Thread: Wostenholm edge crumbling halfway through shave

I bough this razor awhile back, the restoration was by someone else.



I find it wont hold an edge when shaving. I think its because the bevel angle is to shallow, which I have calculated to be approx 18 degrees using 0.01mm verniers. I also have a nice, high quality, dissecting microscope that goes to 50X magnification and I can clearly see a difference in the edge between hanging hair sharp before shaving and after. I also have a Longlife razor, and others, that stay sharp throughout a shave and there is little difference to the edge from before and after a shave, so I'm sure its not my sharpening technique.

Just wondering if anyone has had experience with Wolstenholm & sons blades and what bevel angle might suit them; thought I would ask before I go and completely stuff things up. (I am assuming that these old razors are like chisels, in that different bevel angles suite different makers and different steels)

Thanks for your help.

here is another image of the razor