Thread: The Amazing Reappearing Edge Trick!

So I made my first stropping mistake tonight. I was stropping while watching Deadliest Warrior on Spike. Seriously, it was a great episode and I wanted to know if a Green Beret could take a Russian Spetsnaz. My father-in-law is a former Green Beret and thought the whole concept was pish-posh. Anyway...

You can probably see where this is going, but I accidentally rolled the edge a bit while stropping. I felt like an idiot and really worried that I had lost my near-perfect edge that Ron achieved for me. Worried, I tried the thumbnail test...no good. The thumb-pad test....also, no good. At this point, I almost cried. Thinking that maybe Thor and Zeus would have favor on me, tonight, I finished stropping after turning the TV off (still don't know who killed whom). I checked the edge after stropping, and it didn't seem any better. Defiantly ignorant, I tried shaving anyway and to my utmost surprise, I got a great shave! Only needed a single WTG pass followed with an ATG pass on the cheeks and got a great shave on my neck (an area that's been untouchable in my mere 2 months experience).

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Have the gods in Solingen granted me this one indemnification?

-Derek

Possibly you fixed an overhoned razor, by breaking off a burr from the edge, with that bad pass on the strop? I do that by passing the edge through a cork.

Never mind the bad stropping. I'm amazed that you didn't bugger the edge doing the TNT on a finished blade! That's used further back down the hones, primarily to establish whether you have achieved a bevel.
Glad it still gives great shaves! You can often strop out a bad stropping stroke with no harm done.

When I strop I am totally focused on what I am doing. The only time I ever badly nicked a strop was when I had just finished honing a razor at 1AM and I decided to test shave. I was practically falling asleep on my feet and was stropping. A moments inattention and I had nicked my latigo. Thanks to contact cement and pumice stone it was repairable and I learned a lesson from the experience. Glad you didn't damage the edge beyond the point of getting a good shave.

I was unaware the TNT was reserved only for honing...

Also, while it is possible to be overhoned, I had an up-and-coming honemeister sharpen it for me and this is about my eigth shave with the razor since I received it back, and I haven't had a problem with it. I suppose I'll offer a burnt sacrifice of shave soap and facial hair in gratitude.

While the formation of a burr, aka overhoning, can arise when honing a knife or a plane blade, I think the concept of overhoning of a razor blade is entirely overblown. If such a burr were to be formed, I would assume that proper, dare I say attentive , stropping would eliminate it.

Originally Posted by Utopian

While the formation of a burr, aka overhoning, can arise when honing a knife or a plane blade, I think the concept of overhoning of a razor blade is entirely overblown. If such a burr were to be formed, I would assume that proper, dare I say attentive , stropping would eliminate it.

Ouch! Feeling the love...

If this were the first instance, I'd agree, but this is around the 8th or 9th time I've stropped since it was overhoned.

I'm taking it as a blessing and continuing to shave my regular routine.

Derek,

glad it turned out ok...

lesson learned I guess.

Stropping, prepping and shaving is done in total zen isolation.

Can you imagine the damage you would have done if you were watching a UFC fight and suddenly saw the spiderman 'Silva' get caught in a rear naked choke! or worst... 'Manswers'

If Silva got choked out, the least of my concerns would be a severed thumb! And I'm not sure I can concentrate on anything else whilst watching Manswers...

I'd say you perhaps supplexed the edge due to your inattention.

Here's something to watch the next time you are stropping. Superfly Snuka, a true artiste! Back from '83, so it may have been before you time....

YouTube - Jimmy Snuka Vs. Muraco Cage Match 1983 (2/2)