Thread: Honing A "Swelled-belly"/Swelled-Edge Straight Razor

Hello all. I have a problem child, as I like to call it, that just wont cut a hanging hair, even though it has a nicely polished edge. After a 4k, it will cut hair off of my arm and I have had it cut my arm hair grazing it through the hair.
This razor has a swelled area just above the edge. Is this is what is called a swelled-edge or a swelled-belly razor? After taking it through a 12K and then using .3 micron strop paste and then finishing it on a Shell leather side. Why wont it cut a hanging hair? It is a Lafeyette Razor from Germany. I want to shave with this one, HELP!

Not familiar with this one. But I'm sure as the forum wakes up, some good info will come through.
Pics would be nice.

Ive never been able to do a HHT even with a pro honed razor. Doesn't really matter. All that matters is the shave itself.

Do you mean "bellied" hollow as shown here The straight razor - Straight Razor Place Library ? A photo would be good too. Lastly have you tried shaving with it, never mind the HHT?

Bob

Yes, it is a bellied-hollow. I thought that it really should be able to cut a head hair to be sharp enough to shave comfortably with. I guess I am wrong on that? Let me know. Thanks.

Have you "tested" your HHT with a brand new DE blade How did that HHT work out ???
Do your other SR's pass the HHT ???

To use an HHT you have to actually qualify the HHT first..

And even after all that work it really does come down to "How does it Shave"

Photos will help advise you, more importantly what does the edge look like under magnification?

Which “12K” and pastes are you using?

Originally Posted by WILDMAN1

Yes, it is a bellied-hollow. I thought that it really should be able to cut a head hair to be sharp enough to shave comfortably with. I guess I am wrong on that? Let me know. Thanks.

Beats me if you are right or wrong on that score. I have never used the HHT just a test shave and what the edge looks like with a hand loupe. If she no good back to the hones.

Bob

The base of every fine shaving edge is always the bevel set. That is to say that you have a perfectly formed apex for the entire length of the blade. I use a loupe to see that it is finished. If the bevel is not complete it will not pass a hanging hair test nor ill it shave as it should. If you started with a razor that had no established bevel at all it would take a very long time to get there on a 4K. Perhaps your problem is at the beginning? The other issue I can easily see is the use of too much pressure in the higher grits.

How does it shave?