Thread: How sharp is shave ready?

I would like to start by saying that I will be receiving a freshly honed razor later this week, professionally honed and ready to go. But because I am impatient, I am interested in knowing how sharp the two I already have are in comparison. Can anyone give me an accurate account of what they are supposed to feel like while shaving?

I know its a lot to ask since everyone is a little different, and I know I really just need to wait and see what truly shave ready feels like, but I can't help being curious.

Thanks everyone

Drew

Once you get a well done honing from someone who knows how to do it, you'll have the kinesthetic sense of what it should feel like. When I get finished honing a razor, it wipes the hair off your face. Everyone has their own way of honing razors and, depending on what they own for hones, will stop at 8k, 12k, 16k, or 30k grits. If they're happy, it may be because their beard agrees with wherever the honing stopped. Your beard may be different. This is all very subjective.

Have you read:
The Shave Ready Razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki
in the Wiki?

Originally Posted by Howard

. Your beard may be different. This is all very subjective.

Yeah...

That's what I was afraid of hearing. I guess I just have to wait to find out. My razor should have started it's journey here on Saturday so fingers crossed on me having it today...

My personal criteria for a razor being shave ready is, that after I have properly prepared my whiskers and using proper stretching techniques and blade angle, the razor will shave smoothly and closely without pulling on either side of my chin and on my upper lip.

IME a razor that is close but not yet there will shave most of my face but the fore mentioned areas are the true test for me. I might add the area on either side of my windpipe. For that area even a shave ready razor requires different blade approaches and stretching techniques.

Howard and Jimmy have said it best.

When I have a freshly honed razor, I first test the razor by shaving a small piece of my beard dry, and checking if it pulls. If no pull, then it is shave ready and I lather up and do the shave.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Howard and Jimmy have said it best.

+++1! I usually hone my own. On three occasions, I have bought razors that had been honed by others. While the razors did have distinct bevels and were sharp, they were not honed to my satisfaction so I had more tuning to do. This is not to say the honign was not done properly but rather satisfasction is a function of your beard, the razor and your measure of closeness.

the thing is that the feel of a shave ready razor is a multi-faceted thing. what you are are going to "feel" will be a composite of your razor's edge, your beard prep, your TECHNIQUE, the position of the planets, you get the idea.

So, if you have a razor that was honed by one of the guys, take a feel of it...that is what a sharp razor feels like. Not being a smart aleck or anything, but you will only be able to tell with some experience. Take your shave ready blade, shave your sideburns and cheek areas like Lynn says. If everything is done correctly it should be smooth and absolutely painless. It should require almost no pressure, and you should get the closest shave you can get.

If something in the equation is wrong... for example, if you use poor technique and lots of pressure, even a perfect blade will wreck your face. I would humbly suggest to get comfortable with the idea of a long learning curve (you may pick it up quickly or slowly, who knows) and the possibility of having to send your razor out for honing at first until you know what sharp should feel like. Then it will be lots easier to see what you need to be doing differently in your stropping, honing, etc.

Anyway, I really hope this is helpful, all of the things I said are a result of personal experience and weekly posts by new guys who share similar experiences and questions.

Cheers,

Dave

So I got my honed razor in the mail today from Max. For those who don't know, his site is here. All I can say is that I now know what shave ready means. The razor is, well, razor sharp. Very little pulling (I'm putting that down to my poor technique, after all it was only my 3rd try at this straight thing), incredibly close shave, and the few little cuts I have I never felt happen. Incredible.

Case Closed.