Micro-chipping and how to fix it - HELP

I'm still a noob when it comes to honing. After a few shaves with my newly pro honed razor, I noticed micro-chipping along the edge of the blade with my 60x loupe. The shave has become very uncomfortable and I'm wondering what may have caused the chipping and how to fix it. I have a set of hones, as well as CrOx on balsa. I'm a do it yourself kind of guy so I'd like to try to fix it myself, and if all else fails, I'll send it off for a hone. Can't seem to find that much on how to remedy this problem.

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Originally Posted by Justino14

I'm still a noob when it comes to honing. After a few shaves with my newly pro honed razor, I noticed micro-chipping along the edge of the blade with my 60x loupe. The shave has become very uncomfortable and I'm wondering what may have caused the chipping and how to fix it. I have a set of hones, as well as CrOx on balsa. I'm a do it yourself kind of guy so I'd like to try to fix it myself, and if all else fails, I'll send it off for a hone. Can't seem to find that much on how to remedy this problem.

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I'd say your options are limited. If CrOx won't help, then it's the stone that will restore the edge.
Assuming your razor is a reliable one and not a razor shaped object, it could be stray coarser particles on the balsa wood, maybe too much CrOx on it, using too much pressure there or while stropping, or simply, you can't keep an edge shave ready indefinitely with a piece of balsa wood and CrOx and a strop; at some point it will need honing.

Is it your only razor ? What I did early on was have a few pro honed razors that I shaved with, and some old (good condition) razors that I learned to hone with. I would use the pro honed razors to compare my own honing. If you cannot see the chips with the naked eye a touch up on a 10 or 12k hone might refresh the edge enough to get a decent shave. If you can see them without magnification you would probably need to start with a 4k or so. If you're going to hone it use a piece of electrical tape on the spine. Watch some honing vids and don't be heavy handed. :gl:

What is the brand of the razor?
Usually micro-chipping is a function of very hard steel or/and the stones used are not suitable for the steel . That assuming there is nothing wrong with the heat treat of the razor. You can add an extra layer of tape and see if that will help.

I can only see the chips under the loupe. I haven't used the CrOx on this razor yet so I guess it's because of my stropping. It is a brand new Boker King Cutter. How many laps should I try on the 12k? I have a vintage razor I could practice honing on but it is a wedge, is that hard to learn honing on?

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Originally Posted by Justino14

I can only see the chips under the loupe. I haven't used the CrOx on this razor yet so I guess it's because of my stropping. It is a brand new Boker King Cutter. How many laps should I try on the 12k? I have a vintage razor I could practice honing on but it is a wedge, is that hard to learn honing on?

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A wedge is more difficult than a hollow ground, but it is basically the same thing in terms of the motions. Many guys use more tape on a full wedge to decrease the size of the resulting bevel, and make it easier because you're removing less metal. Try 5 round trips weight of the blade on your chom-ox strop. It won't remove chips, but it might smooth out the shave for you. I wouldn't put it to the hone except as a last resort if you're an inexperienced honer.

Micro chipping is a tough one to decide where it came from. There have been a ton of posts on where they come from and what to do. In general I would kill the edge lightly on my thumb nail and then bring it back on a 4K and progress up. It is true you may get that edge back with CrOx. It is certainly worth a try, especially if you are uncertain if your honing.

A few years ago when stropping on Balsa, was all the rage, there were a flood of edge chipping issues, from stropping on balsa. The cause was/is too much pressure, or lifting the spine.

Also make sure you are using Razor quality, 100 percent Chromium Oxide, not hardware/woodworking store or polishing compounds.

Try pasting and stropping on a piece of cardboard, (inside of a cereal box).

Micro chipping is easily repaired, by jointing the edge straight and smooth, with one stroke on the corner of the stone, then reseting the edge. Once the bevels are flat and in the proper plane, 5-10 laps should bring them back to meeting.

Is your 12k a real 12k or an EBay Halcion 12K?

I occasionally get micro-chipping when I back-hone or do half strokes. Seems like some harder steels don't like that. Jointing the edge and then doing only edge-leading strokes seems to cure it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Justino14

I'm still a noob when it comes to honing. After a few shaves with my newly pro honed razor, I noticed micro-chipping along the edge of the blade with my 60x loupe. The shave has become very uncomfortable and I'm wondering what may have caused the chipping and how to fix it. I have a set of hones, as well as CrOx on balsa. I'm a do it yourself kind of guy so I'd like to try to fix it myself, and if all else fails, I'll send it off for a hone. Can't seem to find that much on how to remedy this problem.

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I think you are making this post extremely confusing for many on here

The nicks and chips that come from Shaving are part of shaving, as you get a better handle on shaving and stropping these will become less and less

Micro-Chipping from honing although similar in appearance actually come from improper use of the hones.


