Thread: First BBW/Coticule blade done!

This particular e-blade was thrashed. Still is, really, except that now it's shave-ready and thrashed.

There were a few very small visible chips in the edge, so I had to remove about 1/16 worth of edge to get them out. I used a DMT8C for this, as well as about 25 laps for an initial bevel. I then went to the Shapton 1k to set the bevel. The blade was HHT positive after the Shapton 1k.

I then moved to the BBW side of my stone, and did about 300(!) laps with slurry. I lost the HHT after the first few strokes. Even after 300, I still wasn't getting an HHT positive result. However, the arm hair shave was much more smooth than it was off of the 1k. Interesting.

I then went to the yellow (if you could call it that. ) side with water for 150 laps. The HHT test is positive down the entire length, and it shaves arm hair *very* smoothly. Absolutely *no* skipping, hopping, or skittering on the arm hair shave. Very nice.

The BBW side is an enigma for me at this point. I don't know if I could have stopped after 150 laps, honestly, because there just wasn't alot of detectable change. The HHT went south, and the arm hair shaved more smooth. My microscope batteries were dead, so I didn't use it tonight at all.

The Coticule side is not an enigma at all. There was noticeable and marked progress each time I checked the blade (every 50 laps). Not only did it improve the overall sharpness, it improved the smoothness as well. I'm very tempted to go whip out another 150 laps just to see if there's anything left to be gained. I kinda doubt it... hairs are breaking their backs over the edge, and it's just soooo smooth.

The stone appears (to me, at least) to be very hard. I can't put any sort of mark in it at all with a fingernail. It was also very challenging to raise a good slurry on the blue side with a chinese 12k slurry stone.

Should be a fun shave....

Out of interest, what are you using to check the edge? Traditional tests (TPT, TNT etc..) or some form of microscope?

Off of 1k: TNT, HHT, arm hair shave, microscope. Then HHT, arm hair shave and microscope until done.

HHT is for overall sharpness, arm hair shave and microscope for smoothness. My hands shake too bad to do a TPT. last time I tried a TPT wasn't pretty.

Tonight's shave was very good. Not quite as sharp as what I'd like, but the smoothness level was *alot* more than I expected coming off the Coticule.

Lot's of experimenting left to be done.

Originally Posted by FloorPizza

My hands shake too bad to do a TPT. last time I tried a TPT wasn't pretty.

Judging from the above, enough said. Thanks Pizza.

When you are shaving arm hair, do you do it at skin level or a little higher? If at skin level, try again raising the blade from the skin and see if the hair still pops.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

When you are shaving arm hair, do you do it at skin level or a little higher? If at skin level, try again raising the blade from the skin and see if the hair still pops.

Both ways, for two different reasons... above skin level as a sharpness test similar to the HHT, and *at* skin level for smoothness testing (how the blade skips, hops, jumps, or just moves smoothly over the skin as it shaves the hairs off.)

Have you tried setting a bevel with your coticule yet?
Mine is eating away steel with a little pressure an slurry.

Kristoffer

Originally Posted by KristofferBodvin

Have you tried setting a bevel with your coticule yet?
Mine is eating away steel with a little pressure an slurry.

Kristoffer

Not yet, but I'm planning on doing that with a Boker that the postman should be bringing today..

You should buy a full coffin of razors at a time, would probably save you a small fortune in shipping:-D


Kristoffer