Thread: When is your Straight Razor Sharp

I am Glock27 here. I am seventy-one and started using a straight razor close to forty years, there about. I started post Viet Nam Era. My first and only razors have come from antique dealers. In the beginning I had no idea how to sharpen a straight razor, so I connected with an alumni who was a barber. He sent me instructions, but said barber schools no longer taught the use of straight razors. H-m-m-m. I tried and tried to sharpen that blade, a Wade and Butcher. Today I still don't have the expert knowledge of sharpening. I have been having problems with some Joseph Allen & Sons bades. The edge and spine matched. Heavy toe grind, heavy spine top grind, heavy heal, heavy shank end grind. I finally used electricians tape recently and discovered that it only worked on water stones as oil loosened the adhesive.
My Joseph Allen's, after a lot of grinding never felt sharp to me. I gave up because they would not reach that feeling of being sharp. Today I thought-- Braugh! Try it any way. I never felt it cut the face hair which you know is more course than arm or leg hair. I am thinking, it is not cutting as I expected, but to my stunning surprise the face hair was gone. How does this happen? The blade feels dull to the touch, but it cut. How does that happen?
I shave once about every three to four days. My hair tends to grow slow. If I let it go too long it is tough to cut even with my best razor, you can feel it drag and scrape across your face. Ugh! Other razors I have will slice thin layers of skin if one is not careful, and I seem to be able to keep them sharp.
I have read and attempted the instructions, but for some reason my mind just does not want to cooperate. How have I been getting my razors sharp all these Years? I have no idea, but they manage to get sharp. How is that possible? Currently lapping film has been helping me in some way. How is that possible?
All of this is confusing. How can I possibly make it for nearly 40 years using a straight razor and not know how to sharpen it? It is probably the reason we see so many abused razors as most of these people had no idea how to sharpen the razor, but the managed to get by with a scrape and a drag. My hope is that this sight will be able to afford me the knowledge. I don't have a lot of time left to get it right.
Is it possible someone else here has had the same problem?
Before I stop I would like to thank everyone who have responded to my posts. Thanks.