (and I won't nick it as much!)

Eventually, stropping alone couldn't keep my edge sharp, and after much tortured searching and consultation, I settled on a 2-sided paddle strop with 1 micron diamond paste and CrOx.

My edge lasts about a week (I shave 5-6 days a week) after 5-7 passes on diamond and 15 passes on CrOx. I strop on leather alone before every shave, otherwise I feel like the fabric material of my DOVO strop is blunting my edge.

So, is everything normal? It's been about two months that I'm following this regimen, and my edge seems stable. Will I eventually need to buy stones?

In answer to your question, yes, most likely a stone will need to be used. Whether you choose to buy and use it is up to you. I'm concerned about your claim that your use of the fabric strop is blunting your edge. I suspect your stropping is not up to snuff yet if that is the case.

Yes and the fact your edge lasts only a week is another sign something is amiss there.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Yes and the fact your edge lasts only a week is another sign something is amiss there.

Well, it's my current epistemological problem: I'm using the lightest of pressure (at the beginning, I really used too much pressure), just letting the weight of the blade do the job, and I strop about 20-30 X-strokes on leather. As far as I could read, this fits the bill for an internet definition of proper stropping, but I don't know if there's something I'm missing.

After shaving, I clean the blade and strop another 5-10 strokes on leather to clean up.

I also have a rather coarse beard, and shave WTG, XTG, ATG, and some extra touchup in difficult places.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Yes and the fact your edge lasts only a week is another sign something is amiss there.

Maybe yes & maybe no. Everybody has told me the same thing but after trying everything known to Man or God for years, I have come to accept that I am cursed with the steel eating beard from the blackest depths of hell.

Originally Posted by Johnny J

Maybe yes & maybe no. Everybody has told me the same thing but after trying everything known to Man or God for years, I have come to accept that I am cursed with the steel eating beard from the blackest depths of hell.

Out of curiosity, how long can you shave on a blade?

It depends on the hardness of the razor. With Sheffield steel, which is known to be a bit soft, I get three 3-pass shaves before I have to touch up. Not a heavy honing, mind you, just 5 laps on the Swaty followed by a pasted hard paddle. With harder razors I get 5-7 3-pass shaves. Of course, if I do a 2-pass shave instead (WTG, XTG) my edge lasts proportionately longer. When Glen honed a razor for me it lasted twice as long, mainly because it was much sharper to start with, but it deteriorated at about the same rate. When I have 1 day stubble my face feels like 80 grit sandpaper. Honestly & no lie.

Originally Posted by Johnny J

It depends on the hardness of the razor. With Sheffield steel, which is known to be a bit soft, I get three 3-pass shaves before I have to touch up. Not a heavy honing, mind you, just 5 laps on the Swaty followed by a pasted hard paddle. With harder razors I get 5-7 3-pass shaves. Of course, if I do a 2-pass shave instead (WTG, XTG) my edge lasts proportionately longer. When Glen honed a razor for me it lasted twice as long, mainly because it was much sharper to start with, but it deteriorated at about the same rate. When I have 1 day stubble my face feels like 80 grit sandpaper. Honestly & no lie.

I think we're in a similar situation. I get about the same number of 3-pass shaves from my DOVO, and this by touching up lightly on a pasted paddle.

That said, I was wondering, in terms of stone, what would make sense for me to have. Is the jump from a Norton 4k/8k to 1 micron diamond too large?

Originally Posted by MHV

Well, it's my current epistemological problem: I'm using the lightest of pressure (at the beginning, I really used too much pressure), just letting the weight of the blade do the job, and I strop about 20-30 X-strokes on leather. As far as I could read, this fits the bill for an internet definition of proper stropping, but I don't know if there's something I'm missing.

After shaving, I clean the blade and strop another 5-10 strokes on leather to clean up.

I also have a rather coarse beard, and shave WTG, XTG, ATG, and some extra touchup in difficult places.

On my razors i strop 50 linen then 75-100 leather ,give those numbers a try,and see how it feels.

Originally Posted by MHV

I think we're in a similar situation. I get about the same number of 3-pass shaves from my DOVO, and this by touching up lightly on a pasted paddle.

That said, I was wondering, in terms of stone, what would make sense for me to have. Is the jump from a Norton 4k/8k to 1 micron diamond too large?

Some people shave straight off the 8k, which is already at polishing grit. You could invest in a 12k if you want further finishing.

My impression of strop pastes was that they were used to stave off honing for a time, and sometimes used to finish off a honing process, and not really necessary. A good strop and a 4k/8k seems like all one needs to maintain their own razor.