Thread: Here is a hot potato!

Hone your razor every time you shave!

You heard me, before you yell, please let me explain:

I hate micro chipping! I'm talking about the tiny tiny chipping you get in your edge( at least I get them ) after using a razor for a while.I constantly monitor my edges with a jewelers loupe (30x) My goal is to allways have a perfect straight line in my edges upon magnification.
Unfortunatly this is not easy.I don't know what routines you guys have with your straights, after shaving.But I guess you all clean them as good as you can.What I have noticed is that even if i rince my blades with piping hot water, and carefully dry them of,and finally strop them.There will still sometimes be a little sope residue left on the edge.wich in turn my leed to rust.This is only visible with mag.and mabe I'm being a bit obsessive here..Still, what I have discovered is that the coticule is very good to handle microchipping.
What I do is to give my razor 20-30 laps on my coticule with a little water only.This actually seems to keep my edges super smooth, and free of microchipping. Just a tip!


Kristoffer

Sounds neat but a tad excessive. Why so many laps? I would think 4-5 would do it.

you might be right, but then again it depends on the hardnes of both the coticule and the steel of the razor...

Kristoffer

Thanks for the tip Kristoffer. So far thoroughly wiping and 20 round trips on the leather is keeping the razor clean and rust free for me. I also wipe with a silicone gun cloth impregnated with a rust preventative and store my razor outside of the bathroom.

Rust could be some weather condition or your blade. It shouldn't get rusted so fast except carbon steel blades. Now about your blade to hone every time i think i need to ask a question before saying anything.
Are you stropping in the middle of the shave?

To answer your questiones, usually I do about 20 strokes on the leather between each pass.I do three passes.But that is only when I have enough time on my hands.When I say rust, I'm talking mini mini spots that you can only see with mag.and then only with the right light and angle.I guess I'm just a total fanatic

Kristoffer

I would say this.
At first about the rust. i check every single of my blades with 100x magnification if there is any rusty spots i should notice it( i have cases people missed 30x chips on the blade but i have seen easily with 100x) why i am saying this there is no chance i will miss rust but you will see with 30x.
I think what could be the reason for it humidity and carbon steel blade of course we do assume you dry your blades after every shave very well.
Now this part you won't like it but if you will be patient and try it you will see the result of it.
i am 80 % sure you are over honing your blades ,20% belongs again to your blade. what brand straight razor are you using it? Dovo,Tumor,fromm etc
Now if you do 20 laps after every pass and you see blade improves really a lot that is most likely overhoned. this is why edge is so fragile it brakes and when you check it out after each shave you end up small chips as usually you hate that. Result of this after every shave you use hone take that chips away and get great shave again so on so on.
To get from this out The best way send your blade some one who hones razors lets person hone is professionally then when you get that blade check the edge see how it look like try make your edges look similar.
Second variant i would say you will end up honing by yourself but at this time tape back of the blade with 2 layers of electric tape. in this case will be a little harder to you to overhone.
hope i am clear. if not just shoot your questions.

Hi bud:

I know that you got a ton of experience so I'm sure your right.But, you have to appriciate the fact that 20 ultra light laps on a hard coticule without any slurry, will do very little change to an edge.Anyways I've tried it for a few weeks now, and have to say that I enjoy the result.In this period I have not used any chrom ox.wich I usually do every ten shave or so.


Kristoffer.

Razor Edge gets so sharp, thin and fragile not just 20 even ten laps will change the edge. I said what i thought and did my best .You are the person need to make decision. if you like your blade how it shaves keep as is. As long as you enjoy from it. GL

OK, to get another prospective, you may want to have another razor, that way you can compare the longevity of each edge, every razor is different and sometimes one edge will last longer than another.

It does seem strange to me that you strop between each pass, however some time ago, I realized that the shaving angle has a lot to do with the longevity of the edge, the higher the angle the quicker the edge needs refreshing... you could try a lower angle (razor almost flat on the face).

BTW you didn't say what kind (or brand) of razor you have...