When shave testing to evaluate a razor isn't an ideal answer.

Somebody on another thread wrote:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Consider that it can take months to become proficient with a straight so there are many possibilities. Pretty much everything from bad angle, bad stroke, bad pressure, dull razor.

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This has me thinking. How do you know a razor is sharp? Shave test it, is what I read. Easy to say, when you know how to shave. But how can you rule out the razor when you are not yet confident in your shave?

Ideally, I'd like to have an objective way to know if my razor is sharp enough. The hanging hair test looked promising, until I brought it up.

So, should a straigh razor be as sharp as say a feather platinum coated blade? Or sharper? Because the feathers don't even pass the 1/2" hanging hair test (at least it didn't for me). And neither does my razor.

So, I think we need a way, in general, other than a shave test, to objectively determine if the razor is good for beginners.

The only objective way for a beginner to determine if a razor is good is to have someone who knows what they are doing evaluate it. Sorry, I don't see any way around it.

I think I asked this of you in another thread. Where are you in Minnesota? I'm in Rochester now and there are lots of people in the Twin Cities who can help you. Getting help in person would be ideal. Alternately, you could send the razor to someone to evaluate and/or touch up the razor.

For me it was discovering that the edge of the razor actually felt sticky on my thumb pad when it was really sharp. Although I must say stropping and light stroke technique are equally as important as one could get a great shave from a razor that isn't 'sticky' if his technique's are honed. (pardon the pun).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Utopian

The only objective way for a beginner to determine if a razor is good is to have someone who knows what they are doing evaluate it. Sorry, I don't see any way around it.

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I am planning to try to meet with somebody, communicating privately.

Meanwhile, I have a leather strop and a felt pad. I read the wiki on stropping, and also watched some videos (one was particularly bad--flipping the razor on the sharp side--good thing I don't believe the first thing I see).

The leather strop is wider then the blad, as is the felt pad. The wiki has a video where the razor is pulled off the edge of the strop as it is stropped.

The point behind this would be good to know. In other words, can this be skipped if you have a wide strop?

Also, which is best to finish on? The felt or the leather?

Thanks.

The leather is last. In response to bringing the razor off the edge, one would do that using an X pattern on the strop just as if the strop wasn't wide enough for the blade. The X pattern would be to strop in the same direction as the cutting edge that is established on the bevel of razor. You should master bringing the blade straight down first though so as to minimize the cuts in your strop you will inevitably get on your beginning strop.

As with everything else in this hobby, that is a thing one has to learn as well!
I think many buy and keep a truly shave ready razor, without actually using it at first.
It doesn't have to cost much at all. 25-50 bucks will ensure you a true reference
This is to have a reference to what that sharpness actually feels like. Be it for the Thumb pad test or the hanging hair test or the shave test.
Utopian gives an excellent tip. Hooking up with someone in your area who have the experience is priceless!
If I were you, that would be my way to do it. This community is full of people willing to give that kind of assistance:)
As you have already seen from Utopian in this thread!

The technique you describe is usually for when the strop is narrower than the blade. The x-stroke or some variation on it. It is described well in the wiki. If that's not doing it for you I highly recommend plunking down a few bucks for Lynn's DVD. It has pretty much anything and everything in it.

Even though your three inch strop would allow you to leave the razor on it, the leather likely is not flat so it is better to do the x-stroke to cover all parts of the blade. Some may disagree with that and even I might disagree with that for a beginner, but I still think the x-stroke is better even on a wide strop.

Use the felt first, then the leather.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Even though your three inch strop would allow you to leave the razor on it, the leather likely is not flat so it is better to do the x-stroke to cover all parts of the blade. Some may disagree with that and even I might disagree with that for a beginner, but I still think the x-stroke is better even on a wide strop.

Use the felt first, then the leather.

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I appreciate it. I have been going straight back only, no x-stroke, because I want to keep the blade level, and not put too much pressure on the blade if I see-saw it laterally while doing the x-stroke.

Another question: I was wondering if the x-stroke, since it is always in the same direction, not only pulls the micro-serrations together, but pulls the micro-serrations toward top (opposite the monkey tail), making the edge more compact.

This is the reference I've been using.

YouTube - Straight Razor Sharp Tests

What is the shave test????

This has been written a few times but it never hurts to post it again...

Don't confuse the shave test with shaving, a shave test is just that, it is designed to test a blade... Starting with the absolute best prep you can muster up, using the best lather you can make... Wet the face well, we call it wet shaving for a reason, then lather the dominant side of your face as perfectly as you can, let it sit, wait, wait, wait, about 2-3 whole minutes, now with a hot wet wash cloth apply that over the lather... Leave it there until it cools... Re-wet the face, yes it should be dripping, re-lather that side, now with as perfect a stroke as you can possible manage, concentrating on the perfect angle, (two spine width from the face) do one stroke from sideburn line to jaw line as perfectly smooth as you can... That is a shave test :) now concentrate and try the other side...

What I just wrote is for beginners, if you were honing you own blades and a bit more advanced then this changes to a bit more of a challenging test :rofl2:

I didn't even know I had a dominant side of my face!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikeMN

Somebody on another thread wrote:

This has me thinking. How do you know a razor is sharp? Shave test it, is what I read. Easy to say, when you know how to shave. But how can you rule out the razor when you are not yet confident in your shave?

Ideally, I'd like to have an objective way to know if my razor is sharp enough. The hanging hair test looked promising, until I brought it up.

So, should a straigh razor be as sharp as say a feather platinum coated blade? Or sharper? Because the feathers don't even pass the 1/2" hanging hair test (at least it didn't for me). And neither does my razor.

So, I think we need a way, in general, other than a shave test, to objectively determine if the razor is good for beginners.

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Good question.....
Learning what is dull is just as hard as learning what is sharp.

I suspect the easy way to learn is with a double edge or
even some good tossable blades.

First a blade from Feather is sharp. They are so sharp
that I dislike them for the first day shave. Each shave
that follows the blade gets duller -- eventually ya
have to toss it. The HHT works for some and not for
others.... since it is what it is you have to learn differently.

With an adjustable double edge you can explore the
effect of angle on shaving to some degree.

For cost saving....
I would suggest investing three bucks in a bag of
BiC yellow handle or the newer BiC Metal tossable
razors. Shave with one as many days in a row
as you can.. that will teach you what dull is. :(

These two flavors of BiC tossables are not the best edge but they
are OK for this project.

They provide a constant reference to allow the evaluation of
soaps lathers and are 'mild' enough to be used while angry
skin heals.

They are also good to practice a light touch. Just hold with
two fingers at the very end of the handle. A two finger grip
can make it hard to apply pressure the way a death grip full
on fist grip does.

In the world of open razors, the touchstone I have used is the
Feather Professional "Artist Club RG" Razor. It is too expensive
for me to recommend it but it will teach you a lot about shaving
with an open razor blade if you can beg or borrow one. They
ship three different blades for it. I will leave it as an exercise
why that is important but all three are equally sharp.

While expensive a $25 box of blades for a Feather lasts about as
long as a $25 professional honing does for a beginner.

Hand honing and stropping will result in a better shaving edge but
only after practice and then only after learning what you like.