Thread: Can't get TI razor to hold an edge

I've finally got my TI honed as sharp as my Dovo. Unfortunately, it only holds for about 4-5 passes on my face. Then I can feel it begin to drag a little. I finished my shave, but felt some burn. It was very sharp for a brief time though! :-) My procedure:

1. Pyramid scheme on the 4/8k norton. Actually, I deviated pretty heavily from the pyramid and went back and forth for some time with more or less passes.
2. Take about 50 passes on a clean linen strop. This seems to work well for me for both razors (my TI and my Dovo), skipping this step results in a pretty dragging razor.
3. Take about 50 passes on a clean leather strop.

Why is it losing its edge? What can I do to fix it?

Thanks!
Eric

Sounds to me like you might be ruining your edge on the strop.

First I think 50 passes on linen is overkill. 10 - 20 should do the trick. You just want to warm up the metal a little so it responds to the leather.

I also feel that 50 passes on the leather is overkill. It shouldn't make too much difference unless your technique is off in which case it will make a HUGE difference.

1. Hold that strop taught!
2. Keep the blade gently in contact with the strop applying NO pressure and keeping as much of the blade as possible in contact with the strop at all times.
3. GO SLOW! Precision is 100x more important than speed.

X

I will try using the strops less the next time.

I've been reading lots of the other posts, and it seems that I still may not be doing things correctly on the honing. First, I still have not got my (TI) razor to pass the HHT directly from the hone, although it's close. I do the following modified version of the HHT: pass the razor above the hairs on my leg about 1cm above the skin. It catches some of the hairs and occasionaly will pop one. It always requires some use of the strop to acutally get lots of them.

Does it really have to pass the HHT and cut every hair before using the strop?

Try a 3-3, 1-3, 1-3 stroke progression on the Norton 4K/8K followed by about 20-30 strokes on the leather and and let us know what happens. Lynn

1. I agree with Lynn.

2. Use the HHT only after the fine stone, not after the strop.
Most any dull razor will pass the HHT after using the strop.

3. Today I performed 30 laps on the linen, 30 on the coarse leather and 30 on the finish leather, then shaved. It was very smooth and sharp. And I was not using a feather light touch either!

You guys have to remember that the pasted strops, linen and plain leather strops will not make up for a dull razor. As boring as it may be you simply must stay on the hones until the razor is sharp.

Hope this helps,

Well as usual Lynn's posts are the shortest around here but he says more in them than most guys who go on for a page. I would take his advice.

I do think 50x on linen is way too much. On leather you can hone to your hearts contentment I don't think its possible to overhone on smooth leather (well maybe if you do 1000 strokes) but 30, 60 80 -no problem.

What concerns me more is that the razor seems to shave fine at first and then losses its edge midway through shaving. Usually sharp is sharp unless you really don't know what sharp is and you are actually shaving with a marginally sharp razor and its just deteriorating as you shave.

Let us know what happens.