Kreigar razor --- well I got one ,,, grrrr

Ok so long story short, I hope.

I am a real noob to straight razor shaving
So, I decide to get a Straight razor
Not enough research done, bouight a Kreigar
Tried to hone and sharpen it up ... I am just average at honing atm
metal was noticably coming off the spine of the razor .... was this crap metal or something else
stopped and did more google searching for angles to hone a straight razor
Found what I did was correct, but should not lose so much metal off the spine.

Nervous about this I decide to check out sharpening systems
Borrowed a Lansky set from a friend and after some trial and error
managed to get hair shaved from my arm (sharpened at 20 degrees)
Stropping improved this a little - strop loaded with Dovo red paste smooth side
Finished on rough side ( i think i got that part out of order)

Shave test pulled a fair bit - just did on my cheeks
More google searching - found this site -- woo hoo
lots of goood info here - found Kreigar on avoid list - damn ....


Decision - use razor a honing and sharpening skill developer.
With this in mind i decided to try to set the bevel and hone as per usual methods

The difference --- I intend to take photos as I go
To give a visual reference why Kreigar are so poor at shaving

In the next few days I will get to doing this and posting here for all to read

Hope this holds some interest for the members

Rick

Kreigers definitely are not warriors.

I am confused. Did you buy another kreigar?

http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...azor-ebay.html

Part of the problem might be using a 20* to hone... spine of the razor needs to be flat against the hone to set a bevel for shaving.

Are you getting a new straight razor? I'm green myself, and the experience keeps getting better as I go. Sorry to hear that you bought a dud. It can be a lot more enjoyable. Especially honing.

If you have the right hones, and learn how to use them with razors (not that I'm a pro), you can buy much higher quality steel for a little more. Classifieds are also a good place to look. Plenty of very affordable (<$50), quality razors.

Get a new razor.

Slartibartfast :-

No I definitely did not buy another Kreigar :)
not into being a masochist like that

I am just going to use this one to illustrate the problems I have experienced
Later it will be scrapped
and thought it could be useful to show what happens with them as they are honed
Should be a handy tool for reference if nothing else
The photos will help show what I am saying

BKratchmer

I agree with you on hone angle being wrong
As my earlier post showed, I lost a fair amount of metal from the spine with this method
So I looked for another way to hone the edge.
As a noob I will be prone to making my share of mistakes

I will keep learning and asking ? and reading up a lot
Soon enough I will learn the skills of straight razor shaving
and all this will be just a laugh, right now its all new to me

love to get comments and feedback from the forum
cheers for niow

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peasel

Are you getting a new straight razor? I'm green myself, and the experience keeps getting better as I go. Sorry to hear that you bought a dud. It can be a lot more enjoyable. Especially honing.

If you have the right hones, and learn how to use them with razors (not that I'm a pro), you can buy much higher quality steel for a little more. Classifieds are also a good place to look. Plenty of very affordable (<$50), quality razors.

Get a new razor.

---

G'day Peasel

I am buying a better quality razor and strop from a forum member
It will be properly honed and sharpened before delivery
I should see it in about a week here in Australia
Thanks for your interest

Looking forward to the pictures!

Kreigars are especially hazardous for noobs as they do make a pretty neat LOOKING razor. As you, unfortunately learned the hard way functionally they are little more than really good letter openers. My own version of Cliff's Notes for No-Go razors, made in China or Pakistan? You definitely don't need it, no matter how cool it looks. In my experience even a beat up old Swedish, English, German or American razor will get and hold a shaveable edge better. My brother is a custom knife guy. He says folks often bring him Chinese or Paki steel to put an edge on. After attempting on the first couple, he now just tells them to go buy a decent knife and he'll be happy to help.

Glad to hear you found something you like and the bad experience didn't turn you off.

It's not a dead loss. Use the Kriegar for stropping practice. It will feel much more like a razor than say practising with a butter knife & just as blunt :p G' luck with the honing tho :)

Kreigers work well to leave in the bottom of your boat to cut the line if you catch a snapping turtle