Thread: too sharp

I'm going to introduce another element here just to complicate matters. Today I shaved with a new soap that I have never used before. The razor and its edge were not in question because I've used it before and all was good. Right now my face has a little more pinch to it than it normally might have. Soap matters. The concept of harsh edges always comes up but I still say that lousy soap makes any edge seem harsh.

Originally Posted by HiFuMi

what do you mean by the dye

Sorry my fingers hit it wrong, I meant edge

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Glen, did Sharptonn hone that razor?

I guess if he learned from you Hirlau

Can you tell at what magnification microchipping is visible ? 20x or is more needed.
My lopen is a good jewelery quality Belomo .

You should be able to tell at 20x magnification

The cheap Chinese loupes from fleabay are all over rated in magnification so a 20 x like Dave says is good to go but is probably more like a 5 x. A decent triplet Belamo rated at 5 x magnification is more than enough to use.
I have a cheap 20 x one and it does the job.

Mine is 20x Belomo triplet. And the edge looks straight. So then it is the stropping maybe. I am now trying to strop only on my 2.5 inch strop so there is less risk of damaging the edge. And pay extra attention.

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

... your edge should be straight without little teeth that make for a harsh shave...

This seems to not apply to Coticules, they are known for creating toothy but smoooooth edges

Regards

Philipp

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

I'm going to introduce another element here just to complicate matters. Today I shaved with a new soap that I have never used before. The razor and its edge were not in question because I've used it before and all was good. Right now my face has a little more pinch to it than it normally might have. Soap matters. The concept of harsh edges always comes up but I still say that lousy soap makes any edge seem harsh.

If you skin is sensitive, the degree of cushion provided by the lather is definitely part of the equation.

Many folks think that as long as the soap is slick, everything is good. However, cushion is also important. Cushion is the ability of the lather to maintain a thin layer of lubrication between the edge of the blade and our skin even when subjected to extreme pressure. Although the overall pressure of shaving is quite low, when you consider that the edge of the blade in contact with your skin may be less than a micron thick, the pressure at the contact point is quite high. A lubrication engineer calls this property "lubricity", the ability to minimize friction even under pressure. An extreme pressure grease has greater lubricity than a lightweight machine oil, even though both may be equally "slick".

It is interesting to note that high pressure greases are produced by combining oils with various types of soap. Lithium based soaps are frequently used in lubricating greases whereas sodium and potassium soaps are used for shaving. Lithium, sodium and potassium are alkali metals on the periodic table.

Imo there are differences with soap. But it won't make or break the shave. Now a shower before shaving will hydrate and swell the follicles more than any other method or soap/cream/preshave that I know. The edge on the razor is really the make or break. Imo anyway.