Thread: Do high grit homes even matter ?

I am having a feeling that I can not tell a difference between 16k to 4k. After its been stopped it sort of feels the same . Also I notice that I get a better edge if I lift the spine from the stone or strop a bit like 1/8th. Anybody felt the same ?

I have been shaving with a straight exclusively for a year I read this forum and I feels like I am missing something.

Originally Posted by Zglozmn

I am having a feeling that I can not tell a difference between 16k to 4k. After its been stopped it sort of feels the same . Also I notice that I get a better edge if I lift the spine from the stone or strop a bit like 1/8th. Anybody felt the same ?

I have been shaving with a straight exclusively for a year I read this forum and I feels like I am missing something.

With all due respect. From what you have posted I would suspect you don't have requisite honing skill to achieve the edge which would allow you to feel the difference. Just IMHO. Unless there is something radically wrong with the spine/edge relationship , the spine should never be lifted if you're honing normally. Removing a frown would be the only exception I know of , and that is a temporary measure.

+1 to what Jimmy said. If you can't tell the difference between the 4k and 16k, you need a lot more practice on the hones.

I just feel like it does a fine job. I like straight razor as I said use it daily, would not feel anything wrong before I started reading all this stuff. I get super close shaves no rash or burn. Makes me wounded how much better would it be ?

I seems to me that stropping is where the action is at.

You need to make sure that the edge is really well prepared to go to your finishing stone.
If you can't feel the difference between 4k and 16k, it could also be possible you have not set the bevel properly yet.

Nope both are important.

You can of course destroy a good edge with both but you can't get a great edge from a strop if it had a poor one from the hones.

I've not tried 4K but I can get an workable edge at 6k, but its not something I would shave with by choice. I would generally go to 12k or higher and although I can shave straight from the stones stropping smooths it out a bit.

There was an old saying when I was a kid, something like, "thirty million Frenchmen can't be wrong." Say that to say, everyone on this forum, who knows how to use a finishing stone, says they make a difference. I'm happy to hear that you're getting good shaves from your razor. My guess is that if your razor were properly honed/finished you would find there is a difference for the better. If you have more than one you might consider sending one out to a pro, listed in SRP classifieds member services, and see if the finished product isn't superior to what you're using now.

The difference between 4K and 16K is visually obvious.

I woukd like to know what hone your using? How do you know you have a 16k hone? Or even a 4k? Your in the Hone forum, so you should know we want photos.. photos or i didnt happen..

I am willing to be you can get an edge that will shave, but i am thinking if your follow some of the advise of the guys here, you would have a razor that would be 10 fold more confortable. I am learning myself after around two years. And i still use my razor i sent out to be profesionally sharpened. I have never been able to get one as sharp as the pros.

I guess I'd say pay the money to have one of the pros from the classifieds sharpen a razor for you, and find out for yourself. I don't think it's that expensive, and it'll be conclusive in every way when you test the idea using someone else's edge. What's twenty bucks for peace of mind?