Thread: Shaving without Stropping.

Hello,

Today I tried shaving directly off the Coticule, with two razors, a Sheffield, and a Dove. The Sheffield was a very smooth shave, but the dovo was NOT. I was interested to know how anyone else finds there's shave straight from the hones ok or even good.

I realize that the strop is indispensable and I'm not saying anything about it's effectiveness. Just wanted to test the feel from the hone directly.

Nathaniel.

What kind of shave you are going to get off the hone depends on the hone and the razor.
Many members have reported that they get good finish off Coticule on shefield blades so it looks like you have the same experience.
As far as the Dovo, may be it will like different stone as a finisher, or it might need a bit more work.

I get real nice shaves off a Jnat but still prefer to smooth just a bit with a few passes on the strop. I find edges right of my particular stone to be really fine but may be a tad too sharp for me.

I test stones that way so I really get a feel for them when I first start using them,, I do not find this to be a fun experience but it gives me a ton of info on the stone and what it can accomplish...

I have tested quite a few people's honing over the years, and one thing that has stood out on most every one except the very worst that need a bevel set, is that I can tweak the edge with stropping much more than many think..

Stropping is really King !!!

I lack a wealth of experience with a range of hones, but what I have learned thus far is that a strop always seems to mellow the blade to some degree. I guess I have a lot more to learn, because I have never thought that my freshly honed blade was too mellow (I have had a few that were too harsh though)

Its really amazing what a trained face and a shave without stropping can tell a honer.

There's a hint to everyone by way of fact that barbers always stropped the razor before use on each customer. It's probably the most universal thing all barbers did.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

There's a hint to everyone by way of fact that barbers always stropped the razor before use on each customer. It's probably the most universal thing all barbers did.

Yea, but didn't they also carry a barbers hone in their pocket and give a couple licks to sharpen it back up?

I've shaved directly off my coticule on a couple occasions with good results. But my rule is the second shave after honing requires stropping

I'm guessing the Sheffield had softer steel and finished a little easier, while the harder German Dovo steel probably needs more laps.

Originally Posted by Wintchase

Yea, but didn't they also carry a barbers hone in their pocket and give a couple licks to sharpen it back up?

Barbers shaved with the same few razors every day and they didn't stop work to hone during the day or at least as I remember seeing them work I never saw a barber whip out a hone. If there was an issue with a razor they just changed razors and I imagine either honed that night or had them done by someone outside the shop.

Glen, when you say 'tweak an edge with stropping', what exactly are you referring to?

Just pressure, or pastes/material?

Thanks