Thread: Unable to sharpen dubl duck

Hi all, I have a question I need to ask. I have tried to sharpen a dubl duck 3/8" blade for a friend who sent it to me. I've been honing for about 1 year so I'm no expert but I can hone my razors to an edge that satisfies me. I'll admit that at times I'm tempted to send one off to someone else to see if there is a difference. Anyway, I could not sharpen it. I tried and tried and tried but could not get it to cut the hair on my arm, hell I don't think it would even cut my arm without a great deal of pressure. I sent my friend one of my previously restored razors and apologized. I recently came across a Puma in an auction. It looked like it could be restored easily and I've never had one. I won the auction, but when I received it, opened the box and it is another 3/8" blade. The seller was pretty sneaky with his pictures and description. So, before I spend a lot of time restoring it and polishing it, will it ever sharpen and shave. Has anyone ever used one? I hear they are for fine trimming of the beard and mustache, but not if I'm honing. Can anyone give me some advice or experience with one of these type razors? Should I send it off to an expert once restored?

Thanks a lot. Best wishes.. Maq

First, I'm moving your post in its own thread so that the thread you posted in can continue about the issues being discussed there.

3/8 razors are unusual, is that razor made as 3/8 or was a larger one that was ground down to that size.

If the seller of the puma razor didn't disclose it properly, you should consider returning it. Virtually all razors are 5/8 to 6/8 and 3/8 is extremely rare, so not disclosing that seems odd. Of course, the seller may not know anything about razors, so expecting too much may be unreasonable, and you may have to take this as a lesson to ask questions before bidding.

3/8 razors are trimmers. Their size is what makes them so & also makes them awkward as shavers.

This is usually the case when you end up trying to hone someone else's razor. I don't hone razors for others, don't want to. But I have done it on a couple occasions and I hope to never do it again. It's bad enough when you run into a troubled blade that you own. But when it's not yours, the problem is magnified. You'd like to quickly get a laser sharp edge that is comfortable and sharp right from the beginning. Instead you find yourself turning the 3/8 into a toothpick because you can't get a bevel. There are times when grinding away isn't the answer. There are cases wgphere you've put enough time in on the lower gets to reasonably expect more but haven't gotten it. You might consider tape, or not. And micro bevels...or not. But just grinding away at 1k isn't the answer.

Dubl Duck Styledge is 3/8 and for trimming. If that's what you have, it may have suffered cell rot and or some heat from polishing. If you have a loupe look at the edge close as you hone it. Is it chipping out at 1k and are the chips going away as you hone up your progression? Even if it's a blade broken down to 3/8 you should be able to make it shave. May not be a nice shave but I have seen guys shave with an axe :<0)
If it's bad steel it will keep breaking down as you hone, strop, etc.

Sometimes you need to put it down and come back when you don't feel the pressure.

Yep, DD definitely made smaller razors for trim work.

DD's are known for their ease of honing. If you are having such issues either you have a razor that has some very serious issues or your skills are simply not up to the task. If you don't think it's a skills issue then you need to really evaluate that razor to determine what the issue is with it.

i have 3 small razors just a hair under 4 /8 . I like them a lot and they shave amazing . J.A. Henkels 28 , Tiers issard le Gnome and Uhu Solingen / 2 howls / with red wood scales .
Theyre light , theyre maneuvrable and theyre sharp . I adore them .
Never try 3/8 blade but have seen one and hone one warned 4/8 to 3/8 . Have to hone them slowly , because of theyre size they do not stay stable on the hone . This sitution imminetly leads to unconcious presure . I never had this kind of problem on my razors .