I got a Weck hair shaper thrown in with a vintage straight purchase a little while back. I decided, on a whim, to buy a pack of Personna blades for it, which came in today. Maybe I'm crazy, but these things seem sharper than any straight I've seen, even those honed for me by a member here. I won't know until I shave with it tomorrow, but should my straights be as sharp as this?
I think my straights are pretty darn sharp, and they give me fine shaves. When I shave with my Feather DX SS with a new Feather blade in it, however, it does seem to be a bit sharper. The shaves may not be better with the Feather, but they do seem to be more effortless.
Technically, a well sharpened straight would be third in line after 1) chipped obsidian 2) computerized latest technology mass generated edges (razor blades, scalpels, etc). The problem with the first two is that the edges are more fragile and don't hold up as well or as long as a well sharpened straight razor. If they designed the first two to hold up longer, then they would be closer to the straight in actual sharpness. At least that has been my experience.
The actual Micron measurements on the edges are much closer then you might think...
The differences are in the Multi-bevels on the machine made blades and the special coatings on there after the sharpening...
With some time and talent and sub-micron pastes you can narrow the gap to really close, but you can't spray on a special teflon (or other) coating to enhance the smoothness like they can , you can only burnish the edge with careful stropping and hope for the best
Straight shaves are smoother and that's all that matters to me. When my blades pass the HHT they are sharp enough. Sharpness is a function of bevel diameter and hardeness and flexibility of the steel. And coatings in the case disposable blades.
All my razors less sharp then Wilkinson blades, and I can have more effortless shaves with Wilkinson blades... but after good stropping I have nice and smooth shaves with my straight razors and I understand that I have no need in more sharp edges.
Why can't I dip my straight in ZMAX before I shave to add the magical properties?:thinking: My thoughts are that the straight razor I prep on a daily basis has the same or very similar edge everyday. I don't use the str8 and wait for it to become so dull I cannot stand it anymore as most do with disposables. I don't know anyone who shaves one time with a disposable, and throws it away. They use it many times, each time the edge not as sharp as the previous time. So, my point is that with the first shave a disposable ( double edge, single edge or multi )may be a bit sharper but what about shave 2,3,4......With a straight, the blade stays consistent.Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
I use both the feather and an open razor. The main difference I see is in one spot under my chin. It's usually difficult to shave completely smooth with a traditional but is done in 2 passes with the feather. But it may just be the way the head is shaped on the feather that make it easier to use rather than just being that much sharper?
I don't think straight razors are as sharp as commercial razors. Personally, I am glad. With commercial blades, every shave I get good shaves, but bleeders. With straight, I might get one or two bleeders a month. And, shaves with straight razors feel better.
While the question you ask is interesting, it is not as significant as you might think. Let's say that a straight razor is as sharp as commercial razor blades. Let's say that, without stropping, you can get 2 shaves out of a straight razor before it is too dull for shaving. Let's say, with stropping, you can get 40 shaves out of a straight razor before rehoning is needed. That would mean that for the shaving life of the razor, minus 2 shaves, the edge in use during shaving is a STROPPED edge and not the HONED edge we are discussing.
And, again, because stropping sharpens, but rounds slightly I think it gives a better shave.
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
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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan82
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 sharpnessQuote:
Originally Posted by coachschaller
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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by AFDavis11
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.
That is all you need. I have used more expensive hones but no longer since I have a piece of balsa painted with CBN spray. This is a forum of aficionados. Reading all the posts will make you believe that only the very wealthy can expect to achieve supersharpness but that is a load of BS. My mother's uncle who was very wealthy and a lifetime straight shaver never owned more than 2 Heljestrands and a loomstrop. A barber honed his blades. Most Dutch barbers used a coticule or Swaty. A Thuringian is considered by many to be even slightly finer than a coticule. Everything else you think you need is no more than satisfying your AD.Quote:
Originally Posted by geauxtig3rs