Thread: Do you ever leave microchips?

Is there an acceptable level in microchipping where you'd just use the razor?
Sort of like the degradation of a disposable blade, where it gets worse per shave until it's time to switch.

I've found my CMon special has a couple brand new microchips, and it was just by chance I checked it out under a microscope, the shave was nice. Time to hit the low grit again, you think?

Some guys are real particular about their edges and demand perfection. I have found that if you have a micro chip or two and I mean something that really requires at least 30x to see it, it won't affect the shave. certainly if its big enough to see with the naked eye even one is too big to use.

The thing to consider is why are you creating these chips. Is there corrosion on the edge or are you doing something when you hone. maybe too much pressure?

I typically will try to get the entire edge chip-free.

Very rarely do I find that honing creates microchips; usually they're there from the start and honing lessens them until they're gone. In my experience, they tend to be a symptom of other problems: corrosion, like bigspendur suggested, or sometimes the nasty wire edge that can arise when part of the blade isn't hitting the stone during the stroke.

On a relatively slow hone like the Norton 4K, trying to get every tiny chip out can drive you crazy. If an edge has any chipping at all, I start on my DMT 1200 and stick with it until they're gone. If it was a razor I'd been using for a while instead of a new one or an eBay special, I might let the microchip slide. If it talked nice to me.

Josh

I asked myself the same question about a month ago. I had just gotten a new microscope 100-300x much better than a 20x, and saw chipping at 100x so i decided to make the edge perfect and from then on all my razors shave me the same perfect. but to each his own.

Well the microchips was not there after my first session with the hone, where I had to remove several. I suspected they were initially there due to the blade being loose on the scales and prone to hitting them udring closure (I haven't done that after removing the initial chips).
I'd inspected the edge at 60x and it was pretty nice, no chips.
I've had a few great shaves and just wanted to follow up and see how the edge was looking by chance Maybe learn something about the wear on the edge.
There does appear to be a possibility of corrosion contributing, as I've got some tiny spots around the area.

I got a 1k/6k japanese stone I'm going to put to use.
I do love the blade, it's worth working with. Though I do get a great shave as it is. Is occasionally honing the chips out pretty much the best bet?

Have we ruled out tough stubble as a cause?

just checking, Bruce

If the razor is honed OK, I don't mind microchips, but only if they are not part of the oxidation process, or something similar.

Nenad

Originally Posted by Bruce

Have we ruled out tough stubble as a cause?

just checking, Bruce

My beard is a bastid, I'll give it that. I would guess my beard is causing it, but was wondering if I gotta worry about honing this thing regularly or if some occasional imperfection was something people would deal settle for around here.

I will not tolerate microchips in my edges, although I have on occasion, missed them. I check my edges with a 60x microscope. If I can't see them at that magnification, I call it good. You could go higher magnification and see something, I suppose, but it won't affect anything, in my experience.

A razor may still shave very well with tiny chips visible at 30x - but I also prefer to have no chips. Rarely, I may let something slip if I like the shave and see the chips only later.

If new chips are forming I think you may have failed to remove all the bad steel from the old oxidized edge (that's what Nenad was saying, I assume)

Cheers
Ivo