Thread: 1st Shave - Dropped the Razor

Finally got my 1st straight razor (Hart) and I watched all the videos, read the stuff a newbie is supposed to read. I stropped, I lapped my stone I did everything but hold onto the razor during my shave and it fell into the sink and nicked the toe of the blade - I'm a dufus!

Having said that, I used my dominant hand for the whole shave, I even managed xtc on my cheeks only got 3 tiny nicks on the pimples on my neck - loved the whole experience as I thought I would (I collect knives etc.) but know I've got a damaged blade!

Should I send it away? Should I try to work the nick out with the Chinese Waterstone that I bought?

Any advice, and of course any pokes at my deftness is fair game.

BB

Ahh, man! That's rough, but it was probably going to happen sometime. I nicked my first razor on about my 5th shave - not a good feeling!! Luckily mine was minor enought that I took it out myself (very nerve wracking, but it was a success).

How bad is it? Pics may help so we can see what you're up against.

Ooooooooo Bummer!! Sword fighting with the sink is always a loosing proposition. Did it myself so you are not alone.

Free advise being worth just what you pay for it . . . unless you are confident in your ability to restore the edge to shave ready I would send it off to one of the magicians on this forum. If it's gonna hit my face, I don't want less than a perfect edge if I can help it.

Done that. The toe is easily rounded off. I wouldn't use a 'good' hone. What I've used was the side of a knife grade hone and it rounded easily. Then again I haven't seen a pic of your razor.

Welcome to SRP! Sorry to hear about the mishap with your razor.

If the damage is sufficient to warrant re-honing (it almost always is, BTW) I would recommend sending it out to a pro to repair and re-hone. The expense is minimal and you will end up with a nice fresh shave ready edge. Assuming that you could repair the damage yourself you would still have to get it back to shave ready, which might not be that easy, especially if you only have a finishing stone.

I would send it off to see if someone could fix the blade. I hope so since Hart's are nice shavers. I started with one myself.

It's toast. Send to me for proper disposal.

I consider myself a master knife sharpener...I have worked on some fairly interesting pieces and done numerous regrinds, reprofiles, and other mods. That said, it took me 6 razors before I achieved results that I would call good...and I'm still learning.

Part of using a great razor like a Hart to start out with is developing an understanding of how things should work. Using a Hart with a possibly substandard edge may leave you guessing if the razor or your technique is to blame.

Repairs are more difficult than routine hone jobs. Repairing a Hart as my first razor honing experience would have been a no-brainer for me...send it toHart and learn on a lesser value razor.

Just my brash opinions proceed as you like, but a professional home is what I would do...in a Hartbeat

I'm so sorry to hear of your misfortune. Like the others, I have a great Boker in the "to do" box. It got there by my dropping it on the tile floor. Luckily, I had already finished shaving. Both scale snapped at the pivot.
We must live and learn but is always the hard way?

I would also recommend sending it out to a professional for rehoning/repair. But it is your razor and in the end you do with it as you wish. If you want to see whether you can do something with the tip yourself, that is your call and your responsibility. But then so is any potential further damage you might do if it goes a bit wrong (not real likely, but it can happen sometimes, like dropping a razor in a sink.... ). And if it is a moderate or decent sized chip that Chinese stone (C12K?) will definitely not be the best tool for the job, guaranteed.

Good luck.

James.