Thread: i need insight

so i got my razor to where i thought it was good. i test shaved and it started out good. but as the shave went on it seemed to get dull. or at least i felt like thats what happened. so much to the point that it wouldnt even cut my stubble.ive heard in the past about how you have to let a razor sit because something about the metal morphing. can anyone explain that further? and when should i leave it? is it bad to test a razor right after honing? is it bad to hone again after shaving?

The resting of the blade thing is, I believe, a myth.
I have seen several threads on here discussing it, and from what I've been able to see in them, there simply is no proof of it.

Others with more experience will surely chime in to give their views on your failing sharpness of the razor.
From what little I know, it sounds as if your bevel was not properly set.
A razor, properly sharpened and maintained, with a proper bevel, should last for months.
For inexperienced users a bit less, but still quite a few weeks.

I've had the experience of a blade seeming to "tire" during a shave. In my case, I had honed the blade using too much pressure and achieved a sharp edge but one so thin that it was worn down quickly by my beard. That experience taught me to use no pressure in honing, and my results improved from there.

There is no problem honing after shaving, and there should be no problem testing the razor after honing, except that it probably should be stropped first.

i use zero pressure when honing i think ive got that down. do i need a 1000k stone to set a bevel?

Originally Posted by Mattyboy48

i use zero pressure when honing i think ive got that down. do i need a 1000k stone to set a bevel?

Well, that seems to be the most common bevel setter amongst the experienced honers on here.
I guess you could use 2K or even a 4K stone, but it would heighten the number of strokes required.
I'm no honemeister, far from it, but I use a 1000 Grit stone to set my bevels, and I think it's the right tool for it.

id rather just not buy a new stone. how do i know when the bevel is set? im not opposed to sitting there all day setting the bevel

I have absolutely no honing experience whatsoever, so I can't answer the question regarding getting a 1K stone to set the bevel. However, if you could share a little more information on the razor in question, it might help. For instance, did you buy the razor new/used from a factory website, a reputable vendor, or a sponsor or member of this forum that offers "shave ready" razors? Is it an antique store find or ebay special you are trying to hone yourself? How long have you been shaving with a straight razor? If you're still somewhat new to the game, then maybe it's just a question of technique or blade angle. Any other insight you can provide will help answer your question.

its a dovo prima klang extra hollow ground that i bought new off of classicshaving.com. it was professionally honed.a dn ive had much success in maintainging that sharpness up untill now

Hehe, funny comment

I wouldn't know how to advice you on a stone that is not familiar to me for bevel setting.

Instead, let me tell you how I do it, and then perhaps that is of some use to you.

I evaluate the bevel with a jewellers loupe, a microscope or just my eyes.
What I look for is an even bevel all along the blade and similar on both sides.
That tells me the blade is in good shape, no frowns or other imperfections.

Then I go to the hone and try to really feel the feedback from the knife on the hone.
I can usually feel when the steel has reached a level where the bevel is set based on that. Mind you, the feedback changes from stone to stone, so you'll have to practice that for a while.

To verify that I've been reading the feel from the hone correctly, I use the Thumb Pad Test(TPT).
What I'm feeling for with that is a sucking feeling, sorta like the edge is sticky while ever so gently pulling the knife along my wet Thumb pad.
Again, this is something that for me required quite a bit of practice before it became a reliable test.
Others use other methods, like testing to shave arm-hairs or use the HHT or other tests. I don't.
All I ever use is the thumb pad test and my jewelers loupe at this stage.

This probably was of limited help, but hopefully others will chime in with further, and better, info for you

no it helps a lot. i also use the thumb pad test and i do notice different sounds and feels with different hones and different stages in honing. i guess i jsut dont know how its supposed to sound or feel. at the heal of my blade the bevel is deeper then the rest. also if its uneven on both sides or along the edge how do you get them both even