Thread: Would an electric knife sharpener be good to sharpen a straight razor with?

Fortunately sharpening a razor is far easier than sharpening a knife, and I wouldn't even use one of those electric things on my worst knife. Given how thin a razor's edge is you would likely burn out the temper on the blade and be stuck with a really nice butter knife. And the edge angles are going to be to high I'd imagine as well. Honing just takes practice.

Those electric sharpeners don;t even get close to the right angle for razors.
The sharpener is set to give 15-25 deg per side, razors sit @ smaller angles.
Also I don't think the razor will fit in the electric , the blade is not wide enough.

Don't give up on honing.

As you are learning to strop, lay your strop on a table counter while stropping. Hard to sag that way! When you feel comfortable, attach to a wall, hold taut, strop VERY lightly. You'll be OK.

Take up the honing offer. Strop carefully. You'll do fine...

Originally Posted by frustratedSRuser

I'm just discouraged because I got a new straight razor and dulled it the first time stropping without even using it first. I'm saying that because I know Straight Razor Designs sells quality sharpened razors, so I know it's my fault. But I don't understand, It looked like I was stropping it the right way. I wish their was an easier way to sharpen them.

I don't know where you're located but there's always a chance you could be fairly close to someone who may be willing to mentor you in the way of the strop and the hone. I understand being discouraged the first razor I sharpened was a no go, I had to go back twice before she would finally shave properly. Even if there's no one near don't give up. There is plenty of instruction on stropping and honing and there is always those with tips and ideas who will give it willingly to help. Basically you have all of SRP behind you. You will get there.

I have to admit that as a novice myself, I was looking for an idiot proof way to sharpen the vintage razors I've recently purchased.

The thought of getting some automatic, handy dandy, can't fail electric knife sharpener did cross my mind, until common sense kicked in and I realized that if there was some simple way to correctly sharpen razors it would have been mentioned here at SRP.

Besides, their called electric knife sharpener's for a reason, their for knives, not razors.

I'm glad you asked first. I wonder how many poor souls attempted something like this, before checking in with a valuable resource like SRP, just to have there blade demolished.
I also ruined my edge, with bad, stropping. Just when I thought it was to far gone to do any shaving with I decided to give it one more shave, before I sent it out to be honed. I pulled it out started stropping after a few laps it just started to click. So I threw it on the canvase for about 60 laps and then back on the leather for 50 more. The blade turned out to be the sharppest I have ever felt it. The fine folks at SRD honed it for me but for some dumb reason I stropped it before my first shave, ruinning the edge then (I assume).
It will come too you, keep at it.

Those sharpening gadgets are only good for one thing, destroying knives... Pure and simple, regular knives should never be used in them, unless you like buying knives every year...

As stated before above, you are not alone and not the only one to have thiese feelings at the begining. It gets better and soon you will be amazed at how easy it is once you learn the basics. It does take time and dedication but it will get better. You also don't need high end stuff to do it with. One stone you will read about alot and I still feel it is the best start up stone... Norton's 4/8k

Keep asking questions, it will only get better

Hi Dwarvenchef,
I'm glad you mentioned your admiration for the Norton 4k/8k stone because I intend to order the Norton Starter Kit from Amazon this weekend. It comes with the above stone and the 220/1000 grit, plus a lapping/flattening stone, plastic cases and instructional DVD for a little over $116.
If anyone has feedback about this kit, good or bad, it would be appreciated, I checked the wiki hone page here on SRP but didn't find much.

Originally Posted by michael103150

Hi Dwarvenchef,
I'm glad you mentioned your admiration for the Norton 4k/8k stone because I intend to order the Norton Starter Kit from Amazon this weekend. It comes with the above stone and the 220/1000 grit, plus a lapping/flattening stone, plastic cases and instructional DVD for a little over $116.
If anyone has feedback about this kit, good or bad, it would be appreciated, I checked the wiki hone page here on SRP but didn't find much.

Not much to say really. The Norton 4k/8k is well spoken of and documented here. The 1k grit would be good for setting the bevel and 220 grit good for major repair. The flattening stone for lapping with plastic cases for holding and storing... what's not to like?!?

Not a bad price to get off the ground with, it will do you well as long as your useing a straight.

Don't worry about the 220 much, the 1k is the one you will use for MOST ouches.

The flattener is better than nothing but down the road you may want to upgrade away from it. It wears down with use and has had some issues with being flat from the start. But at the price of the kit, worth getting.

As a bonus you can use these same stones on kitchen knives, well western knives can stop at the 1k and harder steel knives can be taken all the way up the chain