Thread: How sharp do you like it?

Just wanted to see how sharp of an edge folks around here like to shave with IE off an 8k, 12k, 16k, pastes etc. And anything they notice as they move up in grit. Really hoping some guru's will chime in and show us what they like as a superb edge.

That isn't really the way it works

Sharpness, Comfort, Grit, and Finish are not really a straight line...

Basically it depends on the razor

Sharp and smooth can be two different things...

Huh o.O. I thought the whole reason in getting higher courseness or girt hones/pastes was to get a smoother shave? that's what I mean. Sharp no make smooth o.O???

super sharp super smooth? NO? danmit...???

It just isn't quite that simple


As some people say around here "Honing ain't rocket Science" well that statement cuts both ways, (pun intended)

Originally Posted by gssixgun

It just isn't quite that simple


As some people say around here "Honing ain't rocket Science" well that statement cuts both ways,

Stop playing with my mind and just tell me what grit you stop at!

Originally Posted by LikesBBS

Just wanted to see how sharp of an edge folks around here like to shave with IE off an 8k, 12k, 16k, pastes etc. And anything they notice as they move up in grit. Really hoping some guru's will chime in and show us what they like as a superb edge.

I'm not a guru by any means, but my original setup was a Norton 4K/8K, plus a 12000 grit Chinese stone from a quarry in Guanxi province (sorry, can't remember where I got it). Norton sells a stone that enables you to create slurry (a milky watery-stone combination) on the 12K stone. I got a D8C made by the DMT company for lapping purposes. Lapping means making sure the surface of the stones stay flat after honing a razor.

Some months back I got some Shapton hones and I just fell in love with them. The set consists of a 500, 1K, 4K, 8K, and 16K. These are artificial stones rather than natural materials and I have been able to get more predictable results from them, which is what I think you are trying to ask about. You lap them after honing a razor like you do the natural stones.

It's hard to be more specific than that, because results are a function of the user's experience and the condition of the razor to be honed. Perhaps after my experience with the Shaptons I might get better results with my original setup.

I do think 12K and 16K are such fine grades that they probably do the same job.

As most gentlemen here pointed out, sharp is not enough. Smoothness is as important as sharpness.
That's what I was thinking when I started HADing. "Find the best, sharpest stone, and here you are". But somewhere along the way I noticed, there are plenty of old, and new, British slates, Jnats and others, that can give you that made-up legendary HHT6★ (6★, that is, if you blink at the hair and then look at the razor, the hair splits itself, spilling hair guts everywhere). But they were not smooth.
You can't enjoy a shave if it feels like you are sanding your face, even if it passes every test that exists for testing a sharp edge. Everybody prefers the edge that is so smooth, it seems like it doesn't even touch your face.
You have to try both of them to tell the difference. And, that smoothness part, like it's "grit", depends from stone to stone. Some are fine and smooth. Others, aren't. Personally, I think that, the sharper the edge-finer the stone, the harsher it will possibly be. There are always exceptions, but that's what I generally think for finishers.
So, if you are looking for a fine stone, go for a smooth natural, or, well, since I don't have experience with man made stones, listen to what the guys that have say.
And, you can buy experience! Buying a stone means testing it. Then, you read. Then buy another. After you understand what bevel is and how to set it correctly, compare what you already have. Then learn how to strop, if you are a HAD guy. And, there you have it, experience! What you don't like, you can always sell it. But not in a higher price than you bought it, that's the rule.

So, you wanted to start a thread where people state the hone/grit they stop honing at?

Actually I think this is pretty easy...sort of.

What 'grit' is a bare leather strop? I would bet that bare leather is the stopping point before the test shave for a lot of guys.

As far as hones go, I would guess equal percentages stop at 8K and 12k synthetics. A smaller percentage go higher. If you are talking naturals...you cannot really get true grit sizes (unless someone feeds you a line and you believe it).

I think the real question here should be, why would anyone care how others hone...why not concentrate on your own results and how to improve them?

If you are using 12K (I mean using it effectively and to its full potential...or even close to its potential), then you should not be concerned in the LEAST with what others here tell you. Or at least you shouldn't concern yourself with what I tell you, because I am not at that level yet...and I suspect there are a few others in the same boat.

That said, not all blades can truly benefit from super high grits...

Sharpening is a funny thing. Not just for razors for any blade. It's tell tail signals lay just on the edge of our vision and just on the edge of our sense of touch. Perception of these signs are hard to exchange in words. Maybe the language required is lacking. Sounds like many an art to me. At that scale it's just not as easy as between 3 and 4 inches tall or harder than pine but softer than oak. Science is just so much more concise.

That said -- After the bevel is set I hone away starting with a little slurry and a little pressure, working to no pressure and clean water. All the while I'm feeling for the work to stop requiring less effort. I check for evenness. When the work is even and I feel no more reduction in drag and the steel floats evenly across the top of the hone I move to the next finer hone. When there are no more hones within reach I strop it up on just an old but unadulterated piece of leather and give it a shot. After a stropping I've shaved off my 6k king, I've shaved off my Japanese finishing hone I know nothing about and should probably try to get identified, I've shaved off my 10k Naniwa, I've shaved off my no name barbers hone. If arm hair is all you're after I've shaved off lot courser than that with a chisel or plane blade. What I'm looking for in a hone besides being able to produce a keen edge is how well I can feel that edge come into being. That is maybe even the most important aspect of a hone and of the act of honing.

The bottom line is you're done when it feels right on your face which probably means it also slides pretty effortless across the top of your hone too.

I have had issues where I've been less than impressed with my results, walked away for a few minutes, came back and given it a few super light passes and found a sweet spot to stop at that I can only explain as magic or I was just plain holding the razor to tight with my tired hand to really feel what I was doing. This same explanation could be used to explain a few of my shave too.


As an interesting aside, does anyone else tend to put the stones flat on your hand instead of laying it flat on the table? I've taken to doing this for my last few strokes at least. I feel it improves the feedback I can get from the stone and allows me to hold the razor in a more natural way. I doubt I would use this technique with my kitchen or pocket knives but it seems to work really well to top things off.


Man... I talk toooo much sometimes.