Thread: When is "sharp" sharp enough??

Hate to be so blunt and simple ---but invariably , people bring into discussion the unique characteristics of their arm hair, head hair, nose hair, toe hair, leg hair -- well you get it -- some people's hair is too fine , some is too coarse, ---it's difficult to concoct some standard for all of this except for the generalized rule: If it shaves you readily, then it's shave ready ---kind of a circular one hand clapping , tree falling in the woods type of thing.

From the little I know (very little) it's as much an art (maybe more) as it is a mechanical technique ---- you've got to learn the nuances of it all --let me know when you figure it out and then you can teach me.


Justin

You also need to consider the blade it's self, each is different and what works on one may not work as well on another.

Hell my main razor wont pass a hanging hair test, but my wiskers almost jump out in fright when the razor apporaches my face and I seem to get a BBS shave more often than not. On the flipside I have another razor that is subject to the same sharpening technique (similar blade design, both 5/8 round point Bengal razors) that refuses to cooperate unless Im in a state of Zen like oneness with it.

Thanks for the replies guys. You have to understand I have nothing to compare to except for a Mach III (hardly a comparison) and my Merkurs with Merkur blades (that are arguably the lowest of the name brands).

I guess the only way I'll know is when I eventually buy a "shave ready" razor, or send one to one of the "Honemeisters".

Justin, no worry about being blunt. That's the way I like things. No bull or beating around the bush.!!

Originally Posted by Newfie

I guess the only way I'll know is when I eventually buy a "shave ready" razor, or send one to one of the "Honemeisters".

Justin, no worry about being blunt. That's the way I like things. No bull or beating around the bush.!!

I would say for sure to get a razor honed by one of the top dogs to give you a standard ---that's what I did and I'm glad.

Good luck there buddy.


Justin

Originally Posted by Lancer

You also need to consider the blade it's self, each is different and what works on one may not work as well on another.

Hell my main razor wont pass a hanging hair test, but my wiskers almost jump out in fright when the razor apporaches my face and I seem to get a BBS shave more often than not. On the flipside I have another razor that is subject to the same sharpening technique (similar blade design, both 5/8 round point Bengal razors) that refuses to cooperate unless Im in a state of Zen like oneness with it.

I agree. My best shaves starting coming after I decided to use only one razor, instead of rotating through the 3 that I own. I got to know how that particular razor honed and stropped very well, and now I get great shaves.

E

Originally Posted by ericm

My best shaves starting coming after I decided to use only one razor, instead of rotating through the 3 that I own. I got to know how that particular razor honed and stropped very well, and now I get great shaves.

This is a very smart approach. Then you eventually get to know all three razors and you have to lap your hone and learn about it anew. It keeps going like this. The learning neevr stops.

As to the difference between barely shaving and BBS with ease, it's a fine line of difference between the two, but an important distinction. It might just be the difference between a few laps on the hone or just a slightly different amount of pressure or even a different technique on the hone (X Motion vs. Rolling Hone), but those subtle differences can be quite noticeable in the shave. Since we're talking about the finest edge formed by the human hand a little means a lot.

X

It's one of the ironies of straight razor shaving that the senses available to us when honing vs shaving are each sensitive to different ends of the sharpness scale. Our hands and hair tests will tell us a great deal about where the razor is on the continuum of "butter knife" to "will probably shave" whereas our face just tells us "it pulls". But get sharper than that and our tests still only tell us "will probably shave" but our face can now tell us to a very fine degree just how sharp it really is. Experience and feedback from our face will eventually sharpen the honing senses at the "sharp" end of the scale, but it takes time.

Edit: it's more like our hands and HHT's are a 20-ft tape measure that we're using to measure something less than an inch long, and with hundredth of an inch precision.

Since its my quote...

For me, cutting arm hairs is a step on the way to shaving sharp.

It means that the razor is sharp all along its edge and could possibly give a passable shave. All that's needed is some fine tuning on a finishing hone/pasted paddle to bring it to shaving sharp. However, depeding on skill and the particular razor, that could mean anything from 10 minutes to and hour of work.

I agree with everyone else who's posted that this is highly subjective stuff - as is the term "shave-ready". That's why whenever I sell a razor as "shave-ready" I make sure to tell people that I do not consider myself a honemeister, and that I've sharpened the razor to the best of my ability and to the point where I am comfortable with the way the razor shaves me.

Hope this helps.