Thread: Bringing blunt razor to shaving finish

So I have just purchased a fixed blade straight razor (after having enough of the disposable blade style). It has arrived completely blunt, own a decent set of Ice Bear and King waterstones (no stranger to sharpening knives), I gave it 20 minutes on the 800, establishing a good edge, 10 minutes on the 1200 and then 5-8 minutes on my King 6000 stone, followed by a short time on the strop.

Now the edge is knife sharp, but not shaving sharp. E.g. I can hold a piece of paper up and cut straight through it with no resistance, but it won't cut hair without some real pressure and force.

Im guessing its very thick steel, do I just need to keep persisting, if so, what stone should I be spending most of my time on?

And is there any special technique to turn a razor from "knife sharp" to "razor sharp"?

Cheers.

Paper will dull an edge VERY fast, we never test that way. Test on arm or leg hair first.

Use light pressure when honing especially on full hollows as the edge will flex. Strop at least 50 laps linen 50 laps leather and if you don't have linen 100 laps leather. 6000 grit might be to low for a comfortable edge but more than likely you need more 1200 grit hone laps.

Please post a picture of the blade if possible

Before you go any further sit down and view Lynn Abrams' video on honing. Or one by gssixgun (Glen Mercurio). Razor honing is nowhere anything like sharpening a knife. While you can shave off a 6k progressing to an 8k and then a 12k is standard.

Go to the Library and find the Maintaining a Razor section. Honing videos are there.

Post brand of razor and where it came from if you can't work out how to upload photo. Is it vintage or new?

First off welcome to SRP.

AS said read everything in the SRP library: Straight Razor Place Library - Straight Razor Place Library
And watch some of the mentioned videos.

post some pictures, this may help with assessing the edge.

Also, you could send it out to a pro honer to feel what a true "shave ready" should be. Send Jamie (celticcrusader) a private messege http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...ccrusader.html he can sort you out or Steve Dempster https://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/49-razor-sharpening

Enjoy the journey

Thanks for all the response, will post a picture later and check the guides out, will probably also invest in some much finer stones. I have been sharpening knives with waterstones since I was about 14 so no stranger to the technique, just mastering a new edge so to speak, thanks!