Thread: Resting Razor

I understand the concept of "resting a razor" but what I don't understand is how a bent piece of steel magically moves back straight.

Someone care to explain.

I'm not entirely sure what you're specifically referencing - got a link?

I believe what he is referring to is some suggest when starting out that a new shaver purchase 2 razors for a couple of reasons, less time for each to see the hones among them but also with the idea that they be rotated daily as any metal with use including scraping down a face can get out of alignment and for optimal results it is best to rest the blade at least 1 day for it to return to it's original shape, granted this is supposedly on a microscopic level,

personally I don't know whether it is true or not but it is another good excuse to have a 2nd razor and get that rad started right

I think the idea is that resting the metal makes it a little bit stronger on the edge and not as prone to breakage. I believe the actual stropping is what aligns the edge, not the resting itself.

A bit of controversy on this I think. Some say it is a myth. I have no idea. I have a rotation so it is not an issue for me although I would like to know for sure.

I am looking back to see if I can find where I read this. (forgive me but I am a noob and do know know the proper terms) But I did read that the edge of the razor gets pretty torn up at the microscopic level after a shave. However if you rest the razor that edge will straighten back up. It is the same edge you straighten when you strop it.
I want to know how a bent piece of metal will just straighten itself back up, if it is true, and why.

Originally Posted by stdreb27

I understand the concept of "resting a razor" but what I don't understand is how a bent piece of steel magically moves back straight.

Someone care to explain.

It is true and you explained it in your own first post...

Sorry I just could not resist, and I really did try to

Look at it this way, it is the second best excuse to own more than 1 razor that we have.... the #1 reason is, "what if you damage one"....
We all look for any reason we can come up with, to explain away RAD...

Originally Posted by stdreb27

I am looking back to see if I can find where I read this. (forgive me but I am a noob and do know know the proper terms) But I did read that the edge of the razor gets pretty torn up at the microscopic level after a shave. However if you rest the razor that edge will straighten back up. It is the same edge you straighten when you strop it.
I want to know how a bent piece of metal will just straighten itself back up, if it is true, and why.

It is NOT true!

It is a concept dreamt up by bored barbers on a slow day after they got tired of discussing their other made up story of how a canvas strop pre-heats the edge to allow for better leather stropping.


Mettalurgically, the blade can either deform elastically (will spring back immediately), or it can deform plastically (will never spring back, no matter how long you wait).

Okay, my list of lies to be discounted:

#1- razors need to rest
#2- canvas strops pre-heat the razor for using the leathr side
#3- Stainless is more difficult to hone than a plain carbon razor

ALL OF WHICH ARE FALSE!!!!!

Thank you for allowing me to get that off my chest....

I'll give you the first two, but I disagree about Stainless, at least as far as Knives are concerned. They do not take an edge as easliy as carbon, just by the nature of making metal stainless. If you can sharpen stainless steel as easily as carbon, you truly are the Man, and I want some of the magic hones you bought from the bean stalk guy....

Originally Posted by Seraphim

It is NOT true!

It is a concept dreamt up by bored barbers on a slow day after they got tired of discussing their other made up story of how a canvas strop pre-heats the edge to allow for better leather stropping.


Mettalurgically, the blade can either deform elastically (will spring back immediately), or it can deform plastically (will never spring back, no matter how long you wait).

Okay, my list of lies to be discounted:

#1- razors need to rest
#2- canvas strops pre-heat the razor for using the leathr side
#3- Stainless is more difficult to hone than a plain carbon razor

ALL OF WHICH ARE FALSE!!!!!

Thank you for allowing me to get that off my chest....

Originally Posted by zib

I'll give you the first two, but I disagree about Stainless, at least as far as Knives are concerned. They do not take an edge as easliy as carbon, just by the nature of making metal stainless. If you can sharpen stainless steel as easily as carbon, you truly are the Man, and I want some of the magic hones you bought from the bean stalk guy....

The key to #3 is that stainless is not more difficult to hone, it is the some hones have a more difficult time honing them than carbon.

I use diamond lapping film on a precision granite plate to hone. They are indeed as close to a magic hone as you'll find.

I have used thess to even hone a ceramic blade. Nothing stands up against the diamond film onslaught!