Need help interpreting a shave test

Background: I've been shaving with a straight for..let's call it a year (took some time off at one point). I recently got a cheap razor from ebay, a T. Noonan & Sons square point, so I'd have a razor to practice on. Did a quick clean up and honed it last night. Using tape, for the first time ever, I set the bevel with a couple sets of moderately heavy circles and a couple sets of lighter circles on the 4k norton with slurry, diluting as I went. Then a bunch of heel-forward x strokes, getting lighter and lighter. Rinsed razor and hone, then did more just water x strokes on the 4k. Passed TNT as I understand it and would cut arm hair at skin level. Then to 8k with slurry, then without slurry, then to PHIG (with slurry, then without). Edge looked good under a 40x loupe (From a novice's point of view). Changed the tape a bunch, figuring more often is better than not enough. Stropped a bunch, I time instead of count, 4 min on fabric, 5 on leather.

So, to the shave test. I did a complete shave, one WTG and one XTG. Learned what the square point means with a small slice in my ear. Not as clear cut as I had hoped. My neck area didn't seem to get quite as close as usual, BUT I've always had issues with closeness on my neck. The shave was comfortable, maybe a tiny bit more irritation than usual, but it didn't seem as sharp as my go-to razor. But then I got to my cheeks (yes, I shave my neck first for fresh lather and fresh edge). The WTG and XTG went really well. Then, as an experiment, I did a ATG pass on one sideburn and cheek, gently buffing with a careful slicing motion, spine touching my face. Felt good. Then I felt my sideburn, completely BBS. I couldn't believe it. Not sure I've gotten that level of closeness before (maybe once or twice on accident on random parts of my face).

So, I'm a little confused. If I had to just by just the neck, I'd say I should go back to the 8k, then test off the 8k and when my neck says so, smooth it out on the PHIG. If I had to go by my sideburn, I'd say it's shave-ready. Then throw in the fact that this is my first shave with this razor.

Any advice or suggestions? Thanks for reading this wordy post!

Ken

I feel that really in this case only you can truely call the shave test a success or not. You have to ask your self if you where happy with the shave? If you are happy with the results then you are done and just need to strop and shave with it for awhile. If you feel you can get the edge better then take it back to the hone and do somemore work. One of the tricks to honing though is learning when to stop honing.

I have the same deal with my neck. If I just judge my neck, you can barely feel the tips of the stubble, but on my cheeks they are completely smooth. I have the same feel with a straight or a DE, so if my cheeks are smooth, and the neck doesn't feel like 320grit sand paper...Good to go in my book. If I get absolutely BBS on my neck, it will get irritated and a few bumps. Shaving goes with honing, you just gotta figure out when you should stop for you.

It's possible that you were a little more careful -- and a little slower and more thoughtful -- with the "new" razor.

And that might have paid off in a better shave.

So go back to the "old" razor, and use it just as carefully and slowly, and see what happens.

Charles

Thanks for the great advice guys. I'll give it another shave or two to see if it changes/improves.

Another question. The stropping seemed different. I used a layer of tape to hone this razor and none of my other razors has been honed with tape. I feel like there is a lot less draw. Is it normal to feel a difference when stropping a razor that was taped?

Thanks again!

Ken

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KenL

Thanks for the great advice guys. I'll give it another shave or two to see if it changes/improves.

Another question. The stropping seemed different. I used a layer of tape to hone this razor and none of my other razors has been honed with tape. I feel like there is a lot less draw. Is it normal to feel a difference when stropping a razor that was taped?

Thanks again!

Ken

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Is the blade a different grind then your other blades?

Oh and just realized congrats on your first honing

Thanks! I was surprised that my first razor that I honed from bevel to finish actually cut hair! The razors seem to be the same grind.

Another question: would it pull and be really uncomfortable if the bevel wasn't set?

Thanks for your help!

Ken

1. Yes, if the bevel is not set, it won't cut hair and will pull. The lack of
comfort comes from having to use way too much pressure.

2. I've honed razors with from one level to five levels of tape and never
noticed a difference on the strops stropping them with no taple.

I notice the all of my razors have different draw on the strop. Some even feel like none. YMMV :)

Thanks for the reassurance Lazarus and Ace! This razor feels like it has almost no draw, like only the spine is touching. But, the spine and the edge are touching the strop, so I know the edge is getting contact. Good to hear some razors are just different and have a different feel on the strop.

one of my strops is fairly shiny and hard... i personally dont really like the marble on glass feel, so i strop the offenders on a softer piece of leather. :)

Sounds similar to my strop. I'm thinking about asking for a new one for Christmas.

An admirable plan if ever i've seen one :)

Update. I shaved again with the razor. Still comfortable, but I just don't feel like its quite there. So, I'm going to go back to the hones.

Thanks again,

Ken

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KenL

Thanks for the reassurance Lazarus and Ace! This razor feels like it has almost no draw, like only the spine is touching. But, the spine and the edge are touching the strop, so I know the edge is getting contact. Good to hear some razors are just different and have a different feel on the strop.

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If you like plenty of draw, and I do, I've found that applying lather to the strop, letting it dry overnight, then wiping off the residue with a soft damp cloth the next morning works wonders. Most here are adamantly against this procedure and find it unnecessary, but I have had great results with it. The only downside of this is that the razor will pick up some stain from the strop as you strop it. Actually this is quite easy to remove with a damp paper towel. I've been doing this for over a year with no negative effects. If you are happy with a slick strop, then all you have to do is run your palm over it. On the other hand, if you want to create a "draw monster", then lather is the way to go. Me, I love draw and plenty of it. My face seems to appreciate it too.

Thanks for the suggestion Ace. I'm a little hesitant because I only have one strop, but I might try it.

Shave update: I brought the razor back to the 4/8k (left the PHIG out of the equation this time) last night and gave it a good stropping. Just shaved with it and it cut MUCH better. Pretty near effortless to wipe the stubble away and cheeks were almost BBS with just wtg and xtg. In fact, now I realize that my other razor probably isn't as what as this one.

This weekend I'll finish it on the Ch12k, then give it another try.

Finished the razor on the ch12k last week, but it didn't feel as smooth during the shave, something went wrong. So, I dropped back down to the 8k for a bit, then back up to the ch12k. Test shaved today and I think I've got it. It wiped away a weekend's worth of growth easily this morning with no irritation (wtg and xtg). I know there's room for improvement, but I think it's one of the better edges I've got from my own honing. Feels good knowing I took a dull, 80+ year old razor and made it shave ready!

Thanks again for all your help!

Ken

You just learned the most important lesson of honing all by yourself :)

If it doesn't feel right and you have the ability, take it down to the 8k level and test the shave, stay there until it shaves good then and only then move higher...

You have 4 stages of honing
Bevel
Sharpen
Polish
Finish

You have to make sure each stage is maxed out before moving up...


Good Job on the honing :tu

Thanks Glen. Your videos helped a lot! I have learned so much from this razor (and this forum). It's great to have a razor that you're not afraid to mess up and experiment on. It also gave me the confidence to hone with one hand (I had been steadying the tip with my off hand). I don't know why I didn't pick up an low cost ebay razor sooner!


Ken