I'm very new to all of this. I have two razors. A "Van-Camp Hardware Blue Ribbon" that I believe is a 5/8. Shiny, real good shape and I believe is stainless and it has given me no trouble. It's about what I had expected as far as working on razors to get them sharp.

Now the other one is an old Boker "Red-Injun" that I think is a 6/8...or at least it's a step larger than the Blue Ribbon. I has much more of a hollow-grind to it. It is also definately a carbon blade.

I have worked and worked and worked on this boker using the same equipment and making little changes to the process to try and get it up-to-snuff.


I know the wiki sight touches on this lightly, but it deals more with why one blade will need more maintenance than the other. Why are some razors so much harder to get into shape?

In case it helps my setup is:
2000grit Sandpaper with oil
Sypderco Med and Fine ceramics.
Jewelers Rough Strop
Bare strop
...and then a piece of computer paper laid over a mousepad for some "give and flex".

That last step is unconventional and I've tried with and without it. Not sure it helps, not sure it hurts...I think it helps on the Blue Ribbon but the Boker has me clueless.

I bought a little 100X pocket microscope just for this blade and it's telling me exactly what I thought...but it's the basic processes with the same equipment?!?!?!?

Only thing I can come up with is that the Boker is THAT much harder steel...or it's had its temper ruined.