Thread: New Hart Razor Not Shave Ready Asking for Advice

I just received a nice new hart 7/8 razor which is stated as shave ready but is not for me at least. I've bought several new razors and have been shaving long enough to know the difference at least for me. I'm use to Lynn's "shave ready" and have evolved my honing skills based on his razors as a baseline.

The Hart will shave arm hair with pressure but not even close to tree top or HHT. And as far as shaving it will remove some whiskers but not without pressure and AGT is out of the question.

So the question I have is this. Most of the razors i've honed have been via the route of Naniwa's 1,5,8,12k progression. In this case I'm not sure would you redo the bevel working your way from 1k - 5k - 8k -12k vs. 5k - 8k - 12k vs. 8k - 12k ? I have only about 4 months experience and do a decent job honing just not sure where to start with this razor.

Thanks
Guy

Thoughts

1. Easiest Contact the vendor and politely ask if they can "Fix" the issue explain that you are not a Newb and have shaved other razors..

2. Hone it yourself, now that said, I always set my own bevel and start at the beginning UNLESS I am touching up a razor that I honed originally..

3. Try and match up what they did and start at the top end and work backwards on the hones from 12k down until it hits for you

I assume it was supposed to be shave ready since it's new? Can you ask Hart or the vendor you bought it from?

I usually start at the 3k when I touch up a razor. You may not need to, but that's what I do. I see you have the 5k so that's what I would start on. You may need much less, but if you have the hones and know how to use them its no big deal. Many will say to work backwards starting at the 12k. And youcan certainly do that as well.

I have a 6/8 and 7/8 Hart. Both were great as received and I have now honed both once. I would put one layer of tape on, blue the edge, and run it over a finishing stone of your choice. If the bevel looks good, and mine were perfect, start were you judge you must. I went 8, then 16 on Shaptons, followed by a few laps on 1 then 0.25 diamond. Back to a perfect, as new edge. Very comfortable shaves with both. Little time and effort. Good luck with yours.

I would call Hart and tell them it is coming back, at their expense, and you expect this expensive razor made very right and shave ready. At the price they charge and the representations regarding quality they assert, this is their problem to solve, not a honing practice for you. They make it, and they should want to make the proper adjustments. I have read in other posts that they are very cooperative. Just my $.02.

Originally Posted by RoyalCake

I assume it was supposed to be shave ready since it's new? Can you ask Hart or the vendor you bought it from?

Hart advertises as being shave ready.

First and foremost, I would contact the vendor and explain your dissatisfaction over having received an expensive razor which is advertised as being shave ready and is clearly not. That you have experience with several razors and know from that what shave ready is and is not. Firmly but politely ask them to rectify the problem to your satisfaction at their expense.

For me, the vendor could:

Offer to exchange your razor for another new Hart.
Offer to make your present Hart shave ready.
Offer a partial refund of the price if you want to hone the razor yourself
Offer a full refund of your money and return your Hart to them.

If you can't work out a satisfactory solution with the Vendor I would contact Hart directly and inform them of your situation and dissatisfaction with your Hart and the vendor of their razors. The ask them to rectify the problem for you.

If you do get a satisfactory resolution from the vendor I would still contact Hart directly after the problem is solved. I would let them know that you did have a problem with one of their razors and that you were quite pleased with the service you got from the vendor of their razors in solving the problem.

Bob

I have yet to receive a new razor that is really shave ready out of the box. The two Harts I received, a 6/8, and later a 7/8, needed a good stropping to be made shave ready. I have since touched them up on a Naniwa 12k when needed.

When a good stropping did not do it for a new razor, I take it to the hones and start with setting a new bevel, and go from there. As you know, resetting a new bevel is no big deal, and you know you are starting right and it's going to be right when you're done with your progression.

I would not bother sending it back, just take care of it yourself. Good luck!

Hart steel straights direct from the factory and then through vendors who do not hone the Hart have, at least for me, always
needed a touch up before shaving becomes comfortable. AFAIK Hart still recommends honing with tape as the razor coming to you from Hart has been honed with tape. With your razor I would tape and touch up the edge you have now on a 12k and give that a chance and see how it works for you.