Getting a rough shave!!!

I purchased a FW Engel razor and honed it with a Norton 4000/800 stone and finished on a 12,000 grit stone. The edge looks polished and passes all the normal sharpness tests including HHT. The razor was stropped 60 laps. It shaves very close but my face is extremely irritated post shave. This has happened both times I have tried the razor.
I shave with two other razors from SRD that are comfortable and leave my skin felling great.
I would like some input on what is going wrong.
I checked for a rolled edge but can't see or feel one.

Thanks,
John

It sounds like the Lynn honed razors are working fine. Send him the Engels too and see how that works when you get it back.

My guess is that you didn't quite have a good edge after you honed your blade.

Michael

If you over honed your razor to pass a HHT that will probibly be the reason its a rough shave. Give if a few more shaves. If the problem contiues then send it out.

Trillium,
I don't think my face can take another shave from this razor!!! LOL
I have always been a little confused about what "over honed" means. Is it getting the razor too sharp? or does the edge become too ragged?
In any case, your advise about sending it out may be the best option.
Thanks
John

I think "bevel not set" is a better idea as to what might be wrong with the edge.

If you continue honing the blade then that's something to look into.

Michael

I know i was told if you over hone a blade you can start to degrade it. Then it is irritating and it can start to leave parts of the blade in your skin. If i am wrong please let me know

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Originally Posted by Minnebrew

I know i was told if you over hone a blade you can start to degrade it. Then it is irritating and it can start to leave parts of the blade in your skin. If i am wrong please let me know

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Typically, if you really do over hone a razor, you roll the edge and when you try to shave with it, it simply glides over the whisker but does not remove any hair.

Have fun.

That may explain why, while gaining experience, there were a few instances where I had to hone my razor several times before I could get a close and comfortable shave. I couldn't understand why I would seem to do the same thing and get different results. I even examined it under a little Radio Shack 100X microscope and couldn't explain the difference in results.

I'm thinking it's either a toothy edge right off the hones or it's crumbling during the shave; either way the blade likely needs to go back to the hones.

As an aside, if you have a material component on your strop (linen, canvas) it's best to use it prior to leather when a blade has been freshly honed.

Thanks to all who replied.
So if I take it back to the hone, where do I start? Should I go back to the 1000 grit, kill the edge and start over with a bevel? Or should I go back to the 4000 grit, work it up and progress though the finer stones?
John

Restart your honing with your highest grit stone. But you will likely need to drop back to one or two hone levels. Since you only mentioned 4k/8k and 12k, start with about 20 on the 12k then test on arm hair. If not smooth, it probably will not be, use the pyramid technique from the top back down until the blade is sharp and smooth for that hone. Then back up the hones.

If your 12k is a cnat consider using the techniques in the "friable grit" thread.

Edit: Use very little pressure to develop slurry with a diamond plate. Heavy pressure leads to larger grit pieces in the slurry. Also be careful of pressure while honing. A scope of some kind will help you diagnose problems.

Jonathan

Well, the bevel is something you should be able to eye ball. If it looks good you go on from there. I wouldn't worry about all the tests except for the real one which is shaving. Certainly after the 8K you should be able to get a great shave. Lose the 12K until you can do that. As a matter of fact even after the 4K you should be able to get a decent shave.

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Originally Posted by jmac123

Thanks to all who replied.
So if I take it back to the hone, where do I start? Should I go back to the 1000 grit, kill the edge and start over with a bevel? Or should I go back to the 4000 grit, work it up and progress though the finer stones?
John

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Given that it came from e-bay and never provided a good shave then my guess is that it needs a good bevel set. So I would do 1k until the bevel is set then progress upwards.

Michael

+1 on TBS's word about testing at 8k. This is a gateway level of honing. If it ain't there by 8k, you won't get there from here. *a word of thanks for everyone who told me that. I understand the honorable Randydance was an early adopter of this*

I have run into several blades that seem to WANT to be harsh. One Helje, 2/2 of the Tornbloms, but sometimes a hard soligen extra hollow. If you're somewhat new to honing (less than 50-75 blades done), you may want to try a few back strokes on your finishing. Its just one trick I'll pull out when blades aren't smoothing out. I use backstrokes on most stones now, but especially if the edge seems a bit crispy.

When you overhone you remove the bur on the blade. Even touching you blade can remove it. Never touch the blade by hand.