Thread: Keen

Hart finishes their razors on Eschers and then strops them before sending them out, although I have heard that this isn't always the case (mistakes happen I suppose). I remember reading about someone who had to hone his Hart himself and they sent him a $20 visa card or something for his trouble(IIRC). Let us know how it goes and what they say. Keep in mind that if you put the blade down on it's edge to check for a frown, you'll kill whatever edge you have....if that's a necessary evil or not is your call. Didn't you say that it shaved "quite nice" in your initial post? Hope you didn't just get caught up on the HHT and do all of this work unnecessarily.

Have you considered just doing a one or two pass shave (without any against the grain) so that you can shave more often (assuming that you don't already do)? Just a thought

How about some pictures?

I’m confused, you said the edge had a slight smile, now it has a frown.

How many razors have you honed? How long have you been Straight Razor shaving? What is the condition of your Leather strop? What brand are your other stones?

Checking for a frown will not dull your edge.

My experience with new honers and new razors, the problem is rarely the razor. You may want to slow down and look at your equipment, experience and technique before labeling the razor defective and ask for a replacement.

Photos please, so we are not advising in the dark.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

How about some pictures?

I’m confused, you said the edge had a slight smile, now it has a frown.

How many razors have you honed? How long have you been Straight Razor shaving? What is the condition of your Leather strop? What brand are your other stones?

Checking for a frown will not dull your edge.

My experience with new honers and new razors, the problem is rarely the razor. You may want to slow down and look at your equipment, experience and technique before labeling the razor defective and ask for a replacement.

Photos please, so we are not advising in the dark.

How will placing the blade down on it's edge not kill it?

It depends on pressure and what you put it on. You can put a cardboard or plastic straight edge against a razor lying flat on a table without damaging or even touching the edge.

You can also hold the edge against any metal or flat stone without doing any damage to the edge.

Yes the edge is fragile, but not that fragile or you would never be able to strop or shave it.

I feel like a total muppet :/
I've spent all day thinking about my bent razor at work.
I decided to write to hart but before i did i'd double check the frown... and its totaly gone. The blade sits flat on the stones.
I can only think that the 1k shapton had a hump in it, which gave me a falce frown or maybe the electrical tape gave it a frown?
I did some lapping on the 1k last night to try and get some spots off it and must have flattened it out?
Either that or im mental
Some of my stones still have what i think is metal fragments in them and the DMT plate isnt getting them out.
I've had 3 hart razors so far.
I have a Not a Replica, which is the sharpest blade ive ever come across. I had a BCX handled blade which was blunt and got returned and had it replaced with the Hart mirrored 7/8 pointed tip. The Not a Replica and BCX , although made by Hart Steel for Baxters, had a number of artisans work on each blade , hence i had a blunt one.

So you have 3 new razors, 2 of which you have sent back and had replaced because, you felt they were defective? And now you want to return the third?

Originally Posted by Euclid440

So you have 3 new razors, 2 of which you have sent back and had replaced because, you felt they were defective? And now you want to return the third?

Umm No...
They sold me a BCX 6/8 whch was blunt and after they sharpened it , it was lost in the post,they had no more in stock so i took a 7/8 instead.

Honestly, your frustration is exactly the reason that you shouldn't learn to hone while learning to shave and strop with a straight, at least not with the razors you shave with.

Take some of Glen's advice, and learn to walk away from the stones. If you feel like your going back and forth like this, you're not doing any good to the steel or your learning experience.

Stop doing all of these tests, stop looking at the blade, strop doing things on your hones and worrying that something's wrong.
Strop your blade and focus on your stropping technique. I mean really focus. Make sure that you're getting a nice even stroke, back and forth, listening and feeling. Make sure you haven't got yourself into any bad stropping technique. Don't do anything else to your blade until you shave next.

Shave, and tell us how it feels on your face.

Originally Posted by kwlfca

Honestly, your frustration is exactly the reason that you shouldn't learn to hone while learning to shave and strop with a straight, at least not with the razors you shave with.

Take some of Glen's advice, and learn to walk away from the stones. If you feel like your going back and forth like this, you're not doing any good to the steel or your learning experience.

Stop doing all of these tests, stop looking at the blade, strop doing things on your hones and worrying that something's wrong.
Strop your blade and focus on your stropping technique. I mean really focus. Make sure that you're getting a nice even stroke, back and forth, listening and feeling. Make sure you haven't got yourself into any bad stropping technique. Don't do anything else to your blade until you shave next.

Shave, and tell us how it feels on your face.

I was straight razor shaving for around 6 months before i decided to buy hones. My stropping is fine.As with most interests i have, there is a learning curve, then eventually i excell and become above average

I am not trying to be rude, but a Hart razor seems to me to be a slightly expensive razor to learn honing with. I do wish you the best of luck, I have truly enjoyed every Hart that I have ever honed and/or shaved with.