Thread: minimum grit

hello i just bought a brand new straight razor and i find there is a lot of tugging and pulling. i assume this is because it is not sharp enough. how do i get it shave ready and im curious as to what the minimum grit is to getting a shave ready razor. can i also strop with newspaper?



thanks

I posted a question about hones a week or so ago asking about the main grits I need. I was told by a few people I only really need a 1k 4k and 8k.

By minimum I take it you mean the lowest grit possible to get a comfortable shave? If you don't want it to tug and pull at least 8,000 grit, get a Norton 4000/8000 combo stone as it is the easiest to learn on as there is so much much information to help you with that particular stone.

The minimum grit is the finest stone you choose to finish on but to get a razor shave ready may require several other steps. If you've never honed a razor before it is best to send it to someone who has : Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

It can be less expensive/damaging to practice on a used razor & you can concentrate on your shaving & stropping skills first with your new razor.

You can strop on whatever you want but most will agree, the traditional leather strop gives the best result.

razor132, where did you buy the razor and did it came shaveready i.e. was it honed by a professional?

Imo the minimum grit to get a razor shaveready is subjective. Not all razors are alike, same with beards, technique and perception.

+1 on getting it honed by a member here, Then you know after its been honed that when it tugs, it'll probably only need a finishing touch up. right now you have no idea what stage the razor is at if it needs to go back to a 1k, 4k, 8k, 12k? best to send it off to a professional.

Originally Posted by razor132

hello i just bought a brand new straight razor and i find there is a lot of tugging and pulling. i assume this is because it is not sharp enough. how do i get it shave ready and im curious as to what the minimum grit is to getting a shave ready razor. can i also strop with newspaper?



thanks

The "Library" section of this forum is your friend. More answers there, than anywhere else. The "Advanced Search" button will give you great results.

Enjoy the journey & welcome aboard.