Thread: A questionable edge: Advice sought.

Hi Everyone,

I'd really appreciate some thoughts on this. I have a couple of razors - one old, the other new, which I have honed on my coticule. They are both relatively sharp and pop arm hairs (HAHT) without any problems at all points along the edge, however, they don't seem very comfortable to shave with. Now they are both good razors, and one of them was originally honed by a professional and it used to give me great shaves, so the razors are not in question. My hone was highly recommended and I bought it from the classifieds here. So my question is what am I not doing/haven't I done yet.

My stropping is fine, but I am not an experienced honer. I follow Bart's method but without the tape.

Cheers,

Rob

Well, it seems you are making a comparison between the edges you are getting off your coticule and the edge someone else put on one of your razors. The edges I got off my coticule, though certainly good enough to shave with, were not as "sharp" (did not cut as easily) as the edges I have been able to get off other hones. I prefer "sharper" edges than what I was getting off my coticule. Perhaps you too prefer "sharper" edges. It would be a good idea to ask whoever honed your razor how it was finished, so you will know for your own reference.

It is also a possibility that your razors needed more retouching than the coticule alone was able to provide, but if you can cut hanging arm hairs, I do not think this is the case. Then again, everyone's arm hair is different - I cannot cut hanging arm hairs off a coticule at all.

At the risk of wild indignation and a complete loss of any reputation I might have left, what you describe sounds a little like overhoning. You are at about the right place in the learning curve of honing to start going overboard too.

What I would try is to use a few circular strokes to get the blade back to a neutral clean linear bevel and then start honing. Use a set of strokes, say 5 laps, then test every 5 laps, or one set, until the razor is smooth and comfy and just shaves okay.

Then, keeping careful track of the of the number of sets you do, stop honing when the razor is both smooth and sharp enough to shave. You keep track because you may need to start over again if you go too far.

Then, as you strop more and more you'll get better results.

There are some remedies for this situation through stropping also, if you want to try them, but honing is a better approach to start with.

I'm not familiar with "Bart's Method". I will say that knowing how to correctly hone using a slurry style hone is; different.

My razors will pass the HAHT off the 1k hone , but I would not want to shave with them . I've found that when I restore an edge and the razor won't shave as well as it should , that I need to go back to do more honing on the 4k .

Rob when razor pops the hairs that doesn't mean Blade is shave ready.
blade will be ready when it will cut hairs silently and hair falls off to your blade.(will not jump if it does then your blade is dull)
About your coticule.
They are natural stones. they will be different quality and very hard to find 2 in same condition.
Bart's Method will work if your stone is mean to for straight razor's.
The best option contact to seller and ask about quality of the coticule. then you can find out where is the problem.Your hone or honing technique.
hope this helps.
Be patient. gl

Hi_BUD_GL is right but let me add to that and say, the coticule as far as I've understood it about the same as an 8k. This is not a true finishing hone imho.I know coticule lovers will say otherwise, but i think you need to get something a littler higher grit maybe like a naniwa 12k or Escher or Chinese 12k, to put a smoother edge on it. You could always cheap out and go for a pasted strop and use that instead. I personally like using Diamond films to put a smoother edge on my blades.

Cheers
David