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.

In a case like yours the best bet is try and get together with a member who lives nearby or attend a get together. Otherwise I'd send the razor out for honing.

If you haven't been able to learn to hone properly all these years you have probably reinforced a lot of bad habits which will be hard to break.

In the meantime show us some pics of your razors and tell us what hones you have besides the film.

Welcome Glock, there are many of us in Michigan.

Hi Tom, I hope you're enjoying SRP.

As thebigspendur said a one on one or a meet up would do wonders. Im sure a few in Michigan would be more than happy to help.
Failing that send one of your razors out for a honing then you can just maintain with your arkansas.

First off I am computer illiterate. To take pictures and transmit them I would not have the slightest idea about how to do that. I have a camera that uses a SIM card to store pictures and transfer onto the computer. At one time I had six trail cameras I used to get the drift of deer pre-season. These cameras used SIM cards and I loaded them onto my computer.
In the beginning I used a five inch Washata stone and a three inch Arkansas white of translucent stone. Later I bought two ceramic stones bout four inches by one inch, a brown and a white stone, then, in frustration, I bought a set of diamond hones, and shortly after I picked up a Col Cronk strop. It is about 24 inches long with a linen back and is 2 inches wide. I had a little better luck with them than the old stones. I eventually invested in the Norton Water stones (maybe 12 years back) going up to 8000 grit. I moved to getting a full set of Arkansas stones 8x3x1/2 soft, black and translucent and then a Chinese 15,000 grit, but it needs to be flattened and I have not bought a stone to do that with yet. In the past year I moved to giving the lapping film a go and they seem to help a lot. I have seven razors I am able to keep sharp, at least to my estimation, without any serious problem. Some seem to be a bit sharper, the ones I can get a ring from when I pluck the blade with my fingernail. My stroke on the stones is heal to toe (point) of the blade and the same on the return. I have also used toe to heel and heel to toe on the return stroke. Recently on three blades I had been having problems with I went to using electricians tape to raise the areas where the grind has been heavy usually the heel or toe, or both. This approach has improved my gaining a sharper blade.

Well. That about rounds out my history. Guess I have been relatively lucky. Thank you for your interest

As I mentioned I have been doing this for nearly 40 years, possibly a few years less. This year is my first venture into a site of this nature.

Hi Coachschaller.
I guess my left hand tag tells where I am at in Michigan. Have no idea where Milan is despite the fact I have lived here for fifty years now.

I'm going to try one last time.

Where are you in Michigan? If you don't want to name the specific town, then how about the county?

I'm going to be driving to Ann Arbor some time this summer and others also have mentioned the possibility of helping in person, but it is going to depend on your location in Michigan.

Forgive me Utopian, but I guess I was under the impression albet mistaken, impression that I had. Maybe it was someone else. Ha! It dawns upon me. It is someone from Milan, Michigan. I live in Midland, Michigan. County and city of. I will check this site for private messages. If it does I will attempt to send you specifics. Thanks.

- - - Hi guys, I have tried a lot of things, except that I don't have a leather strop and refuse to invest any more money in a rabbit hole. I bought a piece of vinyl (much cheaper than leather) and then put a few drops of olive oil on it. The oil will cause a CrO2 crayon to create a green slurry and I have tried stropping with that. I had questionable success with that. The blade will pop hairs off my arm, but not my face; it is still almost impossible to shave with.

- - - I have a Geo. Wostenholm blade from Sheffield, Eng. with a combo 4000/8000 stone.

- - - My best success has come with lapping films and/or diamond pastes, but still cannot shave with it. For day to day, I rely on Gillette safety. . . . . Comments please .

Originally Posted by Barry2

- - - Hi guys, I have tried a lot of things, except that I don't have a leather strop and refuse to invest any more money in a rabbit hole. I bought a piece of vinyl (much cheaper than leather) and then put a few drops of olive oil on it. The oil will cause a CrO2 crayon to create a green slurry and I have tried stropping with that. I had questionable success with that. The blade will pop hairs off my arm, but not my face; it is still almost impossible to shave with.

- - - I have a Geo. Wostenholm blade from Sheffield, Eng. with a combo 4000/8000 stone.

- - - My best success has come with lapping films and/or diamond pastes, but still cannot shave with it. For day to day, I rely on Gillette safety. . . . . Comments please .

You might as well sell off your straight razor stuff.

You are wasting time, effort, and money on the wrong things. Yes, vinyl is cheaper than leather.

This is also cheaper.



Seriously, use a decent quality leather strop or give up. Have you ever shaved with a razor honed by anyone else?