Thread: Straight Razor Hell

Good God man, 400x magnification! I get by with a 20x lighted jewelers loupe. That chip would not even exist in my world of honing for shaving. I am starting to think that magnification past a certain point is a detriment, at lest in the beginning, to achieving a shave ready edge.

Bob

Job15, don't take this the wrong way but.. IMHO to many people get caught up in a lot of hype and get mired down in the minutia. Take a newb that has never held a SR before, they get on the internet and get information overload. They think they have to have all the bells and whistles before even learning the basics of shaving when all they really need is a quality shave ready SR, soap, and strop. Then they need to learn HOW to shave and strop. I have been sharpening knives and razors for eons with just a couple of Arkansas stones and a bucket of water. But if you go on YouTube you find guys that used six or seven stones, slurry's, .5 and .01 micron paste's and an electron microscope that could find the God molecule all in the pursuit of the "sharpest edge. Simplify your process down the the bare minimums and learn that to the best of your abilities and I bet you will be quite pleased with the results. A 400x microscope is just "looking" for problems causing you to tilt at windmills.

i definitely think that its probably technique. this is just for me as i can only speak from my experiences. i have learned to hone on a set up that cost less then 100$us and get great shaves and i've never looked through a loupe. my theory is this, straights were the sole means of shaving for what 200 years? i guarantee they were getting comfortable shaves or at least barable ones. so i fully believe in not overcomplicating the process for myself. i think sometimes we all need to remember what wet shaving is about. the old time style and way of doing things.

im no pro. i just don't like seeing anyone discouraged by something that is not rocket science.

Just because you cannot see a chip at low magnification does not mean it does not exist. Run a sharpie lightly on the edge, if you can feel it with the sharpie you will feel it on your face.

Learn to the best of your abilities, but don’t look for chips with high magnification?

I am confused.

Learn to use your tools the best you can, with whatever makes it easier for… you.

It is your face, you are shaving.

I agree 100% with guitstik You don't need too many stones and definitely you don't need the 400x microscope, otherwise how the guys who don't have one can hone a SR. You should try shaving off the 8000k and then when you learn what it feels like having a good and pleasant shave at the 8000k level then and only then you should proceed to the next stone. I am not an expert but the most basic thing I learned so far when honing a SR is that if you don't set a good bevel it doesn't matter how many stones you are going to use afterwards.

Thanks for all your advises
I just want to point out that before I bought my microscope my honing was a total joke.
The microscope is the best learning tool anyone can have in my opinion.
I have pictures of my edges pre microscope and they are horrific . Since the scope I've achieved perfection many times. With perfectly clean and straight edges that are ultra smooth and beyond sharp.
As for too many stones, my first year I only had the Shapton range and i'll admit I didn't really know what I was doing. (thank God for SRD).
When I do find an interest in life, which is rare, I will master it, money and time are no object.

My problem is my Nakayama, im either making weak edges or broke up edges.
It's gonna take some learning as the stone is above my level of honing expertise .
I was advised by Maksim to make sure my Nakayama gets pre polished and to use my Shobu pre Nakayama , nice to know my shobu isn't redundant

Many ways to proceed here. Soft touch on the tomo, small slurry, breaking the slurry with another blade first to partially break it, using the shobu with slurry and using the broken shobu slurry on the nakayama. If you have different tomos, try them, and maybe even use the shobu as a tomo on your nakayama. You got a bit of experimenting here, bt im sure you will get it soon. The shave test is golden. I have a veho 400x but dont use it much. Thats just me, use it if you feel it helps you.

Originally Posted by bill3152

Many ways to proceed here. Soft touch on the tomo, small slurry, breaking the slurry with another blade first to partially break it, using the shobu with slurry and using the broken shobu slurry on the nakayama. If you have different tomos, try them, and maybe even use the shobu as a tomo on your nakayama. You got a bit of experimenting here, bt im sure you will get it soon. The shave test is golden. I have a veho 400x but dont use it much. Thats just me, use it if you feel it helps you.

Use the shobu as a tomo, nice idea... If only I had more time...

Wow just wow


Starting at the beginning

"Not a Replica" this is the Hart made razor correct ???

Blue Steel "Not a Replica" Men's Straight Blade Razor - Baxter

If that is correct simply add a layer of tape to the one you better already have on there

Hart has a slightly lower then usual Bevel angle more in the 13° - 15° range rather then the normal 15° - 17° range they themselves recommend one layer of tape but if you are getting micro chipping then add another..

Another trick that works with Chippy razor is to use a Micro-bevel personally I am not a fan of the process but it does work for some razors..
If the edge is solid to until you hit the finisher then this should solve it..


Never keep doing the same thing expecting a different outcome, especially when it entails grinding away steel on your precious razors


PS: Just a hint because I just had one leave the shop

The slight wave in the bevel might NOT be your fault or doing, I just honed a Hart with a slight thin spot in the grind this showed as a very small imperfection in the bevel which many would have tried to hone out.. I could see the grind imperfection easily on the face of the razor since it was a polished blade, but with a Blued Steel or a Satin Steel that will be more difficult to spot so look really close at the blade face above the bevel imperfection and see to make sure you are not trying to hone out something that doesn't effect the shave and cannot be taken out...


Here is the pic where I tried to capture it for the owner of the razor