Thread: Ramblin' Thoughts on my new Wapienica

I just received my first Wapi From Stamps222, and I figured I would share my thoughts on the whole experience.....
1. Very fast shipping, and a fair price
2. OK packaging for an all stainless razor, (what can get hurt???)
but for any other razor (Yikes)
3. Very Utilitarian, but it is as expected
4. Nice edge to find on a new razor
5. Holy sheep dip Batman this thing is Soooooooooo unbalanced
6. Thank God I already anticipated this and have been working on several sets of scales
7. Wow this is easy to Sharpen
8. Wow this is way to easy to Sharpen I must be doing something wrong
9. Wow this is really sharp!!!!!!!!!
10. Hmmmm easy to hone and strop
11. Seems like a lot of hone wear for the first sharpening
12. These are probably not designed to last a lifetime (or 2 like a DD, Dovo, TI, etc
13. I am soooooo...... gonna change the scales!!!!
14. Hmmmm nice smooth no nonsense shave.....
15. Well that's definitely was a well spent $20
16. Hmmmm let's see 7 x $20 x new scales Hmmmmmm
17. RAD setting in
18. Nope gonna resist and get the Wonderedge.... but one of these is nice to own!!!!!

Glen - I pulled the trigger on a Wapi as well. What did you do to get your sharpened so nicely...quickly...and easily?

Originally Posted by Limey

Glen - I pulled the trigger on a Wapi as well. What did you do to get your sharpened so nicely...quickly...and easily?

I do every razor the same, the only difference is the stroke count.....
Assuming the razor starts with a straight edge.....
Norton 4000
Norton 8000
A red pasted paddle strop
A black pasted paddle strop
A black pasted hanging strop
A linen strop with the special white paste
A linen strop
A Naked Russian strop
The only thing I do different that I have not heard of on most of the threads, is when I start on the 4000 grit stone I use a two handed style of stropping using a very, very, light touch, but I want to establish a even straight edge first.... I then shift to the normal honing methods, The two handed method works but it takes practice and steady hands.....

Can you tell me your stroke count at each phase for the Wapi?

Originally Posted by Limey

Can you tell me your stroke count at each phase for the Wapi?

That's a tuff answer, you have to develop a test for each stage, your own test, I think most use the thumb pad test, others I believe use the hair on the back of the hand as a guage....(I do both)
I hate to say do 10 on this, 20 on that, etc: because that varies with the razor and with your stroke....
But also I know when I started honing I wanted to know as much as possible... I know one of the threads in the hone forum has a pyramid stroke set, that's a good start...
Most anybody that works with metal uses some form of a pyramid to sharpen...
Also some people believe that you constantly switch back to a lower grit as you work the razor.. in other words 10 strokes on a 4000 then 5 strokes on a 8000 then 15 strokes on a 4000 then 10 strokes on the 8000 etc: This supposedly helps the fine polish of the blade, does it work better??? Heck I don't know, by the time I get off the hone and onto the strops any blade is wicked sharp so now yer splitting hairs(pun intended)
I just realized that I have been rambling on and on and haven't answered yer question

Start with 10 strokes on the 4000 and look at and feel the edge is it straight??? does it feel sharp???
yes??? then go to 20 strokes on the 8000... no???? goto 5 more strokes on the 4000 then test again.... Thats what I did with that Wapi basically 10,20, then to the strops at 20,25,30,35, etc:
Keep in mind that anybody else that reads this and sharpens razors, will have a different opinion and Guess what??? THEY ARE ALL CORRECT just so long as they get the razor sharp..... heck have fun!!!!! thats what this really comes down too, making a morning chore, into a morning hobby, RIGHT???

I've got 4 of them, 2 older 2 newer, 2 needed stropping, 2 needed a few runs over a barbers hone. plenty sharp out of the box. super easy to maintain. love the weight of the scales, I think they balance out perfectly, alot better than plastic scales. I'd rather have it scale heavy than blade heavy.
I just can't get over how easy these are to hone up,