Thread: Testing a razors sharpness.

Rezdog is right. There are many variables. For one you may have set the bevel wrong and the edge was too fine so it rolled or bent under pressure. Facial hair is very different from arm hair. Lay the edge flat on your thumb nail and pull it across. Does the edge flex? As far as testing sharpness. My wife has very fine hair. I use a hair from her hair brush for a hht. Not foolproof bet better than arm hair.

You took the right test...shaving. Nothing else really is definitive. Is there a chance your lather just dried out too much?

When you attempted to shave your neck were you going WTG. When shaving your neck, tilt your head back and stretch your skin. Skin stretching turns a ho-hum shave into a great one.

I'll echo what others said, honing and skin stretching. Also, the chin and the neck are difficult areas to shave. You can always get one of your razor honed by someone else as a measuring stick for future honing endeavors.

As has already been mentioned, send out a razor to be professionally honed. It's hard to hone if you don't know what truly shave ready edge is. Eliminate as many variables as possible.

Yes, WTG, Skin pulled firmly.

So, have you looked at the edge with magnification?

Chances are either the bevel was not completely set or you used too much pressure when stropping and rolled the edge.

Both are common novice issues. Looking straight down on the edge will tell you. And as you found… hair test are unreliable.
As said, eliminate the razor as an issue, have it honed and learn to shave.

Or get some magnification and start over honing and use lite pressure when stropping.

A hands on mentor will cut your learning curve… dramatically.

No I have not. I ordered a loupe but it hasn't arrived yet. I am anxious to take a look at it. I'm sure it will reveal part of my issues.

Originally Posted by OneFunMudder

No I have not. I ordered a loupe but it hasn't arrived yet. I am anxious to take a look at it. I'm sure it will reveal part of my issues.

Your best bet is to have one pro honed and when you get your loupe you can compare the two edges and more easily see what may not be right with the ones you honed. That will also give you a reference on how a shave ready razor feels to shave with.

Yea, Steel is right, I have been there before too.

Bob

Yes, I had to keep dampening is some and work it around a bit. But, there seem to be excessive drag.