Thread: Questions About Edge Longevity & Honing

Hey guys,

I've noticed an above average number of members recently chiming in to say their edges are lasting upwards of two months or more without touch ups, paste etc. I should say I don't doubt this to be true as stropping goes a long way towards edge longevity, but in the past it was accepted that after a hand full of shaves it was common to at least go to pastes if not the hones.

So, my questions are:

1. Are these razors, which are lasting months, being used daily for months, or are they part of a rotation? (I have a Dovo I bought in April which only requires a touch up now, but I concede it is one in a rotation. Does this count as lasting for months too? )

2. Is there any true benefit to shaving with an edge that is months old, other than proving that it's possible?

3. By putting off a honing session for so long, aren't you actually making more work for yourself when it does come time to hit the hones? I mean, after several months of use you probably aren't just going to be performing a simple touch up any more, it will be a full honing job and therefore more work.

I realize it feels great to say your edges are lasting for months (or years in some peoples' case), but is it worth it to let your edges go that long without maintenance?

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

Some very good points there Ryan...

Personally I think honing "once done correctly" has very little to do with longevity... I mean how could I say anything different, I have said for too long that edges only get so sharp, so how long they last is due to every other factor out there...

There is an old saying too about sharpening that I happen to agree with...

"It is much easier to keep an edge sharp, than to sharpen an edge"

i will reply to your questions with quotes maybe will be easier.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

1. Are these razors, which are lasting months, being used daily for months, or are they part of a rotation? (I have a Dovo I bought in April which only requires a touch up now, but I concede it is one in a rotation. Does this count as lasting for months too? )

I made a test with my TI i shaved every other day more then 45 days it was shaving same as 1 day . i got tired of using it and stop the test.

2. Is there any true benefit to shaving with an edge that is months old, other than proving that it's possible?

I don't think there is any advantage or disadvantage using old or fresh honed blade.

3. By putting off a honing session for so long, aren't you actually making more work for yourself when it does come time to hit the hones? I mean, after several months of use you probably aren't just going to be performing a simple touch up any more, it will be a full honing job and therefore more work.

Your Thinking is wrong in here. You think someone uses razor 2 months and it every time blade gets dull ,duller etc but person still using it? This is not right concept . the day i feel blade start to pulling and stropping doesn't bring edge back that blade goes to touch up hone. This could happen after 4 shaves or after 60 shaves no one knows.

I realize it feels great to say your edges are lasting for months (or years in some peoples' case), but is it worth it to let your edges go that long without maintenance?

I think i answered this above. Just don't think someone shaves with dull razor. as soon as it gets dull razor goes to hone.

hope this helps

Ryan

There's a ton of factors involved in edge longevity: the steel, grind, bevel angle, shaving technique, beard prep, etc. I don't personally go for any edge life records. When an edge seems to have lost just a little bit, I like to take a handful of strokes on the C12k with a trip on the chomeox strop just to smooth it out. To be fair, all but 2 of my current rotation were hone by some of the best out there. But as Glen said, once they are sharp it's easy to keep them that way. I use a 10+/- razor rotation and I have some razors that have gone a year+ without needing any significant re-honing.

My problem is that i tend to drop or ding my blade before it gets dull. For me I go two months and end with a sharp but dinged microchipped blade. I need a cloth floor and counter. MikeB

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I've noticed an above average number of members recently chiming in to say their edges are lasting upwards of two months or more without touch ups, paste etc. I should say I don't doubt this to be true as stropping goes a long way towards edge longevity, but in the past it was accepted that after a hand full of shaves it was common to at least go to pastes if not the hones.

It's still accepted AFAIK.

I think what's changed are (a) the "Stropping is King" thread got a lot of guys to take a hard look at their stropping technique and (b) more guys have finally gotten enough experience that extended edge life is becoming more common. A few years ago the only guys that could keep their edge going for months were the guys with 20+ yrs of straight razor experience, like Lynn, Puffah, and honedright. These guys are still the only ones reporting the yr+ edge lives (without paste or any other type of touch-up), but presumably by the time I've been doing it for that long I'll be getting that sort of edge life too.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

1. Are these razors, which are lasting months, being used daily for months, or are they part of a rotation? (I have a Dovo I bought in April which only requires a touch up now, but I concede it is one in a rotation. Does this count as lasting for months too?)

Mine were generally used daily for months, then dropped back to a lesser schedule, generally a week straight every few months. At least for me, when I say a razor has 4 months of shaves on it I'm talking about ~120 shaves, though it may be two or more years since that razor was honed.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

2. Is there any true benefit to shaving with an edge that is months old, other than proving that it's possible?

Less honing of course. Also the sharpness is the same every time, which adds consistency to your shave routine and IMO improves the quality of the shave in the same way that sticking to a single holder and brand of blades improves the shaves for the DE guys.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

3. By putting off a honing session for so long, aren't you actually making more work for yourself when it does come time to hit the hones? I mean, after several months of use you probably aren't just going to be performing a simple touch up any more, it will be a full honing job and therefore more work.

I think you're misunderstanding what's happening. The edge is lasting longer at the same level of sharpness. If you're using the same blade every day then it probably does get duller than if you were alternating, because as it slowly dulls your technique adapts to compensate and you don't really realize how dull it's really getting. But even so there's very little additional work needed when it finally needs honing. Last night I touched up my Koeller (~120 shaves) and it took 6 laps on the finishing side of my Dubl Duck barber hone.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I realize it feels great to say your edges are lasting for months (or years in some peoples' case), but is it worth it to let your edges go that long without maintenance?

They aren't going without maintenance. They're just being maintained with the strop instead of the hone. Both ways work.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Hey guys,

So, my questions are:

1. Are these razors, which are lasting months, being used daily for months, or are they part of a rotation? (I have a Dovo I bought in April which only requires a touch up now, but I concede it is one in a rotation. Does this count as lasting for months too? )

2. Is there any true benefit to shaving with an edge that is months old, other than proving that it's possible?

3. By putting off a honing session for so long, aren't you actually making more work for yourself when it does come time to hit the hones? I mean, after several months of use you probably aren't just going to be performing a simple touch up any more, it will be a full honing job and therefore more work.
Thanks in advance,

Ryan

I have three razors that I rotate through, after about 2 months it is time to hit the hones for me-- so I guess I get 3 weeks of shaving per razor. I am pretty aggressive with the strop-- about 20 on the linen, 60 on the leather. But I have to tell you, I have a dovo full hollow that goes much longer vs. my other two razors for some reason...

-Chief

As usual, I agree with MParker762

Hi Ryan.....

You know something as simple as a Barber hone will keep your edge sharp for some time....

I guess I don't understand the point of trying to delay touch ups or testing how long one can go without one. Running a razor 4-5 times across a barber hone is no big deal. . Takes about 2 minutes. Kind of breaks up the routine, actually