Thread: Too sharp??

Originally Posted by string

I just honed my first razor that might be considered "too sharp" to shave with comfortably. I didn't do anything different from my normal honing procedures, but this one just came out blindingly sharp. I shaves superbly, but if I don't set the blade on my check ever so lightly, it will cut just from the weight of the blade. Also, as it is a spike, if I press down with my normal shaving pressure (which is pretty light, mind you) I will get a stripe down my cheek as the spike digs in and makes a perfect slice. This is the only razor in my collection that I am actually afraid of. lol

Ah, the joy of keen .... but in getting there, there are a couple of common pitfals in the beginning. I think you discovered one that is not uncommon to any of us, and it can happen with a round shape as easily as with the spike. :?

The point and the heel of the edge need to taper off gently into the duller, thicker part of the blade. When there is too much of a right-angle-like shape, the pinpoint-like, spear-point is just waiting to taste blood. Even though the spike is roughly a squared end to the blade, looked at under magnification, there is a subtle rounding at the end of the edge as it turns into the duller, vertical plane.

The solution is to drag that point across your stone EVER so gently for a few inches to remove that pinpoint. An angle of about 45º of razor to stone is about right. Absolutely, NO PRESSURE AT ALL, lest you cut a channel into your hone and crack off the tip of your razor. Then a couple of final, regular round-trips on the stone and you ought to be good to go ....

Bob,

Interesting comments, about your razor that might be considered "too sharp to shave." I wonder if this might explain something I been experiencing these days. Oddly the shaving quality of some my razors actually improves with the shave. A great shave actually gets even better in the process of shaving. Is this because a "too sharp" sort of razor in the process of shaving is actually dulling just enough towards the point of optimal sharpness? Does this make sense?

Hal

I too bear the "Brothers Of The Spike Point" tatoo as well ops: I dulled the very tip as suggested and it works well. You don't even notice the point is rounded but my cheek sure knows the difference.
I would suggest doing this on the side of your stone though ot the face. Why risk and scratch on that flat surface.

Tony

Good comment Tony on using the side of the stone. At last, a use for that little side area! lol
Will have to try and dull my spikes just a bit.


Tony, as far as a shave getting better during a shave, the more likely reason would be that there are some micro-serrations on the blade which are removed in the course of the shave by stropping the edge on your face. There are many documented instances of people getting a sharper edge by stropping on the their thumb or the palm of their hand than they get by stropping on leather or linen. So the face probably makes a fine strop! If the razor gets more dull during the shave, the quality should stay the same or get worse, but not usually improve. At least that is what logic dictates to me. But the more I sharpen, shave, and learn, the more I realize that almost anything is possible....just not likely.

Excuse me Hal...the last part of that last post should have read "Hal" and not "Tony". It is late here, and my brain must be trying to tell me something.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

You guys bring up interesting points. I have almost no experience using lather on a classic barber hone and ever so little more with Arkansas stones. I am now using a classic barber hone, a no name combo, on some razors. The hone is black and reddish brown. I have two of them. I tried lapping the blacks sides against each other and it was really inky! Just like a black ink.
But the really good part is that the black side is working really well as a substitute for a Japanese 4000 waterstone. Frankly, I will be using the black side from now on. When I purchase a Norton 4000 ( I have the 8000) I will compare them. The reddish brown side is not as fine as the 8000 Norton. Possibly a 5000-6000. Perhaps later I will try some lather on that side and see if that results in a finer edge.

What does lapping a stone mean? How do you go about doing it? When do you need to lap a stone?

jmsbcknr

Originally Posted by jmsbcknr

What does lapping a stone mean? How do you go about doing it? When do you need to lap a stone?
jmsbcknr

"Lapping the stone" means abrading it against something harder to make it flat. With use, many stones will develop a curvature that is counter-productive to flat-edge honing.

What does lapping a stone mean? How do you go about doing it? When do you need to lap a stone?

jmsbcknr

Lets use the example of a Norton 4000/8000 stone. Lets suppose that the 4000 side is slightly dished in the center and as a result your razor is not making contact with the stone at that area.
You need to "lap" (flatten) the stone.

The procedure:
1. Find a flat surface such as a countertop, top of a table saw, piece of ploished marble or granite
glass shelving piece,etc. , you get the picture.

2. Place a sheet of wet/dry 320 grit sandpaper on the top of ther flat surface. Make sure to wet the sandpaper on both sides. This will cause the sandpaper to "stick" to the flat surface.

3. Now place the 4000 side of the stone down on the sandpaper. Using an X pattern perform 10 laps in each leg of the X. Turn the stone over and examine the surface of the stone. You might see a small difference in color and texture where there is a dished spot.
Turn the stone back over and place it on the sandpaper again and perform 25 more laps with the X pattern. Examine again. Repeat as necessary.

4. When there is no difference in the color and texture on the hone then you are done.

Hope this helps,