Thread: Sheffield Steel?

I haven't experienced the harshness you describe but what I can say about Sheffields that I have honed is that most of them have taken a lot longer than Solingens. Of course they are wedges and smiling blades to boot so that isn't surprising. I've gotten great edges and shaves out of some Sheffields and average results out of others. Maybe due to my honing rather than the steel though. I have to return those to the hones and see if I've made any progress in my skill level.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I haven't experienced the harshness you describe but what I can say about Sheffields that I have honed is that most of them have taken a lot longer than Solingens. Of course they are wedges and smiling blades to boot so that isn't surprising. I've gotten great edges and shaves out of some Sheffields and average results out of others. Maybe due to my honing rather than the steel though. I have to return those to the hones and see if I've made any progress in my skill level.

I fully suspect my skill level is the culprit. That's why I'm asking for guidance on reaching optimum keenness on these

Originally Posted by richmondesi

I fully suspect my skill level is the culprit. That's why I'm asking for guidance on reaching optimum keenness on these

Practice? I get the feeling that honing is one of those skills that always opens up to new plateaus just when you think you had it all.

The first time I shaved with my Sheffield extra hollow was coming off my Jnat (third razor I finished on it) it sounded like I was shaving aluminum foil with a flap-wheel paint stripper. I was using a fogged mirror and thought, "what the hell, no way this razor is dull". So I wiped the mirror and saw a perfectly smooth cheek.

I dropped my angle WAY in beyond what I typically use, still got a perfectly smooth swath of face without any tugging, but minus the angry velcro gods protesting in my ear. This has led me to believe that that particular razor (and the other 3 or 4 sheffield hollows I have used since) have lower grind angles than my german and american razors. I can't speak for the chopper-type sheffields as I have very bad luck with my purchases on those (one warped, one reground into some monstrosity I am still fighting to get back into a shape I'm happy with)... but with all my hollows my experiences shaving support this.

Basically what I'm getting at is that sheffields in my experience are sharper razors than most. This means that natural stones are superior finishers for them (talk to carpenters for why, I believe them, I just don't care to know why), that they are more fragile to folding edges if you take too steep an angle when shaving, and that they can and should be shaved with at a shallower angle than razors with differing origins. This is all conjecture, and I can't test it (didn't happen to bring any sheffields other than the aforementioned wedges with me this break). But maybe someone else with a big collection and good eyesight can confirm or deny my suspicions. Of course if you already did try to simply reduce cutting angle (I don't know how habitual other's shaving practices are) than this would obviously not be your problem.

Originally Posted by IanS

The first time I shaved with my Sheffield extra hollow was coming off my Jnat (third razor I finished on it) it sounded like I was shaving aluminum foil with a flap-wheel paint stripper. I was using a fogged mirror and thought, "what the hell, no way this razor is dull". So I wiped the mirror and saw a perfectly smooth cheek.

I dropped my angle WAY in beyond what I typically use, still got a perfectly smooth swath of face without any tugging, but minus the angry velcro gods protesting in my ear. This has led me to believe that that particular razor (and the other 3 or 4 sheffield hollows I have used since) have lower grind angles than my german and american razors. I can't speak for the chopper-type sheffields as I have very bad luck with my purchases on those (one warped, one reground into some monstrosity I am still fighting to get back into a shape I'm happy with)... but with all my hollows my experiences shaving support this.

Basically what I'm getting at is that sheffields in my experience are sharper razors than most. This means that natural stones are superior finishers for them (talk to carpenters for why, I believe them, I just don't care to know why), that they are more fragile to folding edges if you take too steep an angle when shaving, and that they can and should be shaved with at a shallower angle than razors with differing origins. This is all conjecture, and I can't test it (didn't happen to bring any sheffields other than the aforementioned wedges with me this break). But maybe someone else with a big collection and good eyesight can confirm or deny my suspicions. Of course if you already did try to simply reduce cutting angle (I don't know how habitual other's shaving practices are) than this would obviously not be your problem.

May I ask how long you've been shaving with straight razors? It's just that I don't know you very well (like many of the other members here), and I'm trying to understand the frame of reference. Thanks