Thread: Can a razor be too sharp?

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Personaly I see sharp as sharp, now harsh -vs-smooth yes I see a difference....

A razor can be sharp and still feel harsh, that sharp and smooth feeling is the sought after condition....and that is what takes a little more work and expeience....

I have always said "Just about anyone can get a razor sharp, it takes talent to get it smooth too"....

This statement is true. The edge cross sectional profile will be consistant, due to consistant material properties in the steel (hopefully) and consistant bevel setting (lets say lynn honed it first). However, as you polish it, you are bringing that edge closer to a straight line ie. smoothing it. So while all edges are sharp, a 4k edge will look like a mountain range under an electron microscope due to pjrage's explanation. So all those peaks will be creating scratches at the cellular level, giving a harsh shave. See? Glen knows his stuff. Sharpness shouldn't change (unless there is a big boo boo), but smoothness can vary a lot based on honing.

I think *think not know* that you could in theory break in a razor on the strop or your face, as the more you use it, the "peaks" will wear away faster than the "valleys" as they are not supported as well by the surrounding steel (less steel is around them as they jut out, while the valleys I would assume are very stable) However I would prefer a gentle smooth edge off the hone that having to break it in forever at my face's cost...