Thread: Different Sharpness Test?

I agree Mike. With wet shaving certain combinations are a perfect marriage. Some of my razors get a better edge with a particular strop. Sometimes I use multiple strops on a given razor. Same thing goes with soaps and brushes. Some of the CHEAP soaps I use need a boar brush to get a decent lather, other soaps I can get by with a badger. Half the fun is experimenting with different combos. The other half of the fun is reading these forums to watch what other guys are experimenting with.

Originally Posted by Benz

I agree Mike. With wet shaving certain combinations are a perfect marriage. Some of my razors get a better edge with a particular strop. Sometimes I use multiple strops on a given razor. Same thing goes with soaps and brushes. Some of the CHEAP soaps I use need a boar brush to get a decent lather, other soaps I can get by with a badger. Half the fun is experimenting with different combos. The other half of the fun is reading these forums to watch what other guys are experimenting with.

I've been thinking about the leaded linen strops, I've heard about.
You use one, don't you.?

How is it done?
Any type antimony, or pure?
Guess I could just google it, or probably find a link here.

Originally Posted by outback

I've been thinking about the leaded linen strops, I've heard about.
You use one, don't you.?

How is it done?
Any type antimony, or pure?
Guess I could just google it, or probably find a link here.

On my Illinois strop the backside is fire hose linen and when I list two strops in my SOTD the linen side of the Illinois is used. I rubbed a chunk of plumber's lead on the linen until the thing was gray/black and let it set for a day. With use it will get lighter in color and then I refresh it with lead. You could use a lead fishing weight to treat it. When I strop I usually give my razor 25 laps or so on the leaded linen and then 50 or so on one of my leather strops. For after shave razor maintenance I repeat the procedure and then oil the blade with CLP.

Originally Posted by KenWeir

Talk to your primary doc or even the surgeon if you have to and get a referral to a pain management center. That's the only way to get serious pain relief, and not necessarily through pain killers. You'd be surprised at the options available.

I am seeing one this Tuesday, might make it, might not, already went to the emergency room last Tuesday and they gave me a few days worth not enough to last till this appointment though, feels like somebody has hit me between the shoulders with a wench.

The title refers to sharpness tests, but the OP's question is about shave readiness. I test for SHARPNESS at the bevel set. The ONLY way to tell if a razor is SHAVE READY though, is the shave test. Sometimes a razor will pass a hht or arm hair test with flying colors and still give an uncomfortable shave. Those test can tell you if you're in the right neighborhood, but you can only tell if it feels right(while shaving) by feeling it.

Originally Posted by RezDog

I depend more and more on my loupe and the sight and feel on the hones. For a while I could not get my hair to work in a hanging hair test either. I could get my wife's hair to work. Over time I first worked really hard to get it to work and then worked really hard at trying to figure out to not do it. Essentially what I have gotten to is, if the bevel apex looks perfect and then the bevel gets very well polished, it will pass a shave test. I put a lot of time and effort into the whole hanging hair thing, only to have it not really be a needed bench mark. There are some very good threads with very good pictures all about using a loupe to see what is going on at the apex and the bevel. I think it is probably worth exploring that route and abandoning the HHT.

I agree with this - the loupe, even some magic marker to make sure you've covered the entire area if you want, but I find the loupe, get it trimming arm hair at the 1k level, and looking through the loupe, you can tell if the bevel has made is evenly across the length of the razor and the sides have met in a perfect apex, if they don't meet, it isn't set. Using the loupe, look at the striations on each side of the razor, the striations should extend all the way to the edge on both sides, when they do, and you can see it - the bevel should be set.

Another trick, looking along the length of the blade, you should see no visible line. If you do, that means there is probably a flat surface, which means the bevels haven't met.

There is no easy answer other than practice, practice, practice, till you understand why you're doing the things you're doing. As Rez states, the objective at the initial level is to get the bevels to meet, easily trimming arm hair at the 1k level, with an even bevel, after that, it's just continuing to polish the bevel.

