Thread: Ever wonder how long an edge lasts after honing?

Originally Posted by Utopian

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?

Those dark spots in the first pic make me think rust compromised steel.

I'm with the Euro guys as mentioned above.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Those dark spots in the first pic make me think rust compromised steel.

I agree. I suspect that the steel is compromised and only honing down into better steel (assuming there is some) will solve the problem.

Utopian, Yes those chips are even 1/4 of the way into the bevel ~100μm. If held up to the bright sky I could discern them with the naked eye, which is what prompted me to get out the pocket microscope. The razor is a 6/8 222 Puma Special I bought from the B/S/T here over three years ago. If it was rusty then it was restored before I received it. I have only stropped it on a home-cut strop from a local leatherworker's off-cuts and have been very pleased with it's performance especially considering it's lack of upkeep.

Grazor, I honed out those chips yesterday so I guess if I want to count 20 years it starts today... Glad to hear that!

The pic is an old one from Badgister in 2014.

I use a seven day rotation so it is very easy to keep track of the number of shaves between honing. I just record the hone date and count Wednesdays [or whatever day] to the present when I want to know the number. I often get 80-100 shaves before needing to hone. I do wear a Van Dyke with a not very heavy beard though.

Originally Posted by jehler

Utopian, Yes those chips are even 1/4 of the way into the bevel ~100μm. If held up to the bright sky I could discern them with the naked eye, which is what prompted me to get out the pocket microscope. The razor is a 6/8 222 Puma Special I bought from the B/S/T here over three years ago. If it was rusty then it was restored before I received it. I have only stropped it on a home-cut strop from a local leatherworker's off-cuts and have been very pleased with it's performance especially considering it's lack of upkeep.

Grazor, I honed out those chips yesterday so I guess if I want to count 20 years it starts today... Glad to hear that!

The pic is an old one from Badgister in 2014.

To rule out a problem with the strop, do you have any other razors that you maintain on that strop? Are they chipped too?

Originally Posted by Grazor

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.

I got a chuckle out of this. I thought you were talking about me, till you said Puma.

I shaved near 30 years with a 4/8 Torrey, one hone of undetermined grt., and a ol leather belt. I pasted the inside of the belt with red and white rouge, and finished on the smooth outside. But the education I've received from this forum over the years, have made my shaves even more blissful.

Originally Posted by Utopian

To rule out a problem with the strop, do you have any other razors that you maintain on that strop? Are they chipped too?

It's hard to imagine those keyhole shaped damaged areas being caused by purely mechanical means. It would seem that corrosion had to be involved.

Yeah I have a Filli that even though i restored and had a bright shiney edge, formed some devils spit without me noticing at the toe of the blade. Well after just using it for a good long time those little dots, eventually looked like cookie monster took a couple of bites out of the edge. Happens, sometimes ,with all the razors we tend to have lying around, things can happen to them and if its not in heavy rotation they may go unnoticed. Hone it out and live another day I guess.

Wow im only getting 10 or less n my gold dollar number 1 are they really that bad. Ive been doing 50 to 60 laps on suede and the same on the leather its a new strop and im new to world of strait razors. The leather side is not smooth almost looks like a leather granit kind of grainy and verry stiff.