How sharp is sharp enough? What let's you know when a refresh or honing is needed?

I'm wondering how people decide not to just strop and decide to refresh with a coarser strop prior to the leather final strop. Also, when do you decide not to use the coarser strop and go right to stones, basically starting over?

I've been learning to hone and strop for a few months so up til now all I have been doing is just keeping the edge as sharp as I could. Good news though. Approximately 3-4 weeks ago I began being able to cut hairs on my arm above the skin and cutting hairs consistently using the hanging hair test. I consider this the beginning of being able to create shave ready edges. Just the beginning. I still have improvement and better edges to look forward to. For now, to learn how much sharpness is lost on one shave I try the hanging hair test after I shave. I can never cut a hanging hair after I shave. Then I have done up to 100 passes on a leather strop. At that point when I drag the hair over the edge the hair vibrates significantly but seldom cuts. But if I do 20-30 passes on a poly-webbing strop with .5 micron CBN on it the edge will cut hanging hairs some but not that consistently. Add 50-70 passes on the leather strop and then the edge is back to cutting the hair on every attempt. Sometimes I may drag the hair about 1/4" then it cuts. Sometimes it cuts immediately. That's when I put the razor down considering it ready for the next shave. I'm thinking I should just shave then do 100 passes on the leather strop to get ready for the next shave and see how it goes. I think what I'm doing now is refreshing the edge after every shave by using both strops. After I shave and then strop 50-100 passes on the leather strop and it won't cut a hanging hair, is this razor still considered shave ready? I have been shaving for months now with a razor that won't cut a hanging hair. I guess that answer's my question. I'm not sure that counts though because I was shaving with non-shve ready edges only because I couldn't get them any sharper.

I don't think most of you guys go through all this between every shave and I don't want to do it either. Not for the rest of my life anyway. I may be an odd-ball. Has anyone else gone through trying to learn how much sharpness is lost on one shave on your face? I'm sure this loss will be different per person based on any number of things like thickness of a beard, whiskers and other stuff. Maybe the type of steel the razor is made of will effect edge retention. Since I don't want to be cutting hanging hairs much longer I am wondering how you decide it's time to either refresh or completely re-hone the razor. Do you start cutting yourself? Does the razor try to drag your skin off your face because it won't cut the whiskers?

When do you consider your razors NOT shave ready and in need of more than an every day stropping? I guess if I just do a simple stropping between a few shaves I'll learn how the razors I hone hold up on my face. Maybe I should try doing nothing to the razor except drying it between shaves to see how long the shave stays comfortable.

The only "Test" that matters is the shave test, when the razor starts to pull and hesitate it needs a refresh, when it doesn't cut as perfect a swath and starts to leave behind hairs it needs a refresh... period end of story :p All the other tests are for the honing operations

You are doing way to much, or as we like to say "Less is More"

You could also take up the Maintenance routine where you refresh at a certain time instead of when you feel it say every 2 week or monthly.. that also works


ps: Stropping right before the shave while the lather sets up is the most effective I have found

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

The only "Test" that matters is the shave test, when the razor starts to pull and hesitate it needs a refresh, when it doesn't cut as perfect a swath and starts to leave behind hairs it needs a refresh... period end of story :p All the other tests are for the honing operations

You are doing way to much, or as we like to say "Less is More"

You could also take up the Maintenance routine where you refresh at a certain time instead of when you feel it say every 2 week or monthly.. that also works


ps: Stropping right before the shave while the lather sets up is the most effective I have found

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I didn't know letting the lather set up is something to do. What is the benifit of letting lather set up? I have been doing anything else I need to first so when I get the lather going good I can apply it to my face immediately.

I gave up on the HHT a long time ago. it can vary a lot just depending on the hair you are using. the shave test is all that matters.

I will do a few tests prior to the shave test to let me know if I should even attempt a shave test. Once a razor is shave ready and in rotation most times if one of my razors isn't shaving to my standards, meaning it will give a good shave just not as good as I am looking for, I won't go straight to refreshing the edge. I will actually give the razor one more chance incase my prep or technique was subpar, which most times this is the cause, and if on the next shave it still isn't any better than I will go with refreshing the edge. I seem to be rather heavy handed with my dominant hand so it will throw off my shaves if I am not paying especial attention.

Hey Guys, I know that my blade needs a bit of a touch up when the stroke on my philtrum (yes I did have to look it up) gets a bit tuggy.I find it is one of the most sensitive parts of my face to shave and I can use any part of the blade to take the stroke.Sounds like you are doing an inordinate amount of work, I will usually tree top a few arm hairs to check the blade is pining nicely but only after a hone.Have a look at the Beginners, 1K shave http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...shave.htmlThis seems like a really good place to start and it has a fair bit of information on various stones as well as when the bevel is set.

philtrum...... hmmm didn't know it had a name, had to google it when I read your post! ;)

Isn't that why you blow air into your upper lip so it disappears!!

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Originally Posted by Jack0458

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I didn't know letting the lather set up is something to do. What is the benifit of letting lather set up? I have been doing anything else I need to first so when I get the lather going good I can apply it to my face immediately.

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This vid although more about "What a Shave test is" has some good tips about prep too..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93zQP7CToWQ

The lather actually "sets up" after it is applied to the face, given a minute or two (About the same time as stropping 25/50 Linen/Leather) it will stiffen the whiskers and lift them away from the face, making mowing them down much easier. It is rarely discussed on the forum but try it and see..

I think I have a philtrum. I haven't seen it in 37 years. The cookie duster has been with me a long time.

Ed