Thread: How fast can you kill an edge?

I mean unintentionally.
little background, I received my Dovo BQ 6/8 shave ready around Xmas time. I shaved non-exclusively with it getting marginally good shaves, with some irritation in the tricky spots. Shaving became increasingly difficult and I bought a Norton 4/8.

My first go at honing was terrible, I realized immediately when I tried to shave with it, so I bailed and reached for the DE. a couple more tries at it and I was back in business, the razor seemed to me to be shaving well again, and I started exclusively using the straight. About 3-4 weeks later it was unbearable again. Back to the hone. Felt a bit rough so I did 7 laps on Crox. Better but still not there, so I went for 10 more laps on the Crox. Bingo! Shaved great, maybe best shaves to date....

...but here's the problem, that was only 10 days ago and this morning it was catching like crazy. So am I killing the edge quickly or can some kind of newb honing mistake cause this? (Sorry for the long story)

I pretty much killed my edge the day after my first shave, my stropping technique or the fact I was advised to use paste on my only strop. I've been longing for that first shave ever since.

A well honed edge will last me about 30 shaves before I like to put it back on a finisher.

A poorly honed razor can have a weak edge that seems to collapse during the first shave.

Technique is also an issue. Ive gone much longer now that I use a slicing stroke as oppossed to straight on. I use the lowest angle that still cuts. Scraping kills it quick and good stropping takes a while to where you are really improving the edge. If you finish on an 8k it should last longer than say a 12k as the "teeth" are smaller and will break off and bend easier than larger teeth. Old sheffield steel Ive found to be much softer than say a modern Thiers Issard. When i first started 5-7 shaves and I had to do something, Ive gone three weeks without a touchup although Im always trying new things so I generally dont wait that long. I strop a little slack and that improves the edge more than a very taut strop. YMMV as always.

It depends on many factors: razor geometry, steel type, quality of honing, quality of stropping, whiskers hardness, season, humidity, shaving angle, shaving technique, experience. Did I forget something?
Having said this, to me, it is about 25-30 shaves before I go for a chromium oxide pass or honing.

Gents I appreciate the input (I do), but I think we're addressing the more common newb question:"how long does an edge last?", I'm asking the only slightly different "how quickly can you kill it?"
I'm trying to determine if:
A) I still haven't put a proper edge on this razor
B) I'm killing the edge in a handful of shaves with my shoddy shave technique

Understanding of course that you have limited info here, but I have limited experience so let's call that one even!

however, now thinking this through, it's a bit academic isn't it? - I think the next action is the same either way. Time for another attempt at honing it I would guess

Assuming its been honed well, one slip on the strop will roll it in about half a second, bad angle can kill it in a couple shaves(scraping angle) and improper stropping will not realign all the fins so that will kill the edge in a couple shaves. Many many variables. A combination of bad strokes,improper shaving angles and the strop not realigning the edges will result in poor performing blade very quickly. Not drying and stropping after the shave will lad to oxidation of the edge. I'm sure there are many I've left out but you get the picture.

Originally Posted by bill3152

If you finish on an 8k it should last longer than say a 12k as the "teeth" are smaller and will break off and bend easier than larger teeth.

I can't understand how it would be easier to bend or break something that is smaller.
Surely less leverage can be applied to something smaller ?

Thanks for the 2nd reply Bill. My shaving technique particularly around the chin may be the culprit. "Scraping angle" sounds far too similar to what I'm often doing, I only went from VanDyke to mustache only recently. I rehoned it, and the arm hair test is promising but I won't know for sure until the morning.