Thread: Edge doesn't last long.

Originally Posted by Grenage

picked up a few cheap blades from ebay

What brand / quality are these blades? Vintage good quality or cheap china stuff?

I find that letting the lather sir for a bit and soften the whiskers along with shaving angle to have a fair say about edge longevity

Also, I don't expect my edges to last for a loong time

With daily use of a razor I do a weekly touch up on my Coticules (about 30 passes just on water)

Thanks guys,

They're decent old Solingen and Sheffield blades, as best I can tell. I guess where the Dovo is about 100 years younger than the others, it's only natural that it should vary so much. Perhaps I'll just touch this one up now and then, and give the Dovo another crack in a while.

I must confess, I've never stropped after shaving; perhaps that's something I should start.

I do strop after, only linen though, it makes me feel a little safer of getting rid of all the moisture and aligns the edge some

Like all the others have said, there are so many variables it is hard to give a specific answer. The only thing I can think of is to make sure your bevel is truly set before going up the hone progression. If it is not quite 100% set it may not shave too terribly badly but will fall off very quickly.

In the photo of the Texol it looks like you are honing back into the stabilizer and are starting to get a heel hook forming. You may want to look at this thread regarding reshaping the heel.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...ing-heels.html

Bob

Much obliged, thank you. I have been struggling with being able to tell when the bevel was set, so that's another possibility.

I find the use of a loupe to be pretty helpful when honing. I use a 30X that a friend sent me. Here is a thread about what to look for and what you are looking at when honing.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...ggestions.html
Honing is not rocket science, but it does take a little practise to get good result on reliable blades. Keep practising and asking questions or attend a meet and you will get there. Meets are great places for learning.

Originally Posted by BobH

The only thing I can think of is to make sure your bevel is truly set before going up the hone progression. If it is not quite 100% set it may not shave too terribly badly but will fall off very quickly.

Bob

Originally Posted by Grenage

I have been struggling with being able to tell when the bevel was set, so that's another possibility.

Early in my straight razor experience, I had a razor acting the way you are describing. I could touch up the edge with 8k and 12k hones and get a few good shaves but the edge would not last. I figured that the bevel MUST be set, else how would I get those few good shaves. That part still does not make sense to me. Anyway I finally went back and really re set the bevel and had no more problems.

Cheers! I do have a loupe, and while the edges look ok, I am never able to see if the bevels 'meet'. if I look lengthways the sides just disappear into nothingness.

Perhaps I will just have to have another crack and start again on the 1k.

Originally Posted by Grenage

Cheers! I do have a loupe, and while the edges look ok, I am never able to see if the bevels 'meet'. if I look lengthways the sides just disappear into nothingness.

Perhaps I will just have to have another crack and start again on the 1k.

I have a bright overhead light source in the form of a goose neck table lamp that I hold the blade under to check the edge with my loupe. I check both sides of the apex, not the bevels, to see if there is any reflected light and if there is it is back to the bevel setter. When it looks good to me then I see if it easily cuts arm hair the entire length of the blade before I go up the progression.

I don't think it is a good idea to just do the same thing over again as you might wind up in the same situation with even less steel on the razor for no gain.

Bob