Honing takes off metal, so the blade would be narrower. I'm guessing that with an adjustable razor, the ones that can be adjusted to let more of the edge exposed, could be used with honed, narrower blades.
What do you think?
I'm thinking of buying an adjustable Merkur if this is possible, but don't want to spend $60+ just to find out that it's not possible.
Honing doesn't take off much metal at all. A few circular rubs on a DE hone should be all that is needed
What wears down a blade is restoration and repair, and poor honing technique
Just keep in mind modern DE blades have coatings on them which is what gives them the performance they provide. Once worn you can't replace that. Yes you can hone the edge but I'm not sure I would really call it honing, more stropping. Those blades are all machine made and honed so if you really want to hone one how do you propose honing the blade?
lets say yes you can.
Now question is how you hone that blade?
there is safety blade honing tools out there you can use them but not the hones which we use sharpen straight razors.
gl
Why is it important to hone DE blades, and how would that make buying a DE a waste?
There was another thread on this recently. IMO I think this defeats the purpose of the DE - cheap blades that serve their purpose before they are disposed of. If conservation is the determining factor than a straight is your best bet.
I tend to agree that if being eco-friendly is one's goal, then a straight razor is the way to go.
I think that the low cost of de blades actually makes a good argument for not honing and reusing them.
Of course, one can always store one's used de razor blades and take them to the scrap metal yard for disposal.
I think the difficulty would be maintaining a constant angle of honing on the Dual Edge blades. And also stropping.
If you want a razor you can hone and strop just get a straight.
Possible yes. Productive not likely.Quote:
Originally Posted by ironman9889
You are only going to touch up the edge not hone it so the dimensional change
would be difficult to measure and should not be an issue.
eBay is full of DE hones that date from the pre-stainless pre-teflon days.
The older blue blades would rust overnight and it was hard to
get a couple shaves from them let alone the three, four or more
that modern Teflon coated, diamond honed, stainless blades give.
Today the price of a good hone and way to strop DE blades would likely
dominate the price of a five year supply of DE blades.
So there are tools to be had but the cost needs to be checked.
I have my eye on a $20 Feather DE to compliment my Merkur "Long Classic"
that shaves me so well. In the end it is a subtle match of edge, angle
and exposure that makes for the best shave. If I find a blade that
works with my face in my Merkur adjustable all bets are off... I love
the look, feel and heft of it.
If I stumble on an old DE glass hone I might try it. An almost invisible
smear of submicron diamond, CrOx or CeOx on the old glass DE hone/
strops might work well.
I don't hone DE blades, but I know a man who does. He's Henk Verhaar from the Netherlands, industrial chemist, small-scale soap maker, brush maker and fly fisherman ... sort of a renaissance man and one whose opinions I tend to take seriously. I'm just going to paste what he has to say across from his post at another forum (The Shaving Room) and you can make your own minds up:
"My current blade (in my Toggle) is a Thai Super Thin that I have been using for about six weeks now, with an average of 6 shaves a week. I use a new blade for 4 shaves, like normal, then start sharpening, right after each shave. Four strokes on each edge side (two cycles on the machine equals a single stroke on each 'edge side' (left edge top, right edge top, right edge bottom, left edge bottom...), so 8 cycles in total) on the black stone, then four strokes (8 cycles) on the green stone, then 16 strokes (32 cycles) on the leather strop.
These machines were meant for blades from the 1920s-1940s, which were much thicker and heavier and studier than the current crop of blades, and also less sharp. THat is probably why many people are commenting the Allegro machines do not work on modern day blades. However they do, only they do not restore a Super Thin or Astra to factory sharpness. They do keep them sharp however, probably about as sharp as they kept the original blades they were intended for. You get a consistent sharpness comparable to the sharpness of a Super Thin after three shaves. If you want you blades sharper than that, forget about the Allegro; if you can manage shaving for weeks on end with the equivalent of a Super Thin after three shaves, they're well worth the money".
Found an interesting link. Lots of gadgets at:
Stropper Redirect
Thanks for all the responses everyone. After some online reading, I discovered that in World War 2 it was difficult getting new blades to soldier in the field so the blades were stropped/honed with the machine in the link above. So there is a way to extend the life of the blade. These machines are rare and probably not made anymore. Some were manufactured in Germany.Quote:
Originally Posted by niftyshaving
Here is a video of a guy using one of those pocket machines.
YouTube - Double edge razor sharpener
D
I have seen one of those at an antique shop.
I think it would work well if you use it both before and after. The same as stropping your straight.
As of now, I will continue as I have.
A couple of years ago I read that the reason double-edges lasted such a disappointingly short time was not so much due to the bevel blunting as a build-up of skin cell and soap scum. So in an effort to remove these and extend their little lives, I split a pencil in half, took out the lead, then glued it back together, leaving a slot in the middle as long as the blade is wide. I could then push/pull the blade back and forth on either 3" paddle strop or chinese hone, rocking see-saw fashion holding the ends of the pencil steady with both hands. Not bad. But as previously pointed out, they can be bought very cheaply, and it is a lot of bother to go to. However, I would of course be grateful to hear of a better and cleverer method than my effort.
That is as good a plan as any. A steel rod. dowel orQuote:
Originally Posted by Blackpool
pencil with a slot so the blade can be honed and
stropped at a precise angle is a classic.
The only problem is that today DE blades are coated
with PTFE, chrome, Pt and such. i.e. the surfaces
of the edge are coated with very thin and special exotic materials
that honing and stropping will quickly remove leaving you
with steel that is not as well tempered as the best antique straights.
There are lots of good and bad solutions to extend
the life of a DE blade. You are correct that crud.
oxidation and mineral buildup are problems to address.
Keeping the blade in oil or alcohol can help with
oxidation. Light stropping can remove soap scum.
Various solutions etch the fine edge and do provide
some help especially with asymmetric plating with
exotics. Spray with common shower soap scum remover
and rinse under hot water is one idea I have heard.
Given the price of good DE blades and the price
of good hones and stropping material the economics
mostly do not add up. i.e. factor the price of spray
shower soap scum remover against blade prices
with 1, 2 3 or more additional shaves per blade.
I might note that if you find a new trick
that also gives a deluxe shave you have something
of value.... Valuable enough to upset the economics of
the likes of the big blade makers.... that remains to
be seen.
I spent part of an afternoon researching patents for razors.....
and discovered that the topic has had a lot of attention
over the last 100+ years. Expand your search into
microtome edges will take you into a world of "too sharp"
which is an education in itself.
go for it... it is fun.
One extender for DE blades is a Dovo 'Shavette'
that uses half a blade at a time... ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan82
I think you were absolutely on the money with this observation, Sir. However a few days ago, while queueing at the pharmacy for a prescription, I saw, amongst a display of nail scissors, tweezers, files and emery boards, a packet of three Ever Ready razor blades, exactly as they used to be made, complete with side notches and reinforced spines. £1.35, and marked "Handy for D.I.Y jobs and needlework"! I have an original Made In USA gold plated Ever Ready in exquisite condition (auction:£2/$3!!!, bought it only to give it a good home) but never could find the blades. Took them home, latherer up........... simply dreadful! Obviously they are bevelled to stay sharpish through paper, cotton, wool, pencils etc., but I shall apply my above-mentioned pencil method, and hopefully get a good result. Having said all that, Ryan82, if only I could figure out how to jam a throwaway Derby in it!