Thread: Moving target (sharpness vs. comfort)

OH, I see.

Tonight I'm thinking "wow" this is buttery, i can hear 'em but feel nothing. That's nice.

Then, after two passes I'm cleaning up and them little stubbles are fighting back...wtf?

SO i grabbed some German steel and finished the clean up, no problems.

The first razor (English steel) was sharp enough to cut whiskers cleanly, but not _really_ sharp. The second razor was really sharp, but not so buttry. Methinks I'm developing a keener appreciation and differentiation of the sharpness of razors. Hence "moving target". As is said: The more you know, the more you know you don't know.

SO i re-stropped on CrOx and will try again in a day or three. I had been messing around with newspaper on the first blade IIRC. I'm not good for keeping notes, more of a "seat of the pants" pilot.

So which one gets the Chrome Oxide?

It should be the sharp one.

It is sharp at 1K, or should be. Look at the Sheffield edge, there is something wrong, it is not sharp… enough or may be crumbling. Try increasing the angle with tape if chipping.

Sheffield steel is hard…

Nail down sharp, then polish the bevel for comfort. You can have both.

Also it's a big smiler, the first i've honed and that took a little learning. This may be an good opportunity to try my barber hone for terchup.

I CX'd the Sheffie. Won't fiddle with the OH WAIT, i mis-spoke, that was a German blade...dangit (edited). But anyway, it, the German blade (not Solingen) is not harsh-but then i've not full-shaved with it, just touching up. This more about the "depth" of perception of the variabilities in sharpness/comfort than it is about a fix. But thanks. Yes i test off the 8k, before coti now.

My whiskers grow too slow to get as much testing in as i'd like...can i get an Amen?

Yes you CAN have both sharp and smooth but the bottom line is some razors are just better than others.

Originally Posted by rmagnus

Yes you CAN have both sharp and smooth but the bottom line is some razors are just better than others.

Yes, and ones perception of the both gets more acute as he gains more experience with a wide array of razors and honing/stropping applications. I'm sure 10 years into it, the "aha moments" won't be as frequent or general. The problem now is i'm constantly bouncing around amongst my collection (as well as some razors that aren't mine). I have one "gold standard" and i'm trying to make them all such.

And my latest is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, so I'll be whooping it on the rocks as soon as i get scales on it. It's a fat one


(i swear i'm stopping until i liberate a few, no really i mean it this time.)

With my limited collection I also notice some are more "buttery" but don't shave as smooth. Although lately I have been settling for less close shave because of time constraints.