Thread: How sharp is sharp?

You said you were satisfied and that is all that matters.

Use your razor in good health and if in the future you have trouble keeping it sharp send it out.
As long as you are not getting a razor burn and are getting a good to go shave
the blade and your face are a fine pair.

+1.


Paste, on a tight strop, can really improve the quality of an edge. It won't do that _forever_. Eventually, the edge will need honing. Until it does, enjoy the shaves.

I must admit I had a little giggle about the pasta, sorry

Normally when I get any razor, new or otherwise, I hone it. I wouldn't have done that last year when I started SR shaving, but I seem to know what I'm doing now

I received a new (old, 1882 in fact) razor tonight and the first thing I did is hone it on the Norton 4/8 and Shapton 16k. I just like to do this. Of course a pasted strop will improve the edge, and I found I can go weeks without honing (I needed to when I started as I had no hone), but I think it's incorrect to say that one only needs to hone if the edge is blunt or damaged. I find 20 laps on the Shapton 16k really does wonders every two to three weeks or a month. At the end of the day, it's your face and your razor, so it's all up to you. However, if you have only one razor, it's really difficult to make a real judgement in regard to its sharpness. I think the edge may dull so very slowly, that one may actually simply get used to a slightly dull edge over time. I think if someone gave you a professionally honed razor tomorrow, it's possible that you could make a real comparison and see that possibly the edge on yours could be improved.

I think it's very good that you were able to make a valid judgement of the value of a pasted strop, happy shaving!

I think we all got a giggle from the pasta typo,I was wondering if it was spaghetti,or linguine myself,and was very impressed that it worked at all I would have used lasagna.....just kidding

I will check my spelling next time .

After I sharpened my straight with DOVO's red paste I had a few good shaves. But the razor was blunt again way too soon.

I decided to send two razors to Lynn for honing. According to the Track and Trace system it took twelve days to get there. Fortunately honing and returning took less time.

Excited as I was, this morning I did a shave. The result was the best until now. Especially the area under my nose felt smooth after only a WTG and XTG.

In one of the replies in this topic I said "Oh yes, now I know what a sharp razor is". Forum member riooso responded with "This seems highly unlikely. Etc.".

I must admit that he was right. But now I have experienced what shave ready means according to the high standards of SRP.

They say everything old is new again, the last thing Gillette wants is straights or DEs to make a huge comeback,but the truth is what it is, If your happy with your setup then by all means use it until it stops.One thing though, after its sharpened by someone who really knows what there doing, you will then know what the next level is,whether you start honing is up to you, but a Barber hone couldn't hurt. JMHO

Just finished a shave. It was the second one with the same Lynn honed razor. The results were better then the first shave.

Somewhere on this forum, not long ago, a member said that when he uses a Feather the first shave is a bit awkward. The second and third shaves are the best.

I get the feeling this might be the case too with a straight.

The first shave I used the Lynn honed razor directly after wiping off the oil. Next first time use of a honed razor I will also do some stropping. And check out the difference.

Originally Posted by strtman

Somewhere on this forum, not long ago, a member said that when he uses a Feather the first shave is a bit awkward. The second and third shaves are the best.

I get the feeling this might be the case too with a straight.

Indeed, it's true. After honing it usually takes a few shaves for an edge to "settle" before you'll get ultra comfortable shaves. It's the same reason why I hold off doing any additional honing when testing a freshly honed blade. If I feel it may require a little more work I'll give it at least a couple more shaves to see if the edge settles, sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. Of course if it doesn't it's back to the hones.

I did a shave with a Lynn honed razor. It was about the tenth shave with that razor. The results were the best so far.

I maintain the razor well and did the stropping on canvas and leather. As far as I know the stropping never gets the razor as sharp as it was. There is always a fraction of loss of sharpness, no matter how much, even if it is only an atom.

Is my thinking correct? Can I draw the conclusion my shaving techniques are improving?

Or am I hallucinating?

All responses are welcome.

It seems you're getting used to your razor, thus improving your technique. Having a well honed razor sure helps in this.

The 'shave-readiness' depends mostly on personal variables. Although for me, when I have a very good shaving edge, I can easily do 20-30 shaves with it before I would even consider a touch-up and get good shaves still. In between that all I do is strop on linen or wool and leather, either cowhide or horse (I personally notice no difference in outcome between the two).

But the initial honing naturally plays a big part. I have honed razors that were shaving fine the first five times, after that I got WTG cuts all over the place, meaning my initial honing wasn't up to snuff. The way I see it, a well honed razor that is not frightfully abused and stropped regularly should last over 15 shaves easily. If it doesn't, your standards are ridiculously high or there was something wrong with the initial honing.

Shaving indeed very slowly dulls an edge as it is met with resistence i.e. the stubble. Initially re-aligning the edge by stropping suffices keeping the edge deteroriation to a minimum until it reaches a personal threshold after which it requires a touch up. When touch ups don't do it anymore (and after shaving 1.5 years I have not experienced this, ignoring personal messed-up honings) it is wise to have it re-honed (or even better: re-hone it yourself), from re-establishing the bevel onwards.