Thread: Shave test Failure--How Far to drop back?

OK, I've decided to go through a process of elimination on the advice I've received, going from "lowest impact" to "highest impact." So today, I stropped on newspaper--got a marginal improvement. SO I tried lots of linen, and again, marginal improvements. But not nearly enough to give what I want in a shave. So, back to the stones!

Thanks again for your advice, guys.

Originally Posted by Bart

In my experience, the Blue/slurry - Coticule/water progression has a narrow landing zone. You really need to get the last bit of sharpness off the Blue, or it the results will lack a bit in the sharpness department. I have to disagree with Maarten to call it a harsh shave. Quite the contrary in fact. The razor may pull at the whiskers a bit (or more), but it won't cause skin irritation.
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I agree that harsh was not the right description.. it pulled at the whiskers quite a bit.. and did shave them without causing skin irritation..it was very uncomfortable though..

It was probably because my stroke wasnt light enough or some other newbee honing error or maybe not stropping enough after honing (now that I think of it this is the most likely error)

Maarten

Originally Posted by JimR

OK, I've decided to go through a process of elimination on the advice I've received, going from "lowest impact" to "highest impact." So today, I stropped on newspaper--got a marginal improvement. SO I tried lots of linen, and again, marginal improvements. But not nearly enough to give what I want in a shave. So, back to the stones!

Thanks again for your advice, guys.

Yups... work that BBW slurry and enjoy the smell..

I would just listen to Barts advice... he really knows what he is doing..

What I* did last time when I felt the razor wasn't sharp enough was pretty similar.
1 I did 50 laps on BBW with slurry
2 diluted the slurry with a couple of drops of water and did 10 more laps
3 repeated step 2 until the slurry was as clear as water (I think about 5 times)
4 did 50 laps on the coticule with water
5 stropped 100 laps on newspaper
6 10 laps on Cr0
7 40 laps on linnen
8 70 laps on leather
9 had the best shave with the razor I ever had.


The good thing about Barts approach is that you really feel what the BBW is doing with the edge. And the difference before and after the coticule..

Maarten

* of course I'm just a newbe at honing and shaving and got lucky enought to have some success at it. But wnated to share my experience anyway.

OK, so I went back to the BBW with slurry...I gave it about 100 laps, then tried a small test shave--much better. I polished on the cot w/ water, and the full shave was much, MUCH better than yesterday. BUT...

But. It sitll isn't as sharp as I want. So I'll give it another round on the BBW and if it doesn't work then back to the cot w/ slurry for another try at the bevel...

But yeah, today's shave was perfectly acceptable, and I did it myself!

Originally Posted by JimR

OK, so I went back to the BBW with slurry...I gave it about 100 laps, then tried a small test shave--much better. I polished on the cot w/ water, and the full shave was much, MUCH better than yesterday. BUT...

But. It sitll isn't as sharp as I want. So I'll give it another round on the BBW and if it doesn't work then back to the cot w/ slurry for another try at the bevel...

But yeah, today's shave was perfectly acceptable, and I did it myself!

If there was a clear and present improvement from your second round on the Blue, there's no need going back to the Coticule with slurry. It will just reset the keenness to the "slurry-phase" level of the Coticule, and there's no point in setting a bevel over and over again. The mere fact that the razor responded well from to the Blue, and that you are shaving with it, is plenty proof that the razor has a decent bevel.

If working on the Blue (try a very light slurry) and finishing on the yellow stops giving you improvement, then you really should try the prolonged stropping session on the linen once more. While your previous edge may not have been keen enough to benefit much from it, it may tell a completely different story at a keener level, kind of like jumping to a too high grit too soon.
If that still doesn't give you the performance you're after, I would try Maarten's approach. Perhaps change the order of 5. stropping on black newspaper print and 6. stropping on CrO. (I have no experience stropping on newsprint, but I operate a offset rotation printing press every Tuesday night, and have an idea what's in the ink).
If that doesn't help, you could still try my secondary bevel suggestion on the Coticule with water (option 4 in my previous post).

It sounds like you're doing very well. Aim for light strokes. That always seems to make a difference for me on the Belgian hones.

Best regards,
Bart.

I really want to thank you, Bart, for helping me get the best out of my hones. It's really encouraging and I'm really, REALLY happy I got the stone I did.

And man, this sure is fun!