Thread: edge chips

Hi all : having some issues. First question, can an edge get microscopic chips from just shaving ? Now really Idk if I can even call them microscopic as I can see them when the leather from my strop clogs them. I assume the edges fold by the chip or are jagged enough to catch minute particles of leather ? Or is this maybe a sign of over honing and the edge getting too thin and not holding up to my brutish shaves? Alot of senarios running through my mind. It was just refreshed prior with my zulu grey and naniwa 12k. Tried using slurry on the zulu at first and the edge was degrading (imo) so had went back to the Nani for ten x-strokes then the zulu with plain water for 100+ (circles first then x-strokes). The blade after stropping and while shaving was awesome. I set it aside to strop at a latter date and when I commenced to strop noticed the microchips. I used tape btw.

Just from what you wrote I only see one thing that stands out at all

"It was just refreshed prior with my zulu grey and naniwa 12k. Tried using slurry on the zulu at first and the edge was degrading (imo) so had went back to the Nani for ten x-strokes then the zulu with plain water for 100+ (circles first then x-strokes)."

You are basically using two finishers, I have seen a ton of this on youtube, but honestly I haven't ever seen any advantage to doing it, if anything you are increasing the chances of creating a Fragile edge.. Basically as simply as possible, there is only so much steel down there to be "Finished" we are talking sub-micron measurements, so too much of a good thing might be causing a bad thing

To be sure there may be many other causes, but with the info given that is what I would at least try first, use one or the other not both

OK that sounds like a plan. So light bread knife then run up through the progression (to take out the microchips) and skip the naniwa 12k ?

I would try a couple of TNT's first that might take out the chips nice and gently, after that the Zulu with the slurry dilution might fix her right up If not then drop down harder on that old bevel..

Gently First see what happens

I haven't experienced that problem to the degree where chips removed leather from the strop.
I have had a similar issue with slight micro chipping noticed after the shave. (microscope)
I went back to the Nani 12 for a few passes and then to a chromium oxide pasted leather hanging strop, and then to untreated leather.
The degree of chipping got much less when I allowed more droop in the horizontally held strops.
About 1 inch of droop, on my strops, instead of 1/2 inch, seemed to make a difference for the better.
My guess is that I am ever so slightly rounding the bevel's edge just enough to strengthen it a bit.
Several very smooth shaves have me thinking that holding the strop a little less taught can have advantages.

Your question raises 50 questions in my mind. First is, what is on your strop ? I would think with the direction the edge is going it is not going to be scraping anything off it unless it is something loose getting crammed into those chips if not causing them. Otherwise it would be doing the same thing to your face. I also wonder how long have you had this razor and used it ? Who set the bevel and with what. I always wonder about lower grit bevel sets ( lower than 1k) bending the grains of metal or scratching deeper than the rest of the progression takes out. So later ,with use, these little imperfections show up by bending those almost loose grains back and forth finally breaking them off. Sometimes I think too much :<0)

9 times out of 10 Glen is right but I think this is a matter of NEI ( Not Enough Information)

What kind of razor are you dealing with?

The razor is a beau brummel honed by Glen initially. That was quite a few months ago and I've used a pasted strop numerous times on it until it seemed time to refresh it with the naniwa and my zulu. The strop is 2 inch latigo from srd.

I once had a similar issue but in my case it was the steel that was the problem. In your case if it's chipping from shaving it would seem to me the edge is too delicate and isn't holding up.

Sounds like you honed the edge too thin and shaving rolled out the microscopic teeth.
I'd try glen's advice with the thumbnail first.
If that doesn't work then I'd add another layer of tape to narrow the bevel width and hit the 12k for 10 strokes.
If that didn't work, then I'd do a light breadknife and start over at 8k