Thread: Honing a Gold Dollar is hard!

@marshal

Well spoken.

Yesterday, after honing on crox and leather, and stropping on newspaper. I used the gold monkey today without shaving cream, as a shave test, and it took off as much stubble as a DE would. Am I still supposed to believe that the razor is not sharp.

One issue though with the gold dollar may be that the edge will not sustain once honed to more than 20k. The steel is not of that high grade that can sustain such a fine edge. It will sustain a 10k or 12k edge fine though. So one need not needlessly labour over it to create the finest edge as one would over say a damascus-based razor.

I think you will find a Damascus razor may have the same issues you need a better heat treated steel

I have been having trouble posting pictures so I have to see if this works.

Sorry about that guys but I just got a new microscope today for fathers day. I have never use one for any thing straight razor related but this is so cool getting to see what the stone has done. Sorry for the interruption I could see you guys were having a great debate. One more thing I have not figured out the microscope yet either......working on it

I've now got a 1/4k stone and it's shaped up well and got a tuggy shave off the 4k but I've just got some .25 - 9 micron diamond paste I'm gonna try on it

Originally Posted by almond

Yesterday, after honing on crox and leather, and stropping on newspaper. I used the gold monkey today without shaving cream, as a shave test, and it took off as much stubble as a DE would. Am I still supposed to believe that the razor is not sharp.

One issue though with the gold dollar may be that the edge will not sustain once honed to more than 20k. The steel is not of that high grade that can sustain such a fine edge. It will sustain a 10k or 12k edge fine though. So one need not needlessly labour over it to create the finest edge as one would over say a damascus-based razor.

Well, you had more luck than I did with the gold monkey. Couldn't get an edge on mine no matter how I tried. Ended up so frustrated in the morning, I just had to spank that gold monkey...

Originally Posted by Rami

I think you will find a Damascus razor may have the same issues you need a better heat treated steel

Nothing wrong with Damascus razors if you buy from a reputable source. "You get what you pay for."

Just shaved with it again, 3 pass, WTG, XTG & ATG. Net result: BBS.

No, the edge ain't perfect, it may have micro-serrations but it is giving a smooth shave day-after-day.

curiously I did the HHT today again, sometimes it pops the hair, and in some places near the heel it splits and drags the hair. But I am not using the edge near the heel for any practical purposes. So it is ok.

My hair is thick, so shaving without soap and shaving with soap is a task. So the razor must have a mean edge, else it won't shave.

have put in an order for $2 60x magnifier, I will look at the edges more carefully from here on. On visual examination there seems to a micro serration somewhere near the middle, but I haven't been too bothered by it.

Originally Posted by Grazor

Nothing wrong with Damascus razors if you buy from a reputable source. "You get what you pay for."

Agree. I just meant that Damascus is not really an indicator of quality.