Well, I don't know about the stropping ability bit but I am starting to think the Euro guys may have a point in using a loaded strop in their pre shave stropping routines.
Bob
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Hey if your stropping was off then your edge would be toast after all that.
I used a razor for four straight months. Only stropped on linen and leather. It was getting uncomfortable at the end but it still shaved.
I get about 20 shaves out of a razor before touching up on a CrOx. After the third trip on CrOx (120 shaves) I go back to the 12k to refresh the edge. Sometimes that leads to dropping down to an 8k as well.
My day in/day out stropping is 50 laps on linen and leather before the shave and 25 laps on linen and leather after the shave.
I am too interested in honing to ever let a razor go near dull or pull.
:chapeau
It lasts and lasts and pulls and lasts but not all of it lasts...see pics...:boohoo:Attachment 283544Attachment 283545
I've just used this a few times too since these were taken.
That is why I do not use a high power microscope, I'm assuming that is what those photos are from, because I do not want to scare the crap out of myself while honing. Even if I can see a tiny divot in the bevel with a low mag loupe the blade will likely shave well.
Bob
If I'm interpreting what I think I see, the chips are extending to about 1/5th of the entire width of the bevel. If that is correct, then this is relatively low magnification and excessively large chipping.
What is the razor? Did it undergo any restoration? Was it rusty? What do you use for stropping?
After 20 laps or so on a Naniwa 12,000, I get between 30 and 40, 3 pass shaves with 50 laps on leather before each shave.
Have mentioned this before, but one of the things that intrigued me when I started was hearing about a gent who had one Puma razor and one strop.
He shaved with them for 20 years,no mention of a hone or stone although I imagine he at least had a barber hone.
I did my own experiment with a Bengall and a Puma a few years back. 70 plus shaves on each with just leather. Definitely technique and prep play a major part, and I recall sometimes the shave would be average but a hundred or so laps on rough and the same on smooth leather got the edge acceptable again. Basically got bored with the same two razors, but every now and then I put a shave on them.