Thread: Troubleshooting uneven sharpness

My shave this morning, while turning out good, felt just a slight bit harsh. The toe of the razor will not pass the HHT about 10% of the way back but the rest of the blade does. The toe gets about 90% though a thick hair and then splits it the rest of the way even after 60 passes on the strop. The remainder of the blade cuts cleanly without a pop.

I see the following options but not sure the best one to take.

1. Pull out the stones and start on the 5k and go through a normal progression to the CrO.

2. Start on the 12k for 10-20 passes then CrO.

3. CrO the hell out of the blade concentrating on the toe.


This blade is my AOS one that was over ground in the middle at the factory when they were setting the bevel. I have to use a slight roll when honing even after doing some work on a 1k to even it out a little. I have gotten comfortable shaves with it in the past but the toe just doesn't hold the edge like I would expect.

I have found this excerpt from the barber manual on honing/stropping in the SRP Wiki help files very helpful. It describes a way to maintain a slight smile which they feel is preferable in a blade. Using slightly more pressure on the heel and at the point while doing the x stroke. They say it will also avoid getting a frown in the blade from too much pressure in the center area of the blade.

Sounds like you know what you are doing. If you are using the rolling x maybe a bit more light pressure at the point ? Even getting into doing some area honing at the point on a 4k with a few circles to sort of reset the bevel at that end of the blade. Then regular x strokes to even it out with the rest and move on up from there.

Than again, I don't really worry about HHT if the razor is shaving well. If it isn't at the point though you have to try something.

I read the barber's manual part that you linked. I gave it a shot and definitely an improvement. It is really really close now. I think I just need to smooth it out some more on the CrO. The steel in this thing is way harder than my other razors so it seems to take more of everything to get the edge on it. The shave this morning at least did not leave irritation. Still feels ever so slightly harsh but the toe is cutting so it is getting there.