I did a blog about the talking razor and though it was meant to be comical the truth is it is no joke. Over the years I've talked about what it took to get my TI Damascus shave ready. Out of the box it wouldn't shave period and as I recall a factory rep from TI said it was originally made more as a collectible and they didn't think folks would be shaving with so they weren't made shave ready. I don't know if that was true or an urban legend but what I have always known is that I fear this razor.

It took me months of off and on honing to get it working. Admittedly, this was years ago when I first started and didn't have the hones I have now or the knowledge and experience but I always knew the day had to come when it would need to be honed and that day has come. After years of use without ever needing a touch-up it now needs a touch-up. Notice I say touch-up. It still gives a great shave but the comfort factor is starting to ebb.

So at this point this little touch up has for stage one taken about 250 strokes on a .5 diamond bench strop and about equal on a .25 diamond and about 100 strokes on CrO and that was just to experiment. yea, when I test shaved I thought I noticed a minuscule improvement.

I figure before this thing gets back in the shape I want it will be well over 1000 strokes easy.

Tough steel eh?

If anyone has any words of wisdom here I'm all ears.