Since you say it is coming after shaving and not from during honing we have to assume that this is shave related

Adjusting your angle and learning to prep better and what and how a scything stroke is accomplished will help lessen the impact on the edge
Learn the stages of proper stropping will help to improve the edge after shaving..
the stages are
Learn the mechanics
Do no harm
Do some good

You might have to learn to do weekly or bi-weekly touch up and maintenance on the edge some people just have tough beards and it pounds the crap outta the edge :)


What did you shave with before and how did those blades hold up ????

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Originally Posted by Euclid440

Is your 12k a real 12k or an EBay Halcion 12K?

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12k Naniwa

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

I think you are making this post extremely confusing for many on here

The nicks and chips that come from Shaving are part of shaving, as you get a better handle on shaving and stropping these will become less and less

Micro-Chipping from honing although similar in appearance actually come from improper use of the hones.


Since you say it is coming after shaving and not from during honing we have to assume that this is shave related

Adjusting your angle and learning to prep better and what and how a scything stroke is accomplished will help lessen the impact on the edge
Learn the stages of proper stropping will help to improve the edge after shaving..
the stages are
Learn the mechanics
Do no harm
Do some good

You might have to learn to do weekly or bi-weekly touch up and maintenance on the edge some people just have tough beards and it pounds the crap outta the edge :)


What did you shave with before and how did those blades hold up ????

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Didn't mean to be confusing. Basically I got my razor honed by a professional, someone reputable so I know it was shave-ready. After just a few shaves the razor is very uncomfortable to use, the first shave was nice though. I was curious what the edge looked like so I checked it under a loupe and a noticed a few microchips. Again I guess that is due to my stropping.

This is basically my first straight so I have nothing to compare it to. I do have another shave-ready razor I could use to compare shaves. When you say weekly maintenance, what would that consist of?

Since you haven't put your razor to the hones I can only assume your microchips were caused by shaving technique, I've never heard of microchiping from stropping unless a strop is as rough as a badgers a$$.
As Glenn said adjust your angle, it's quite easy to let the spine drift away from your face and cause the razor to rip the hair not slice it.

Talk to your honer and ask whether he used tape and how much, ask what strokes he used, heel leading etc. Then try 10 weight of the blade laps on your 12k, strop and see how she shaves, repeat if necessary.
I personally wouldn't go down the jointing route as you could inadvertently make the situation worse.

Weekly maintenance would mean 10 to 20 laps on cro ox or a few laps on your 12k.

Good luck

Are you using a quality strop, is your stropping technique up to scratch?

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Originally Posted by Justino14

12k Naniwa



Didn't mean to be confusing. Basically I got my razor honed by a professional, someone reputable so I know it was shave-ready. After just a few shaves the razor is very uncomfortable to use, the first shave was nice though. I was curious what the edge looked like so I checked it under a loupe and a noticed a few microchips. Again I guess that is due to my stropping.

This is basically my first straight so I have nothing to compare it to. I do have another shave-ready razor I could use to compare shaves. When you say weekly maintenance, what would that consist of?

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Here is the thing ...

SR shaving isn't as easy as some want to make it seem, yes if you have baby fine hair and your shaves were easy with a disposable then it goes pretty "Smooth" (pun intended)

But you still have to learn all the steps to get that Comfortable shave we all brag about, when you are new to this you are doing it all haphazard so yes it is harder on the edge .. It just is


Prep
Strop
Shave

These steps are all very important I am only going to touch on the most common mistakes made in each step for you here


Prep - Not enough, Prepping for the shave is VERY important to getting a comfortable shave and lessening the damage to the edge

Strop - Keep the spine buried in the strop move the razor evenly and equally across the strop sounds simple huh??? it isn't I always suggest at the mneet for new guys to lay the strop on the edge of the counter while learning to master the flip..
It takes time to develop it just does

Everyone goes through 3 stages
#1 Learning the mechanics, how to actually move the razor, keep the spine on the strop and how to flip
#2 Manage to finally strop without doing harm to the edge
#3 Manage to finally strop and align correct and burnish the edge to help the shave

Shave - the angle is the biggest issue when you are new, the suggestion is 20° - 30° I have never liked that, it is easier for my brain to think in spine widths plus that adjust for the size of the razor too :) the spine should stay within 2 spine widths from the face..
New guys have a tendency to open that up drastically around the curves of the face :(
The second thing to avoid is pressure against the face
Best thing to remember to help with that is "Shave the Lather" that helps you understand that you do not want to press in..
Just lightly shave the lather and it keeps you from pressing like almost ever other shaving system teaches you :(


This is a vid I did to demonstrate what is actually meant by by the term "Shave Test " but f you listen I give quite a few tips about prep and shaving too
Lynn also has a couple of really good vids to help new guys with their shaves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93zQP7CToWQ


Here is a really good thread with dozens of links and ideas to help you with stropping

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...st-2012-a.html



Go slow and take you time you are just going to have to take it step by step