Thread: Too Sharp

THis is a case of literally being on the same page.

I tried my first shave last week with my new blade....the steel is very thin and needed to be stropped VERY lightly..some heavier grinds can withstand a bit of pressure..but this one..no way!...I had to restrop it halfway in my shave..yea..rare this happens but it did....went uber light still making contact with blade to strop...worked out well..shaved very easily..

I'd just like to add that not every properly honed edge will be a buttery smooth shave, at least in my experience. Some will, for sure, but as others have mentioned before, some razors feel more "tinny", some are genuinely smooth, others are a bit "scrapey" and so on. It most likely has to do with the steel, the grind, your skin and your whiskers, your shaving technique and the various and multitudinous interactions these can all have.

James.

I would be interested in what happens if you just do 2 strokes on chromium oxide on these razors following your regular regiment?

Good stuff in this thread.

Have fun.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I'd just like to add that not every properly honed edge will be a buttery smooth shave, at least in my experience. Some will, for sure, but as others have mentioned before, some razors feel more "tinny", some are genuinely smooth, others are a bit "scrapey" and so on. It most likely has to do with the steel, the grind, your skin and your whiskers, your shaving technique and the various and multitudinous interactions these can all have.

James.

DID he just say your mileage may vary?

Originally Posted by Lynn

I would be interested in what happens if you just do 2 strokes on chromium oxide on these razors following your regular regiment?

Good stuff in this thread.

Have fun.

Well I was going to chromium oxide on balsa for about 4 to 6 strokes but I it didn't seem to tame the harshness. I will try fewer strokes.

I have used chromium oxide on leather mounted to a paddle but it seems I am too heavy handed and I would often kill the edge.

I just got a strop with a cloth element(linen canvas I believe) and haven't decided whether to try crox or diamond spray. The chromium oxide would seem to be messy but from reading here it would be the consensus choice for taming the edge.

I just finished a shoulderless Torrey(my favorite of the Torreys) and it is popping hair but I haven't shaved it yet. If it needs more I will grease up the strop with green powder and give a couple of licks.

My horse shell strop has a real linen element, and the actual linen has an abrasiveness of its own, quite different from the cotton canvas on my Illinois 127. I can tell a difference, via HHT, from the hone only to hone + linen, it's keener but still grabby--probably kind of toothy, and another difference from linen to shell, which may make it a little keener and definitely makes it smoother. I'd say if you've got real linen, give it a try on its own before you load it up with CrOx. Pasting is irreversible.

Are you doing CrOx after diamond, or instead of diamond? If you haven't yet, try it instead of diamond.

Exactly why I go easy on the finisher and shave test, having a known good shaver at hand in case it is not there yet. Going back to the finisher a bit until it is right is the best bet, for me anyway. I have tried lots of abrasives. Some were helpful to get me past a period of dullness. If one works toward a goal in honing, instead of aquisitions, a nice place will be found. I have gone past the need for pastes and abrasives, other than hones and (importantly) strops. Strops are lightly abrasive as well. Like cutting wood, it is easy to take more off, but a bitch to put it back! Some require more (or less) than others! JMO!

Originally Posted by Lynn

I would be interested in what happens if you just do 2 strokes on chromium oxide on these razors following your regular regiment?

Good stuff in this thread.

Have fun.

I'll give it a shot on my Revisor tomorrow (hopefully) and see.

Something that really took my edges to the next level was this stropping video by Lynn. I can't thank him enough because this made a huge difference for me. Note how loosely the strop is held, while the spine stays on the strop, the edge is lightly hitting the strop. straight razor stropping.wmv - YouTube