Thread: My first significant nick

I honed a really nice Satinedge last night to my personal best. It tested everywhere on the blade and was superb this morning when I shaved. Unfortunatley, I also received my first two nicks from the point of the blade. Now, I am used to shaving with round pointed blades AND square points, so I am not sure what happened, but it happened twice. Both times on against grain passes near the jaw line. Have any of you found certain razors more likely to "catch" on the point? Should I tame it a bit, or could it have just been a bad day?

Thanks

Hi Larry,

is it a square point blade ? If yes you could have sharpened the very point/edge of the tip to a state where it would catch very easily. With my (singular) square point blade I sort of dull the edge of the tip a little after honing to prevent this happening.

Just my 2 cents,
-Axel-

Axel's got a good point, but maybe it was too much pressure. You might have been used to a less keen edge and were adding too much "push". You did say it was a personal best. i had this experience last night myself. A side swipe under the nostril drew a little blood. Never felt a thing.

X

Originally Posted by aschaab

Hi Larry,

is it a square point blade ? If yes you could have sharpened the very point/edge of the tip to a state where it would catch very easily. With my (singular) square point blade I sort of dull the edge of the tip a little after honing to prevent this happening.

Just my 2 cents,
-Axel-

That's what I do with almost every spike razor I sell. Very, I mean VERY, gently rock that tip from about 30º to about 60º from perpendicular to the SIDE of your 4K side of the Norton. It only takes a few passes to round that point ever so slightly. Done properly, you will only notice the dulling under magnification. If you don't do this, a needle point develops that leads to needless nicks.

Originally Posted by uthed

That's what I do with almost every spike razor I sell. Very, I mean VERY, gently rock that tip from about 30º to about 60º from perpendicular to the SIDE of your 4K side of the Norton. It only takes a few passes to round that point ever so slightly. Done properly, you will only notice the dulling under magnification. If you don't do this, a needle point develops that leads to needless nicks.

Let's see; I take the point of the razor and place it against the side of the stone with the blade being horizontal. I rock the blade about 30 degrees with the point being the fuclrum. Does that sound right David?

Originally Posted by Korndog

Let's see; I take the point of the razor and place it against the side of the stone with the blade being horizontal. I rock the blade about 30 degrees with the point being the fuclrum. Does that sound right David?

Almost ..... Start at the far end of the hone's side with the blade at about 60º off perpendicular ..... start drawing the blade towards you and as you do, rock it slowly to about 30º off perpendicular ...... the point travels the length of the hone's side. It's as if you were holding a pencil and drawing a line along the side.

Originally Posted by uthed

Almost ..... Start at the far end of the hone's side with the blade at about 60º off perpendicular ..... start drawing the blade towards you and as you do, rock it slowly to about 30º off perpendicular ...... the point travels the length of the hone's side. It's as if you were holding a pencil and drawing a line along the side.

Ok, got it now. Thanks.

I have several spike points that I alternate with and as long as I realize that is what I'm using that day and adjust my technique a little I don't have problems. The first few times I used them that was a different story.

The only exception is a case red Imp I have. It gives an outstanding shave but every time I use it I draw blood and I couldn't figure out why until I really examined it up close and realized that the spike end had a slight flare outwards. Its not noticeable if you don't look for it but its enough to really get you while you shave.