Thread: Dulling sharp points?

Mump, I'm not settled on whether to mute or not, but if you do choose to (I have more than once), I would add to your barber friend's advice that if you run the last 1/32" or so over a hone, use only the weight of the blade. That's all it takes to collapse the edge & you prob. don't want to collapse any more than that. It does make the shave a bit more friendly while you figure out some technique. Every now and then, I'll try a new blade & seem to nick myself repeatedly. I'll mute it 'til I get the feel of that razor.

I appreciate the input. BTW, I obviously erred in placing this thread in the Shaving w/ Safety Razor category. I need to improve my posting technique as well as my shaving technique!

I would do it on a friendly surface, perhaps the side of a 12K hone, certainly not a 1K or a DMT. It is just a matter of very slightly dulling the edge, not changing its shape, just taking the razor edge down a bit.

After reading Ace's reply I should clarify that I use my DMT to round the spike slightly not just dull the edge.

Bob

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned is that a slight burr,chip,ding etc. on the tip can also promote a nick. It can often be diagnosed if the strop is getting scratched but lifting the heel while shaving is guaranteed to bite..

I wondered about that -- seemed like a real possibility and could be worse than just geting a minor cut w/ a sharp point.

That is referred to as muting the point, as pointed out by some of the responses (no pun intended). There is an easy way to do it on a hone while honing, without "bread knifing" the tip on the hone or anything else. It does not take long, and makes the point much friendlier and forgiving. I, personally, like a square point, althout one did bite me pretty good on the neck one morning while going against the grain.