Thread: A frame of reference?

Hi everyone. I've got my new blade and it's seen some strop/stone action. It's improved a little, I just had my 2nd shave, it was better than the 1rst, but still not great. Can someone describe to me what a truly, truly sharp and shave ready blade feels like to use? I'm just looking to get a frame of reference for my experience so far. Cheers.

Well, a truly sharp razor, should feel like nothing almost. There should be no pulling, and glide very smoothly across your face.

Sharp is smooth, smooth is sharp.

If you have more than one blade send one to a honer guy and use it as a reference.

Originally Posted by AbrahamSandwich

Hi everyone. I've got my new blade and it's seen some strop/stone action. It's improved a little, I just had my 2nd shave, it was better than the 1rst, but still not great. Can someone describe to me what a truly, truly sharp and shave ready blade feels like to use? I'm just looking to get a frame of reference for my experience so far. Cheers.

I'm not sure if one can put that into words. I think to know it, you really have to experience it.

To me a shave-ready blade will feel smooth, it won't tug, it will remove hair with little resistance and very little pressure. It won't feel like you are fighting with the blade to get it to do its thing, and most importantly, it will just do its job really well with little hassle or irritation.

To really know, I personally think it's well worth the cost of having your blade professionally honed. Even if you only send it out once before learning to hone yourself, it will at least give you a benchmark by which to judge other edges. It doesn't cost much, but you'll probably learn a lot from it.

It's like asking:

. . . What does really good sex feel like?

The answer is:

. . . It's hard to describe, but you'll know it when you have it.

I worked quite hard honing my first (antique-store) razor, and finally got it sharp enough to shave with. Then I got a Dovo from Straight Razor Designs, and experienced _really sharp_.

My own edge wasn't anywhere near as good.

So I'd agree with everyone else -- get a blade that's been honed by somebody who knows what he's doing, and use it as a standard.

Charles

It feels scary. It feels threatening. It feels exhilarating. It's hard to deny and not easy to please.

If you can feel the blade doing its job, it's not as sharp as it should be.

Improving your shaving technique goes a long way in determining what a sharp razor feels like.

Have fun.

My big indicator is no pulling like mentioned above. If the blade isn't shave ready it will grab and rip hairs vs cut them clean.

Your question is probably the most difficult to answer properly, even though it seems as though it should be straightforward. I've been on these boards for several years and I still don't think there's ever been a definitive answer to this question. Let's face it, if we could accurately describe in words what a "proper" edge feels like for all men for all time, we'd probably all have found it by now. I know I have not.

Variables matter: grind, steel, size, weight, balance, prep, lather, stretching, stropping, angle(s) to name a few. And not the least of these, as Lynn mentioned above and which I heartily concur with, is user experience. It is one of those dastardly catch 22s that life throws up at us: it is fairly vital to know what a "proper" edge feels like when we are relatively inexperienced, but a full appreciation of what "proper" actually entails only comes with experience!

Everyone has given good tips I think as to what works for them. I'll just add that what a "proper" edge feels like when you are new also depends on what you've come from in the past: A DE or a Mach 3-type razor have perhaps what? 1.5 inch edge? Most straights have around a 3 inch edge length, so you should expect more resistance due to surface area.

A proper edge should not hurt or pull, but be aware that an inexperienced shaver can, by dint of incorrect angles and lack of stretching etc, make a good edge hurt or pull. A good edge should not require multiple passes to get all the whiskers, but be aware that an inexperienced user may, by dint of of incorrect angles etc., take multiple passes with a good edge. And so on and so forth.

So finally, to make a long story short (too late! ), the advice you've been given to get your razor honed by a trusted professional is really very logical and pragmatic, and specifically designed to help you get the most out of your straight razor experience early on in the piece. Of course you don't have to take the advice, but progress will be slower as you try to sort through all the variables trying to determine if it is you or if it is the edge.

Good luck to you.

James.