Thread: How sharp can it get?

Is it possible to get you're average straight as sharp as a double edge blade? I can get a decently close shave withe my straights but nothing like the Parker with a half feather.
So is it possible?

Sharp? maybe not.
As close and as a comfortable shave I would say yes.
These things are, well relative. I shaved with a shavette style for a long time (well what I consider a while).
Are my blades as sharp?
I will say close but the shave they deliver is superior to the shavette.
As I started honing a shavette is what I chased, it is what I knew.
I got a pro honed blade or two and began to chase it.
I realized there is a balance with sharp and smooth, the farther you wish to push it the more delicate the balance becomes.
I can get BBS with my straights, I can get BBS with my shavette, but tomorrow my face with thank me more if I did it with my straight.

Yes it is possible!

With my coticule,,I once got a full wedge straight, so sharp, that the mere reflection of light off the edge, caused whiskers to leap into the sink.

Never been able to achieve that with a D.E. blade.

Never used a shavette so could not compare but have used plenty of DEs and SEs. It was easier and quicker to get a close BBS shave with a DE than for a straight. As my shaving technique improved and my honing skills too the straight will give me BBS shave with less irritation than a DE. The straight shave is also starting to last longer than my DE shaves even from the ones using an aggressive DE like the Muhle R41. Still could not tell you which is sharper though.

Bob

Originally Posted by Crusader

Is it possible to get you're average straight as sharp as a double edge blade? I can get a decently close shave withe my straights but nothing like the Parker with a half feather.
So is it possible?

YES! I used a half of feather in my parker for a while and achieved BBS shaves on a consistent basis before getting a dovo best quality straight so I tend to look for the same thing as you. I can say without a doubt (in my opinion) that my straight has been as sharp if not sharper (is that possible?) then a feather DE blade! In fact tonight I got it sharper then I ever have. My shaves have been as close and even more comfortable and I am now getting a BBS consistently again. The only draw back (if you call it that) is I tend to hone my straight more often since I have to have a very sharp blade now thanks to the feathers. So to answer your question-yes they can get that sharp but you do sacrifice "forgiveness and smoothness". Just my very limited experience so far.

The anatomy of a straight razor and its edge is a bit different then a standard coated DE blade.

For 1 DE blades are mass produced to be in expensive, therefore historically a fixed straight edge may utilize a higher end steel capible of taking and holding a finer edge.

For 2nds a straight razor has a bit more metal behind it, especially in the heaver grinds which lends itself to being more forgiving..

Also a straight is CAN BE honed with the care and expertise combined with high end finishers that can be adjusted to meet tge taste of the user....

Also a straught razor is stropped to get its final polish, DEs typically have a coating which can inhibit the authentic honed feel of the blade....


With an SR you have total controll on the blade and and oressure so tge results can be far superior so oing as your technique is good.

IMO a straight razor of goid quality, well honed in the hand of someone who knows what they are doing is the optimum shaving tool, period.

As for sharp, it isnt how sharp, its how smooth.....

Once you feel a "velvet squeegee" SR edge, you'll never ask this question again.*

SHARP is only 1/2 the battle.

COMFORTABLE is the other. This is where the unlimited technique allowed by the SR lets the user perfect his shave (and the honemeister perfect the edge).

I especially enjoy picking off whiskers one or two at a time when trimming edges. Or _using_ the notch. Can't even attempt that with a DE.

Also methinks the "pure" steel, highly-polished edge of the SR is always going to feel better than the coated edge of the mass-produced blade.

WHY were so many different stropping machines/razors produced BITD? Methinks one reason is that shavers were used to stropping, but that the second BIG reason is that they were also used to a STROPPED edge and production edges will never be as good as what can be polished out by hand.

*I remember my first buttery SR shave like it was yesterday, wait it was last month...but you and all your money can't buy that blade from me.

I am seeing the "smooth" every one is talking about. I ordered a crox stick off of the Amazon and colored it down on the one side of the linen strop and then proceeded to strop it about 20 times. Then 50/50 on the clean linen and leather ; today I got the best/cleanest 2 pass shave yet to date with one of my lesser blades.
#luvinthecrox.

A lot of it's going to be technique. The longer you do it, the better you'll get. Just try to master one set or one type of stone. Comfort is a big part of the equation as mentioned, not just sharp or keen. You do want "Velvet Squeegee". Last night was my Friday at work, so I left early. I have a DD Satinedge in need of a touch up so I broke out a Select Grade Coticule 8x3 and went to work. (I haven't used a Coticule in some time, love the feedback)

It wasn't long before it was popping hairs. Now, I could have left it alone, but I decided to take it to my pasted paddles anyway, I have them, may as well use them. 1.0, .50 and .25 diamond, then smooth it out a bit with crox. I took a hair, touched the blade to it, and it literally popped and flew away...I'll shave with it today. It was probably fine after the Coti, so I'll see if the Diamond paste was overkill or not.

P.S To answer the OP's question, IMHO you can get a blade too sharp. It can become uncomfortable to shave with and cause irritation. For me, that comes from .25 diamond paste alone, as a touch up or a final finisher. The Crox seems to take the bite out.

You can get a straight razor sharper than your shaving technique can handle. When a straight nicks me like some ordinary POS DE razor blade, I back it off a bit with a strop.

I usually only have problems with really high quality razors, carbon steel, circa 1940-1950s.

I usually shave with a modern stainless Dovo and find the issue less often.

The most common recipe for problems, for me, is honing with less pressure than the weight of the blade (an advanced technique, perhaps, we don't discuss much, essentially keeping the weight in your fingers and not allowing the weight of the blade onto the hone) and using absolutely no pressure when stropping.

For me, those conditions sometimes cause a nick on my skin at first contact. I don't like shaving with that kind of sharpness.