Thread: smooth vs sharp - how to

The edge becomes more comfortable with the strop, FME. No matter where you start.

thank you everyone. this is all very helpful. i do believe that my edges are sharp. im just still a little new/green so testing everything i can. it wouldnt surprise me if im over honing but that too will get better with time and experience.

thanks again for the helpful advice.

So, first, do you have a real 12k?

If you do, you have all that is needed, to get both a smooth and keen edge off a 12k and stropping. Stropping cannot be overrated. It is the final polish and can easily make or literally break an edge. If you cannot strop, nothing else matters.

You can augment stropping, by stropping on paste, start with Chrome Oxide, but your stropping skills will limit your results. A 12k, Chrome Oxide pasted edge is a smoking, keen comfortable edge. So can an 8k edge be.

Look at your 12k edges and bevels, the straighter you can get your edges the smoother the shave. It really, is that simple and complicated.

I suspect most folks are no-where near to maxing out the performance from their 12K, or their 8K. The smaller the stria, the straighter the edge. Your edge does not begin to get real straight until after 8K, look at it.

Start by trying to get the bevel as stria free and the edge, as chip free as possible, magnification will help you here. This can be a rabbit hole or a learning experience, depending on how you approach it…

The rub is, you don’t have to go to all the trouble and expense, to get a good shave, it is all so subjective and skill dependent, and any improvement over an 8k edge is really, very small in terms of keenness, 2-5 percent improvement, comfort is another story.

Add naturals to the finish and it all goes out the window, and is stone and driver dependent.

Work systematically, try to maximize the performance from each of your stones, judge the bevel stria and edge straightness, and improve your stropping, using less pressure and a quality linen and leather strop.

As said stropping will improve an edge, even a bad edge, but it all works together, a good keen, comfortable edge is built, one step at a time. You cannot polish an edge that does not exist.

There are no magic stones, strops or paste… build it.

I find that there is a level of keen and buttery toast sorry I mean buttery smoothness that doesn't come along every honing session.
When you get there it's something special.

For me a super smooth edge will shave you but not butcher your face on a finer level .

I have had my 16K Shapton glass for about a month & a half now. I am really liking it. It gives a really keen edge when used properly. That means I use 8 to 12 strokes with almost no or no pressure on the razor. That is how it's supposed to be used. On a couple of my straights I have went about 12 strokes on my Coti under running water after the Shapton & it keeps the sharpness but smoothes out the blade. I do 25 laps on both of my shell strops & all I can say is wow!
I would advise getting a good 12 K stone & really learn it before going to a 16 K hone. Shapton Glass 16K is right at $150.00. For me it is worth it & I am trying to use it every day on different razors to learn how it works on different sizes , grinds & steel types & I am learning as much as I can about this hone. I am really liking it with a few rounds on my Coti afterwards.

Slawman

I used Shapton glass stones, 4,8 and 16k and had good success, but after sending a razor off for a full restore it came back with a Jnat edge....that really opened my eyes to how incredibly comfortable an edge could be. I purchased a Jnat finisher from a reputable vendor and Ive been enjoying sharp smooth shaves ever since. Someone once said, "Sharp is easy, sharp and smooth is hard," it comes down to spending time on your stones and really understanding the tactile feedback your razor is giving you. Stropping is also an important part of the equation, as others have stated.

Another option is sending off your razors to a true honemiester to get different edges put on them, coticule or Jnat. When they come back see which one your face prefers and take it from there.

Good luck!

i have quality strops and i believe that my stropping technique is okay. i always see an improvement after stropping, never a step backward. i do not use any pastes or sprays though. stones - natural or synthetic - only. am i missing out here?

does anyone use multiple strops in a type of progression? i.e. english bridle > kangaroo > cordovan ? or just stick with one per 'session'?

my 12k is a naniwa ss so i think thats okay too. i think ill experiment with a couple light laps on the coticle or zulu grey.

thanks again for all the helpful advice everyone.

Originally Posted by sloanwinters

i have quality strops and i believe that my stropping technique is okay. i always see an improvement after stropping, never a step backward. i do not use any pastes or sprays though. stones - natural or synthetic - only. am i missing out here?

does anyone use multiple strops in a type of progression? i.e. english bridle > kangaroo > cordovan ? or just stick with one per 'session'?

my 12k is a naniwa ss so i think thats okay too. i think ill experiment with a couple light laps on the coticle or zulu grey.

I don't do strop progressions though I've known of guys that do. I have a few strops but just stick with one or another per session. With chrom-ox, about the only paste I use, and then only occasionally, I use it on wool felt, or leather, on a flatbed.

The naniwa 12k is a great hone. If you have honed a razor to shave ready, and it feels a bit harsh, a half dozen round trips on the chrom-ox, or on a coticule might be the ticket for a less 'crisp' feeling on the face. IME.

thanks again for all the helpful advice everyone.

I don't do strop progressions though I've known of guys that do. I have a few strops but just stick with one or another per session. With chrom-ox, about the only paste I use, and then only occasionally, I use it on wool felt, or leather, on a flatbed.

The naniwa 12k is a great hone. If you have honed a razor to shave ready, and it feels a bit harsh, a half dozen round trips on the chrom-ox, or on a coticule might be the ticket for a less 'crisp' feeling on the face. IME.

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

Forget the 16k, the 12k is more than enough to get a sharp and smooth edge. Instead invest in time, the more time you spend on the hones the smoother your shaves will be.

I have to disagree with you on the 16K hone. It takes my 8K edge just enough sharper & polished that I can tell a difference. The secret Of the Shapton & other quality hones is let the hones do the work. Don't push hard cause you won't like the edge & just wear down the hone. The main thing to me is to really learn the hones you have before changing anything. My next hone will be a good bevel setter. I am going between the Shapton or Chosera 1K hones. My King works but it is slower than I like. I have honed & stropped a few razors for people & I want a a bevel setter I like to use.

Slawman

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I don't do strop progressions though I've known of guys that do. I have a few strops but just stick with one or another per session. With chrom-ox, about the only paste I use, and then only occasionally, I use it on wool felt, or leather, on a flatbed.

The naniwa 12k is a great hone. If you have honed a razor to shave ready, and it feels a bit harsh, a half dozen round trips on the chrom-ox, or on a coticule might be the ticket for a less 'crisp' feeling on the face. IME.

This is interesting. It's the traditional advice that pastes result in a more harsh edge?