Thread: Which is sharper: Good disposable blad or well-honed straight?

I tried a side-by-side comparison (if that is at all possible) of feathers, Gillette 7 'oclock yellows, and astras in a Shavette next to my straights. The DE blades were sharper at first than my straights. But I then touched up my straights on CrOx and 0.5 micron diamond and they became as sharp or sharper than the feathers. The DE blades in the Shavette tended to stall or not be able to plow through the denser parts of my face, where the straights were better. Out of the gate, a DE can be sharper, but my straights can be just as sharp and stay sharp longer. I also found out that my Sheffield blades did not react well to the diamond on felt paddle.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I don't think there is anything on this planet that is sharper than a Feather, however sharpness doesn't necessarily equal comfort and when shaving I shoot for comfort & enjoyment. Just my $0.02

Actually, it has been proven that a fart is the sharpest thing on this planet. It goes through your pants without leaving a hole in them.

Originally Posted by coachschaller

The DE blades in the Shavette tended to stall or not be able to plow through the denser parts of my face, where the straights were better.

Don't forget that straights have the added benefit of heft, which will certainly help to plow through stubble, whereas shavettes weigh almost nothing and rely primarily on technique and the blade's sharpness

You've really got to learn a lot about sharpening a blade and work really hard to get a straight as sharp as a DE. Then you have to have the discipline not to bang your head into the wall for losing that wicked smooth and easy to shave with edge. It takes a lot of Alum to develop the resistance not to chase sharpness.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

It takes a lot of Alum to develop the resistance not to chase sharpness.

I don;t have the money to chase sharpness like some of these guys. My honed straights get touched up on my carborundum and thuringian on a fairly regular basis. Good enough for me.

If I need them to touch up my neck every once in a while, great, otherwise, I much prefer the straight. I started wet shaving with a DE, but quickly found the marvels of straight razors greatly outweighed the allure of the DE. The whole dynamic is just so different. I love them both, but straight razors, even if not as sharp have given me a reason to wake up an hour early in the morning.

Well using my own hair I have had commercial razor blades consistently fail the vaunted HHT which using the same hair strand my straights cleave with great abandon. For some reason though I seem to cut myself and cause bleeders more often with the commercial DE variety. I chalk it up to my undeveloped technique. It doesn't seem rational one could better the machine made item with human hand guided technique.

I would say that most disposable blades are going to be sharper than a straight, but it's an unfair comparison. The straight can be kept sharper over a longer period of time, and will give a more comfortable shave between sharpenings. It's something that has to be "felt."

Great thread, guys! Could it be the case that for a good shaving blade the "texture" of the edge is also important in addition to a minimum-radius edge? Hence the use of coatings in factory blades for smoothness or stropping on canvas or felt with diamond on straights for "tooth?" Maybe not important but I find it kind of fun to puzzle over.

I used the Exact setup you are talking about,for many years,I have an old Weck made of stainless so it had a decent heft and an aluminum one also,the steel is better,as for the blades I found the Personna blades to be my favorite, although I do find a regular straight to be a much smoother shave,though the Personna and weck is a good good setup for traveling,as they can be put in your suitcase with out worrying about losing your favorite blade.JMHO.