Thread: What should I do with new razor from ebay?

The amazon razor is from 'Ayat Precision Instruments', (here). I think I'll use it to practice on the barber hone, to try to get my strokes smooth and level, and then maybe use it for chopping garlic, like in "Goodfellas".

If the Ator is basically shaving OK, which it seems to be, does that mean that the bevel is set OK, and it only needs a go on the polishing stone?

Back when I started I bought a "Kentucky rattler" off ebay. It was worthless for shaving so I pitched it in the trash....

Live and learn.

20 GBP for a razor and strop is too cheap. Use it to practice honing and cut butter.

I had a look at both blades with a geologist's hand lens (about x20 or x30, I think) and the difference is huge - on the Ator the cutting edge is nearly smooth, with very fine scratches from a very high grit or paste. The cheap razor's edge is made up of rows of distinct grooves and was obviously finished with a much coarser abrasive. I don't think that'll be going near my face again.

I used the cheap one for a practice hone, and when I thought I was getting the action right with the blade flat on the stone, I gave the Ator 10 very gentle laps. It made it noticeably sharper, I think. I stropped it and had a shave and it was the closest yet, and that was only 2 passes WTG. Unfortunately it was also the bloodiest so far - I caught my chin and needed the styptic. Not too bad, but I clearly need to work on the chin area. I think a contributory factor was that I was more than a little nervous about the sharpness of the blade.