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I have a new Thiers-Issard razor and the toe and heal are a little pointed. As I shave, if I don't keep the razor completely flat heal to toe, it can bite. More of a scratch than a cut, but still uncomfortable. Is this a normal profile for an edge, and I just need to continue working on technique? Or should I do something to round the corners off a bit?
Thanks!
It looks more or less normal to me. People have been rounding points since straight razor were invented. If you do it just take it easy and don't go overboard. You can always take more off, but you can't put it back. My way of dealing with points is to pay attention to where the point is at all times. I only use the point for detail work. I don't like a pointed heel, and would always get rid of that.
as far as technique goes, your face is always rounded, the blade is flat.... unless you want to the ends of the razor doesn't touch your face, mostly just the middle (except for spots like behind your earlobe or into your nostril)
Jimmy, to round the heal a bit -- do I just hone it a little more, add pressure on the heal? What's the best approach?
Ecormier, not sure if your just being cheeky but I wear a goatee and around my ears I need to use the ends of the blade, I also have flat places on my neck where the entire blade will come in contact with skin. Maybe keeping the blade on a parallel plain with my faces would have been a better description. The problem is where I need to use the forward or aft parts of the blades. There is a very fine line between ouch and ah.
stove, not cheeky at all. I've shaved around and inside goatees and mustaches.... and I've got a number of square/spike point razors... I've rarely caught myself
E
can you imagine shaving with this?
Attachment 186267
lots of guys do without scratches or nicks....
I could see that sitting in a display case. I wouldn't be able to get such a beauty wet.
I have other razors that are square point and do not run into the same issue. The difference is they are vintage and even though the point is squared, it isn't as sharply cornered as the TI. Even the razor pictured isn't.
Thats why I asked the questions. Is the edge normal, do the corners round out naturally over time, do people round them ...etc? Other possibility, I just suck with this razor and I need to put it up ...etc.
No the points are not "Normal" and need to be Neutered
It can be done on the edge of a stone of on a DMT 325, as Jimmy said go easy it doesn't take that much to knock the bite outta there
If you do it right, you can even bring points back within 1 or 2 honing cycles if you want
I show how it can be done on at least one of my vids but I honestly can't remember which, they're all found on here in the Video section or by Youtube searching "gssixgun honing"
Good technique is something to strive for but cutting one's face is not the way to do it :p
Ok, so what did I not see in that photo (granted the grey background makes it tough)? Is it how the bevel meets the point?
gssixgun, awesome thanks for the reply. I've watched quite a few of your videos but dont recall that one either.
SO basically, round the points on the edge, very lightly with the blade perpendicular to the stone and then reset edge and hone?
I set the point on my DMT or the edge of my 1k
I hold that razor at about a 30° angle to the hone Edge straight down toward the hone
As I lightly draw back I raise the tail of the razor upwards to about a 70° angle at the same time.. I do this maybe 2 or 3 times and done
For the heel I gently and carefully set the point on the hone and "Rub" forward and backward until the point is just rounded a bit
I follow that with about 5-10 light laps on the finisher I am using and I am done
ie: In the time it took to type this I could have done it 3 times :)
You just need to barely round those points off, this isn't a re-contour
camera phone from hotel at 5 am. Sorry, not the best picture. The edge is almost perfectly straight the point comes down to make a very sharp angle at both the heel and the toe.
gssixgun, thanks again. I'll give it a go when I get home this weekend.
To raise the dead thread ;).
Ok, never had the courage to mute the points and instead focused on technique (light touch). I'm happy to report this razor is my best shaver and no more issues with the points. I actually take advantage of the points to line my goatee.
Glad to hear you got it all figured out. My TI has the same "features" and it took me a bit to get used to as well. I have now come to use both the heel and toe "points" to ease shaving around my beard a bit as it makes trimming and keeping my facial hair lines a breeze! Come to think of it, I think I will use that razor tonight after the game!
Just noticed we are both from Denver joined the forum in Sept and have the same post count.
haha I didnt see that. Nice! Hopefully things are progressing nicely for you. What have you done about honing here in town (actually in or close to Denver) or have you just sent stuff out? I had one hones locally and that is all i have needed so far....but I have one on the way that will need a fresh honing for sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by stove
I jumped in with both feet. I've got 6 razors that came shave ready. Plus I bought a set of hones, pastes and a bunch of antique store razors and a couple gold dollars to learn on. I think I have 15 razors now. To be honest, I'd have to count.
I'm getting a consistent edge off the hones now and I'm fairly confident, but at first it was pretty hit n miss. I'd have an edge that seemed shave ready but wasn't and just kept working until I got it right.
My most recent purchase I took from antique store edge to shave ready without any issues. Also did some minor restore work -- I posted picts of it in another thread.
Where are you at in the city? I'm up north -- Westminster area.
Central Denver, just south of Downtown. Westminster isn't too far off for me. I haven't done anything with honing, but I am now 7 razors deep and have 2 in the mail...lol. I should probably look to the next step and get at least enough of a hone to do some touching up. I need to see how this next one comes in before I decide what the next steps are.
Well if you go with norton stones let me know. I have an extra flattening stone I can contribute to the cause. I bought it off Amazon and the plastic box it came in was cracked in the mail. I emailed the seller to ask for a replacement box, they never replied, but instead just sent me a second stone. So now I have two.