Stropping in between stones helps the polishing, but if you're bevel isn't set, you're just wasting time....the loupe IMO is indispensable for new and intermediate honers, the pro's can probably tell by the amount of time on the stone, even the feel of the blade on the stone, and flick it with their thumb and know....I'm a long way from that and when I take a razor to the stones for the works, it's a given for me that I'm prepared to spend 3,4,5 hours setting the bevel, anything quicker for me is a bonus, as the geometry of every blade is different.

Originally Posted by THORandODIN

I am seeing one this Tuesday, might make it, might not, already went to the emergency room last Tuesday and they gave me a few days worth not enough to last till this appointment though, feels like somebody has hit me between the shoulders with a wench.

I'm sure you already know this but do whatever it takes to get to that pain doc & make it abundantly clear how much you're suffering. Be as specific as possible describing the pain. They do get more than their fair share of drug seekers so it's not enough to say your back hurts really bad, or your elbow is really sore. Spell it out, what caused it, exactly what it feels like & exactly where, what triggers it, how often it hurts & usually for how long. Vague description is one of the hallmarks of a drug seeker to them. I know that's hard to do when you feel like you've just been put through a wood chipper but it's necessary.

I've been seeing one for my phantom pain and my left ankle for about 3 months. We've tried different types of injections, tramadol, hydrocodone, lidocaine patches. Those patches are pretty good, they do a lot to help me sleep. Right now I'm waiting on a call to schedule another surgery. This time they're removing more of my sciatic nerve & revising the scar tissue in my stump. Means a few weeks in the wheelchair again, but hopefully it'll get rid of one of my biggest pain triggers.

Hang in there man, I know how hard it is to live with serious pain & nobody take you seriously. Every step I take it feels like somebody hit me in the leg with a baseball bat. By the time I go to bed I'm in tears from the pain. I haven't had a single pain free moment in just over a year now, Nov 30th was the anniversary. Keep pushing thru bro, the pain doc will help you. They're experts at these things. Just be clear and make sure he understands how bad it really is. Don't leave until you've got the point across.

Sorry, I know that was pretty far off topic, but at the same time pretty important. And on the upside, I think once your pain is under control you'll find sharpening/honing razors a lot easier.

Originally Posted by Phrank

I agree with this - the loupe, even some magic marker to make sure you've covered the entire area if you want, but I find the loupe, get it trimming arm hair at the 1k level, and looking through the loupe, you can tell if the bevel has made is evenly across the length of the razor and the sides have met in a perfect apex, if they don't meet, it isn't set. Using the loupe, look at the striations on each side of the razor, the striations should extend all the way to the edge on both sides, when they do, and you can see it - the bevel should be set.

Another trick, looking along the length of the blade, you should see no visible line. If you do, that means there is probably a flat surface, which means the bevels haven't met.

There is no easy answer other than practice, practice, practice, till you understand why you're doing the things you're doing. As Rez states, the objective at the initial level is to get the bevels to meet, easily trimming arm hair at the 1k level, with an even bevel, after that, it's just continuing to polish the bevel.

Stropping in between stones helps the polishing, but if you're bevel isn't set, you're just wasting time....the loupe IMO is indispensable for new and intermediate honers, the pro's can probably tell by the amount of time on the stone, even the feel of the blade on the stone, and flick it with their thumb and know....I'm a long way from that and when I take a razor to the stones for the works, it's a given for me that I'm prepared to spend 3,4,5 hours setting the bevel, anything quicker for me is a bonus, as the geometry of every blade is different.

Agreed a proper bevel is a must, and most important step. A good loupe, is most important to someone new, or not well seasoned to honing. Only thing I use mine for is checking for micro chips. Done by looking at the bevel,from the side of the blade. Focusing on the bevel, twist the blade one way or the other, until the bevel turns black, move up a and down the length of the blade to check the edge for blemishes.
I like a well lit wall behind the blade, when looking, makes chips and flat spots, jump out.
After all honing criteria is met, it's still at the strop, were it stops. JMHO

I think I do a good job on honing a razor, I have a 1000 grit Chosera that I set the bevel with using Lynn circle method. Then a 4000/8000 grit Norton water stones for final sharpening, Then I have a linen leatherstrop from SRD to maintain them.