Thread: Help! I can't get it sharp.

Hello everyone. I am new to this forum and it is great to be here. I have been wet shaving for many years using a vintage red tip and Dovo shavette with Crystal blades. I have been very happy until Christmas day when my wife bought me a gorgeous 'pre-sharpened" Dovo snakewood 5/8 stainless with Thuyawood scales from classicshaving. It was my first real straight. I stropped it 30 strokes on a paddle with fine leather then went to work, however it was an extremely uncomfortable shave and pulled very badly. When I called classic shaving to explain what happened, they told me to send it to their sharpening service for a complimentary sharpening. After I received it back, it was better but no where near the sharpness of a Crystal blade. I decided to purchase my own tools and try it myself. I refuse to use water stones because of cleanup, convenience, and I don't want to get into lapping stones. So, after much research, I decided on a set of Spyderco ceramic stones in all three grits (all extremely flat) and a balsa bench hone with Chromox. I also purchased a 4 sided paddle strop with 3 micron DMT dia-paste, 1 micron Amplex, 1/2 micron Amplex, and Chromox. No matter what I did, I could not get it better. I used the pasted strop exclusively with no improvement. I also used the stones exclusively, with no improvement. I used a combination of stones and pastes...no matter what I did, I could not get this thing sharp. Am I using the wrong tools? Every time I think that it is me, then I remember that the sharpening service couldn't get it sharp enough for me either. I am not looking for feather sharpness, just a standard DE blade sharpness. Here is an upload of my tools. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Ron

It is possible that it is already DE-sharp, and your problem is not with the sharpness, but with using it. Or it is possible that it isn't.
In my opinion the best course of action is to see if you can find somebody experienced with straight razor shaving near you.

I don't know anything about your hones, but my balsa piece with chromium oxide doesn't look anywhere as green as yours.

What are you doing for preshave?

If you try to use the spyderco ultra fine like a water stone and do many passes you will probably over sharpen the blade and get a wire edge every time. The edge will feel sharp as you start to use it then it will start pulling as the wire edge breaks off.


Silver2

I don't know if I could get it that sharp either. The blade, to me, looks as dull as a butter knife. I could probably get the razor shaving sharp with any one of the tools you are describing, but your pushing to get an edge that close is a tough requirement.

I can only offer to hone, evaluate it, and send it back. I agree that you should find someone close and bring all the equipment with you.

is that a 302UF / 2k grit youre using as a finisher
(seems werry coarse to me)

How many strokes did you use on each hone ? Did you make sure to hold the razor flat on the hone ,and use an "X" pattern stroke ? How much pressure were you putting on the edge when you were honing ? These are some of the things you need to consider .

Spyderco rates the 302UF at 2k but it certainly does not behave like a 2K. It's certainly more fine than a Norton 8K and it works reasonably well as a finisher.

Originally Posted by RJ72

I am not looking for feather sharpness, just a standard DE blade sharpness. Here is an upload of my tools. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Ron

Ron this is your problem.
your blade will not get DE sharpness ether.
But it will get sharpness which by using it you could get comfortable shave.
Now i am not sure where is your blades sharpness at the moment. i would suggest try to work on your technique.
send your blade to be sharpened again and start to using scything motion.
lets say if you start to using straight now and very fast learner you will get DE similar shave after at least 3 months. took me 6 months.
your stones is ok but not the best.
hope this helps

I am not looking for feather sharpness, just a standard DE blade sharpness.

None of the shave ready razors I have received from three of the best honemeisters here on SRP were as sharp as a DE blade. That being said, they were very nicely honed blades, and shaved nicely.

I think it is misleading to compare the sharpness, or the shave characteristics of a straight razor vs a DE blade.

Originally Posted by RJ72

Hello everyone. I am new to this forum and it is great to be here. I have been wet shaving for many years using a vintage red tip and Dovo shavette with Crystal blades.
.....
I stropped it 30 strokes on a paddle with fine leather then went to work, however it was an extremely uncomfortable shave and pulled very badly. When I called classic shaving to explain what happened, they told me to send it to their sharpening service for a complimentary sharpening. After I received it back, it was better but no where near the sharpness of a Crystal blade.
.....

A Feather/Crystal blade is a tough act to follow.

Did you say you shaved with it out of the box
from ClassicShaving? It should have been
well stropped and ready to go out of the box.
Just rinse in hot water and shave.

If the blade was sharp as it should have been twice it should
only need to be stropped for half a dozen or more shaves.
i.e. The hones should gather dust for a month and then
only the finest hone might be called for.

If the angle is too open (back too high) it is possible that
the edge rolled on your whiskers. If this is only a minor thing
then canvas followed by leather can recover it. If not then
four or five trips on a very fine touch up hone should. If no canvas
then five trips on CrOx... followed by leather.

Paddle stropping -- I will let others comment other than
a light touch -- think feather edge only sweeping invisible crumbs.
Set the back down first then the edge and pull.