Thread: Fire Ash II

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

No, I use it every Sunday to update my edges. I have so much experience overhoning razors that I can sense when they are nearing overhoned. Every day seems too much to me, but you milage may vary.

Maybe I should go easy on it, though I haven't had any problems yet.

If you were to hazard a guess, what kind of grit do you think tobacco ash would be? A good deal finer and/or slower than chrome oxide, no?

Not necessarily. The abrasive particles are pretty certainly a lot softer than chrome oxide, so the particles themselves could be much larger and still cut very slowly.

Sorry, I gave a short answer. I wanted to go take a nap. I wouldn't hazard an accurate guess. But if I had to guess I'd say around .25 or less.

More importantly, I used it 5 times 20 passes each and received a nice edge. On the 6th shot I found it getting a little too much. This occured nice and slowly though so that was cool.

Without sounding over important, I hope, this was from a very well honed blade. I suspect that with a lesser honed blade it would have taken even longer to over do it.

I would think you could use it every day and would be able to read when to stop pretty easily.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Without sounding over important, I hope, this was from a very well honed blade. I suspect that with a lesser honed blade it would have taken even longer to over do it.

I was wondering about exactly this. I've been using mostly blades sharpened by me since I 'pasted' my linen with cigar ash. My honing is improving, but no doubt my blades are shy enough of totally sharp that I can kind of go to town with the ash and not really risk overhoning...

But I've also just gotten back a few razors from Joe, who ground out a couple of cracks, replaced some broken scales and so on, but also honed them to perfection. These I've only used on ash a couple of times each. They were the smoothest shaves I've ever had.

Too many factors here, obviously. But for the time being, taking into account what you all have said, I guess I'll go easy on the ash at least with Joe's blades.

Yes, its nice isn't it? Seems to produce smoothness slightly more than a real sense that its getting a lot sharper. Could be the ash just helps the linen build heat.

Originally Posted by dylandog

They were the smoothest shaves I've ever had.

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ack! Mine was disastrous. I've tried it twice now and both times dulled the blade. If I use the other side of the linen then all is well. Maybe Partagas ash is finer than Punch ash...

So far it looks like cigar ash is the way to go? How about cigarette ash? It´s easier to find.

Originally Posted by mparker762

ack! Mine was disastrous. I've tried it twice now and both times dulled the blade. If I use the other side of the linen then all is well. Maybe Partagas ash is finer than Punch ash...

That's weird.

I said 'partagas paste' for alliterative effect. In fact it was a cuban cohiba.

You were probably kidding about partagas v. punch, but for what it's worth I've noticed some kinds made dark ash; others make whitish-grey. The difference in color is pronounced, and I wonder if there could indeed be a difference in 'grit.' In any case this cigar makes whitish-grey ash. Very dense insofar as 2-3 inches of ash held on at a time while I smoked it. But pure in the sense that there were no unburnt leafy bits or gummy residue, and no real smell to speak of. Like I said in my previous post, I can't tell for sure what effect the ash-on-linen is having because there are too many factors, but the shaves are great. I can say for sure it isn't dulling my blades.

Go figure.

Great shaves are my only result too. The ash I use is whitish gray as well.

That could be significant; my ash was gray. I removed it this morning - I enjoy honing, but I was getting tired of honing this particular razor...