Thread: Sharp versus smooth

When I was DE shaving I always found the first day I inserted a new blade there was an edginess to the blade. With each successive shave this edginess gradually changed into sharp and smooth. I changed my DE blade every Sunday. First two days it was edgy and then it became very smooth over the week of shaves.

I am still new to SR shaving (2 months) and I am wondering if there is a similar phenomenon with SRs? Is there a point after a blade is honed where the blade is almost too sharp? Do you always want your blade at that point of ultimate sharpness? How do you strike that balance between too sharp (edginess) and smoothness? Is it just a matter of stropping to achieve that smoothness?

I hope my question is clear and not too confusing...

I feel the same with my DE blades as you do. My 2nd shave is always my best of the blade.

I don't have this problem with a straight; either it cuts close or needs touch up.

The only real difference is with a Coticule edge on my Sheffields. The edge feels so smooth & soft, but I need a third pass on the neck. Never a rash or irritation with the Coticule edge.

Sounds crazy, but try palm stropping any new DE or SE blade for about 5 laps on your palm...seems to mellow a new blade for me every time....be careful, but it's much easier than it sounds.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Sounds crazy, but try palm stropping any new DE or SE blade for about 5 laps on your palm...seems to mellow a new blade for me every time....be careful, but it's much easier than it sounds.

I don't use a DE very often now...but since you mention it...the only blade I found that was smooth from Day 1 was a Gillette Silver Blue. I occasionally use my Schick Type-G (with a Schick blade) and that is smooth from Day 1.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

I feel the same with my DE blades as you do. My 2nd shave is always my best of the blade.

I don't have this problem with a straight; either it cuts close or needs touch up.

The only real difference is with a Coticule edge on my Sheffields. The edge feels so smooth & soft, but I need a third pass on the neck. Never a rash or irritation with the Coticule edge.

It may be because I am still new to SR shaving...or because I use five SRs in rotation. They are sharp and cut very nicely. I am just trying to figure out if the goal is to keep them at peak sharpness or have them smooth like a DE blade after 2 shaves.

Originally Posted by Whizbang

It may be because I am still new to SR shaving...or because I use five SRs in rotation. They are sharp and cut very nicely. I am just trying to figure out if the goal is to keep them at peak sharpness or have them smooth like a DE blade after 2 shaves.

Stropping....it is the most important thing you can do for your SR without question in my opinion. Keeps the razor's edge ultra smooth, one of the main benefits of the SR is what that leather does to a nice sharp edge....

Straights, honed and stropped properly, hold a good edge many times longer than a disposable blade.

Sharp and smooth can go hand in hand with straight razors.

If your blade is sharp, but doesn't shave smoothly, the scratch pattern on the edge may need further polishing. I would lap it a few passes on my finishing stone and strop it well. Personally, I've never had a sharp razor that didn't shave comfortably.

“Is there a point after a blade is honed where the blade is almost too sharp? Do you always want your blade at that point of ultimate sharpness? How do you strike that balance between too sharp (edginess) and smoothness? Is it just a matter of stropping to achieve that smoothness?”


It depends, on the blade type, the steel, and how it was honed or stropped.

You can get a straight razor edge, too sharp, but that, is not the goal.

And that is the beauty of a straight razor, you can tailor a blade and edge to the level of keenness and comfort, to your beard and skin. And you can maintain, that that level daily.

The balance, is in the Blade steel, grind, honing and stropping. Stropping, quality stropping, can maintain a level of keenness and comfort indefinitely, with paste, much easier.

Additionally, until recently folks were not, that obsessed with the quality of a shave, it was just something that had to be done, yes with a keen and comfortable edge, but not to the level of our current self-absorption.

The tools to maintain, a high level of keenness and smoothness, has been available for many years in stones and paste. Yes, some new tools, high grit synthetic stones and micro grit, paste make it easier. But vintage natural stones and pastes, are more than capable of producing very keen and very smooth shave.

No, you do not want ultimate sharpness, it is uncomfortable and you can have both.

A DE blade is an intentionally a short term proposition, Planned Obsolesce, a Straight Razor can be refreshed daily.