Thread: The perfect edge - Nick shaves video

I happened across a very interesting video by Nick Shaves. He went to the Perfect Edge and Howard, the owner, showed his techniques for honing blades. He has some very interesting ideas like using 16k and 30k for refreshing and sharpening with very limited stropping. I tried this method using 8 laps on a 30k Sharpton glass and the blade came out amazingly sharp with just 10 laps on my modular strop. If I refresh the blade on the 30k every 7 days with no daily stropping except when I use the 30k stone on the 7th day, the razor really stays very sharp. The 10 strop laps on the seventh day is more a final polishing. So many techniques but that's what makes this so much fun and interesting.

Care to share the link?

Go to you tube and enter Nick Shaves. If you scroll down you will see a picture of Nick and Howard. There are 2 videos. The first is taking a razor from establishing the bevel up to finishing. The second video tells Howard's opinion on shaving. Howard is very interesting and has amazing knowledge in blade sharpening.

I looked 'em up and I think these are the ones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z1voZKvGW8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcxgvywdgRw

These are the ones.

I really enjoyed these videos. Howard's knowledge and precision really shine through.

I'm having dinner with Howard Monday night. My current load takes me to Boston, so I called and set it up. I've bought some items from him in the past and we've talked on several occasions. Looking forward to finally meeting him.

As some times happens on my loads, my delivery was delayed by 24 hours to Tuesday morning. This worked out quite well for my meet up with Howard Schechter of The Perfect Edge. I have been a fan of Howard's ever since seeing Nick Shaves video interview and demonstration. I knew one day I'd have to try to get up here (Worcester, MA area) to meet him. I've talked to him several times on the phone and ordered a number of items from him. He told me once he was going to start selling the Zulu Grey stones. I was his first customer for the Zulu.

Anyway, with a truck stop near his house, he picked me up about 09:00. You just can't park these big rigs anywhere. We went back to his home where he has his workshop in his basement. But first a quick tour of the grounds outside.





One thing I learned about Howard, he likes things really FLAT. This landing stone was a scientific lab's cast off and is milled to a ridiculous degree of flat. There are other stepping stones around the place equally milled, and some even have seals certifying flatness.



If you've seen Nick's video, you've seen the work bench area. Nice to stand in the same place. Howard is a big fan of the Shapton Glass Stone series. As a seller of honing and sharpening supplies, he has a well stocked storage area with such things.



For our visit, I took along my travel bag with most of my straight razor collection. (10 new production or NOS). Howard was kind enough to look at each and offer advice as needed. But what I learned most today, after a year and a half of this fabulous hobby is, what I'm doing is on target. Good bevels and good edges.



So after a couple of hours together he brought me back to my truck so I could get on my way. I write tonight overlooking Salem Harbor, Salem, MA on election eve. Howard's wife Linda asked, Why does he want to meet you? I said, does she not know what a celebrity you are in the straight razor world? Good times. Good memories.

I'm glad to say I've now met Howard Schechter of The Perfect Edge Shrewsbury, MA, Jarrod Connerety of The Superior Shave Jacksonville, FL, and Will & Katlynn of Classic Shaving, Palm Springs, CA.

Thank you Howard for nice morning.

The limited stropping technique really flies in the face of convention. I'm going to give it a try once I quit wearing a beard. I've wondered how a daily used razor would perform if lapped every week on a finishing stone. LongHaul, I'm glad you got to meet Howard and it was nice of him to be so open and friendly.