Thread: I'm not sure what to say about this.

Originally Posted by Theseus

6. The time I was drinking moonshine and tried to breathe fire.

Liked for moonshine! The real stuff too, none of that store bought hooch.

Essentially the progression is 1k, 6k, then 2 pasted strops newsprint (I find color ink works best), then CR0x - 30k.

Could the progression be better? yup. adequate - likely.

Grinding back and forth with the 1k to reset the bevel. Not exactly sacrilige.


Creating a wire edge then backhoning and drawing it through wood... (overhoned, oops) - This edge will definitely cut hair but it's going to be extremely toothy. It does get you close to the right spot fast at the sacrifice of steel.


If he hadn't overhoned and had instead used a less aggressive progression OR if he had then switched a tradition honing approach after knocking of the edge to clean it up he would be left with a significantly more comfortable shave

I have wire edged a fair number of blades learning not to be heavy handed. The resulting edges when finished as recommended create an edge that definitely cuts hair but doesn't have the edge holding characteristics nor the comfort of a smooth edge polished and ground to match the likes of the steel being sharpened.


With regard to spine, heel, toe wear.... Is a straight razor a consumable to be used up and replaced or is it a piece of art or an heirloom?

If it is simply a consumable tool for cutting facial hair then getting an edge on the tool as quickly as possible seems like the best idea. Oddly this seems far more Western in philosophy than Japanese.

All that said if I used straight razors sharpened using a 6k ground, burr knockoff edge I would have likely quit and gone back to my trusty mach 3 pretty quickly.

For what it's worth, I have one of his knives: a prized possession in my kitchen, and the most used tool by far. My next knife will be a Carter knife, no question. When that will be, who knows.
I also custom ordered a kamisori razor from him over two years ago. It arrived well after he estimated it would, looked a little "off" in execution (can't think of how to explain how...) was NOT shave ready, and the geometry was such that the edge was unhone-able without lifting the spine much as in sharpening a knife. It was also probably, definitely, monosteel. I expressed my disappointment with the finished product and returned it for a full refund. I've watched the razors he's made since, but they don't seem very informed by much that has gone on in razor making.
I am watching this thread with much interest.

Sharp enough to shave does not equal sharp enough (to say nothing of smooth enough) to shave comfortably. This has been borne out by centuries of work by professional barbers, who had to give comfortable shaves if they wanted to stay in business. What else can one say?

I thought that may be the case too but I really haven't seen any posts on SRP that would support this. Maybe in time we'll see posts from people finishing on King 6k's getting exceptional shaves

That is a good point. But I think those willing to shave with razors sharpened with such minimum effort would not participate in a razor (honing) forum.
My grand grand father used to shave with razors, and for what I know he never got his razor sharpened in a decade. That definitely would not fit into our idea of a perfectly smooth edge.
If there had been such a thing as a Naniwa or Shapton stone and a straight razor forum (literally, a place where people meet and talk, there was no Internet back then ) he probably would not have participated. That is because he didn't have the time or the money. I think there is a (hopefully I get the phrase right) dark figure or a number of unknown cases of straight razor users around the world,
that don`t participate in this forum or use the technique we use and still are happy with the results, even though I´m positive even I could blow their mind with my edges.
My grand grand dad probably would have said "good job boy, that is a nice shaver. How did you say you did it? What? A progression of different stones? Up to 16.000? Good lord, it's only shaving, lad! Get a girlfriend"

although I never met my grand grand dad, I imagine he would have wanted me to have a girlfriend. Silly, isn't it? Kidding aside, you know what I mean

Originally Posted by Lesslemming

My grand grand dad probably would have said "good job boy, that is a nice shaver. How did you say you did it? What? A progression of different stones? Up to 16.000? Good lord, it's only shaving, lad! Get a girlfriend"

although I never met my grand grand dad, I imagine he would have wanted me to have a girlfriend. Silly, isn't it? Kidding aside, you know what I mean

This amused me. I met two of my great Grandads and I'm pretty sure that that's exactly what both of them would have said. Bet the old boys woulda been round to mine every now and again to get their razors up to speed, though.

Originally Posted by matisso

Has anyone actually tried his edge? Most of you folks are true mockery masters.

"He who does things other way than ours, is worth nothing but laughter and pity." You should add that motto right below the logo. And consider changing the name to Straight Razor Hate. For real.

Matt

Lynn did it, with several razors.
It was 'No go' on the shaving comfort.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

I believe that was common in Europe ? at one time before the 8k's became more easily & cheaply available.. 2,1 & 0.5 micron pastes followed then leather. I'd be surprised if the old convexed wedges we see haven't had a good pasting. Still, a different process to what was posted.

Yes.

I was told that on German forums, the standard is to use up to 6K (or a coticule) for forming the edge, and then using pasted strop(s) to make it actual shaveready. This is also what various shaving shops advise. It is also how it is explained in the 2 Dutch (modern) books on straight razor shaving I read.

The only Benelux people whom I know do things like we do are in fact members here.

Originally Posted by Lesslemming

I still don´t get what this is all about. He did not try to present some "new" or even "exciting" way of honing, and in no way did he say it was superior, since it is certainly not.
He just said his system would work for him, and I think it would work for many others as well. Not because it is the best system that is,
but because it at least does an OK job with minimum effort. Not everyone using a straight razor wants to participate in the pursuit for the perfectly smooth edge.

True, but he says himself that even his kitchen knives give him a better shave.
If something explicitly designed for shaving gives you a worse shave than something which is not, then it is safe to say that something is really wrong.

True, but he says himself that even his kitchen knives give him a better shave.
If something explicitly designed for shaving gives you a worse shave than something which is not, then it is safe to say that something is really wrong.

I see your point. But don´t you think this observation of a comment he made during a shave with a kitchen knife is too vague to count as evidence?

Lynn did it, with several razors.
It was 'No go' on the shaving comfort.

Now it´s getting interesting. Lynn actually shaved with several Razors honed by Murray Carter (lately and not "out of box" but explicitly sharpened ) ?