Thread: Resting a Razor

Basically I hone a razor, use it for a while, then I'll store it until it's its turn to be used again.

About two months ago, I honed my Boker and shaved with it twice and then put it in the window sill in my den disgusted with the notion that I can never calm the keenness that I get from the blade after honing. Its sharp... but its harsh.

Today seeing it in the sill, I cringed a bit thinking it would rust stricken but thought - this is going to shave great! I don't know why I thought that - but I just did...

There was remarkably no rust so i stropped it up AND well, it shaved like a dream! Smooth as silk! I was right!

Was it all in my mind? Or is there something to resting a razor?

Originally Posted by earcutter

Basically I hone a razor, use it for a while, then I'll store it until it's its turn to be used again.

About two months ago, I honed my Boker and shaved with it twice and then put it in the window sill in my den disgusted with the notion that I can never calm the keenness that I get from the blade after honing. Its sharp... but its harsh.

Today seeing it in the sill, I cringed a bit thinking it would rust stricken but thought - this is going to shave great! I don't know why I thought that - but I just did...

There was remarkably no rust so i stropped it up AND well, it shaved like a dream! Smooth as silk! I was right!

Was it all in my mind? Or is there something to resting a razor?

That's a great question, I'd be interested in that answer as well.

The Coticule Elf knew you couldn't hone, so he paid you a visit & honed it for you.
Be sure to leave cookies on the window sill.

I think this has come up before and I honestly don't remember the conclusion. I'm too lazy to look it up again
I would think for people that usually had one razor they got by, but maybe they weren't looking for super keenness. I doubt I have the feel to tell the difference anyway.

Originally Posted by Phrank

That's a great question, I'd be interested in that answer as well.

I think it might have something to do with microscopic rust... I could be wrong .

Originally Posted by Hirlau

The Coticule Elf knew you couldn't hone, so he paid you a visit & honed it for you.
Be sure to leave cookies on the window sill.

Cookies lol! That's cheap! I was ready to give up on the blade lol.

On a serious note though - I don't know what it is with my Boker. Coti or synthetic, I always get that harshness. I have used diamond paste, CroX, Dovo pastes, and just plain old leather after a hone to try and calm it down. It usually takes over a weeks worth of shaves though...

But when it calms down - heaven .

I wish I new the answeres to this resting question.The same questions come up about stropping after shaving.One very well respected Honemeister I talked with says you never strop after shaving.I do tho.
Back when I was in H.S.I worked summers in a dutch machine shop,master machinists for sure,I was a gofer but I learned alot.
One of my jobs at days end was to collect all the cutting bits used during the day.End mills, flycutters,Drills. lathe bits etc.
put all in a box and write the day used down for the old codger that did the sharpening,back than it was all H.S.S.
I asked him why they had to be dated and he said after a days use the steel is like mush,they need to rest 24 hrs.
Never question him, to this day do not believe it.
But I often wonder about Straights and dealing with an edge that is mere microns thick.

Well all I know for sure is it certainly worked for me this time. I am a little shocked the razor didn't rust though. I am going to hone up all my razors in the next couple of days and see how it goes. I have come to know the razors I shave with now, so it shouldn't be a problem telling if there is something to it all or if its... mere voodoo .

Well, I don't know but General Tojo has been lounging around the place for months now and all it's made him is meaner and more ornery.

I wish I new the answer to your question. Ive noticed that some of my razors are a much better shave two or three days after being honed and hold that edge for months. I have often wondered if they just need more stropping. I was getting a nice immediate edge with the use of crox however I've misplaced mine and gave the strop I had pasted to #1 son. Maybe the ferries have taken my crox to your place.

Many report that their razors feel "duller" after being stored and rested for a period of time, perhaps that has something to do with it.

As for your other issue, I'm very surprised that chrome ox isn't taming your honed blades, usually that does the trick nicely. Oh well...

IMO it's just a matter of enduring that break-in period between the honing and the smooth comfortable shaves. For most I would guess it's within the #2-5 shave range. I would also refrain from using a material strop for those first few shaves as well - leather only.