Thread: Next step for my Japanese Razor?

Hey guys. I've got this Tosuke that did not come shave ready and I've decided to make it my project to get it there myself. Now, before anyone starts telling me to get it honed by a pro, please accept that I am set on learning to hone this one for myself. It has a bevel, it just needs shave-readiness, and if I don't start some time, I will never learn.

So, because I am not ready to invest in a Japanese natural, I went ahead and gave my bbw/coticule combo a shot. I started with simple polishing, giving it about 10 laps on coticule with just water, then CrO pasted strop, and stropping, but it wasn't there. Tugged and skipped. So I decided to go more extreme, and followed Bart's progression--Coticlue with slurry, BBW with slurry, Coticule with water. Ended with 10 laps on CrO2 then 50 on linen and 100 on leather.

My goodness me, this is a sharp razor. Swipes through hair a half inch above my arm, and on the TPT I can actually see the blade sink into my thumb with 0 pressure. Sharp sharp sharp. But it doesn't shave well. It feels rough as heck on my face, not the smooth "velvet squeegee" I was hoping for. The hair goes, but I don't like the shave; I'

My question is, should I give it more time on the coticule with water, more stropping, or what?
I have a 12000 Shapton on the way, should I give that a try?

Thanks, as always.
Jim

When I hear sharp, but harsh; or rough. I think chips, because that's what i get. anytime i think a razor is sharp enough but shaves rough and look(60x) closely; it has micro-chips.

1. Look
2. regardless take it back to cot w/ milk and work toward clean water.

hehheh, maybe if it looks good just give it 3-5 minutes with water.

last time i sharpened mine I kept your barber in mind and just did two strokes on that other side and 20 regular laps on strop. It has never been sharper.

Technique is vital. different grips doing the same directional pass give different results, even with a regular straight for me, but with w-k the difference is much greater.....

Thanks guys.

O_S, I understand taking things in steps, but I'm fairly confident in my facial mapping, prep and lathering...I've been doing it for almost 6 months, as a DE shaver, and have very few problems in that regard. I'm not perfect, but my learning has flattened off enough to take the pressure off.

My straight shaves (with my Wapi...The Kropp is simply not for me right now--for whatever reason) have been getting smoother and less irritated, as well. I'm no master, but I am getting a hang of it. I am not hopping back and forth between the Western and Japanese straights, as my Japanese straight is not shaveable, but for the past couple of weeks I have been trying the western straight, letting my face rest for a day or two with DE shaves, and trying it again. The need for rests has been decreasing a lot.

Personally, I look at basic honing as an essential part of straight shaving...If I can't maintain and use the tools I have by myself, I might as well just use my Futur--I can get great shaves from a DE already, so without the element of self-maintenance, there's really no reason to be straight shaving at all.

I already have had to send off one razor for a basic repair, as you know, and it was frankly embarassing. I don't want to do it again.

As for confusing the learning process...Well, I look at it like driving. When I learned how to drive, I learned how to change tires, check and change oil and other basic maintenance at the same time. Why not learn to maintain my razor at the same time that I learn to use it? Yes, I know that an improperly maintained razor is difficult to shave with, but I can not learn to properly maintain a razor without actually doing it.

Kevin, well, I looked at the edge under 60x and 100x magnification, and it didn't look exactly chipped, but it was somewhat serrated. I'll go back to the coticule with water for a few laps and see how it goes. I almost hope it doesn't really work, so I can justify the purchase of the Shapton 12000.

When you say you only gave two strokes on "that other side", do you mean you sharpened the Omote as usual and only two strokes on the Ura? Interesting.

yes, two on the ura.

It is not unusual for a new japanese tool to chip a little. It is a symptom of the way they are heat treated. Typically several sharpenings will grind the steel past the extra brittle material.

regardless of whether you are seeing microchips or just a wavyness; it means you are not quite at a true edge.

fwiw; I too think the way to go is learning both aspects at the same time. One thing, we have a previous method of shaving to fall back on, for when things aren't quite clean enough. We can assume when things aren't clean enough; the razor is not sharp enough.

The usual advice is good for most I suppose, but not for everyone. There are just too many interesting things and experiences along the path

I think there may be an inheirant quality to the steel in a Tosuke.

I had one, honed it up on diamond lappping film, and it was a sharp as any of my razors. However, what I noticed was a certain unique feeling of the blade on my skin. My Sheffield razors all have a certain glide, and smoth feel when doing some blade buffing, with the Tosuke, the edge felt much "stickier" on my skin. My impression is that the high carbon steel allows for a fantastic edge, but it also imparts a different feel against the skin. no proof of that, just my unqualified opinion....

It may also be thet teh Tosuke has a dead flat edge, whereas most western style razors have some degree of smile to them. This may also have an effect on the shave "feel".