Thread: Felt + Diamond spray = Ruined my edge!

Originally Posted by pdube1

Hi,
I got my english bridle last week and I also tried the felt with Diamond spray. Before my felt rest all night to get dry, I tried my english bridle and it worked great. My razor was scary sharp.
The day after, I tried the felt with Diamond spray (0.5 micron), I gave it about 15 laps and I think I ruined my edge. It didn't pass the shave test after that! :-( Even 60 laps on the bridle doesn't help getting a good edge back.

I think 15 is too many laps?!?!

Anybody here experienced this with felt and Diamond spray?

My razor will go on the hone tonight! ;-)

Guessing from the cheep seats....
Either too much pressure or lifting the spine
on felt or leather... cannot tell from here.

With a bright light can you see any shiny line on
the cutting edge that is not the polished bevel.

What is your hone process?

As you hone it tonight use as little pressure as you can,
and a very light hand on the strop with smooth deliberate
strokes.

As aggressive as diamond is, the felt should temper it
keeping it from biting very hard.

Listen to the others for hone/ refresh tips. We may
never know what dulled it.

I'm with the bad technique gang here. .5 diamond isn't going to do any damage to your edge with the number of laps you did but if you did it improperly that's a different story.

Hi guys,
Thanks for your answer. I'm in my second year of straight shaving and I don't think my stropping technique is the problem, I never lifted the spine or put much pressure when I strop. Also, I already honed my razor at least 3 times (Norton 4k, 8k, Chinese stone) and then I was using my filly strop to get a very nice edge which passed the HHT and shave test.
Now, I just re-honed my razor and avoid using the felt with diamond spray. I directly goes to the Bridle, starting with about 50 laps, then another 50 then another 50... The result is that I'm still not able to get a nice edge at all. Unfortunately, my filly strop is now pasted so I cannot strop on it anymore to compare with the bridle. ;-(
So I'm now wondering if the bridle is as good than what I expected??!! Why with the filly I got nice edge which passes the HHT and now with the bridle I'm not able anymore.
The bridle has HUGE amount of draw compare to my filly, could it be the cause of having problem getting very sharp edge?

Should I try 50 laps on the webbed and then 100+ laps on the bridle???

Thanks for advice.

Originally Posted by pdube1

The bridle has HUGE amount of draw compare to my filly, could it be the cause of having problem getting very sharp edge?

So are you really sure the "HUGE" amount of draw is not making you use extra pressure ??

Originally Posted by pdube1

So I'm now wondering if the bridle is as good than what I expected??!! Why with the filly I got nice edge which passes the HHT and now with the bridle I'm not able anymore.

Mine is not yet fully broken in (ie it is still developing more draw), but it has already replaced my Premium I as my daily strop. I can assure you that the strop is not the problem. Too much spray on the felt may be, though. Those bubbles can be evil.

Originally Posted by pdube1

The bridle has HUGE amount of draw compare to my filly, could it be the cause of having problem getting very sharp edge?

Should I try 50 laps on the webbed and then 100+ laps on the bridle???

No. And 100+ is really not that much.

Good luck,
Robin

Wow, Hope it works out for you-
You have a lot more experience than I do on the hones but
I had read one could put too much diamond on the felt. Read if done right one might see dust on the blade.
I was real careful to only spray it lightly, dry and repeat twice-
I had never heard or seen bubbles.
Max I have used mine is 6 passes after maybe a week or so of shaving and rarely see any dust on the blade. Probably didn't need to use it as often as I did so I will slow down.
I have a cheap blade I am going to get better at honing
then take it to the diamond, then CrOx, then strop and see if
I made any progress whatsoever-

Originally Posted by pdube1

Hi guys,
So I'm now wondering if the bridle is as good than what I expected??!! Why with the filly I got nice edge which passes the HHT and now with the bridle I'm not able anymore.
The bridle has HUGE amount of draw compare to my filly, could it be the cause of having problem getting very sharp edge?

Should I try 50 laps on the webbed and then 100+ laps on the bridle???

Thanks for advice.

1. Don't blame the bridle It's one of those strops that sets a new standard for quality, and the Filly... It's not bad, but you get what you pay for (No offense to Ken. His higher end strops are fantastic)
2. DO NOT USE THE HHT TO JUDGE SHARPNESS. I can't tell you how many times I see this. "So-and-so can't hone for beans. This razor didn't pass the HHT!!111!!" No offense, I may be overreacting in your case, but it really grinds my gears. The HHT is a parlor trick. Once you get better at honing and stropping, you can use it for an assessment some times, but it's never an actual measure of sharpness... Hell, some guys here have the sharpest razors possible, yet, because of the quality of their hair, the HHT doesn't work. And some guys -like me- aren't the best honers but have great hair for the HHT... I can split a hair off of the 8k and a fabric strop. It's just not a good measurement.
3. You said you didn't have any problems until you tried the diamond paste... So I'm going to tell you that the problem most likely isn't the bridle, but the diamond and, moreover, your technique. Too much pressure? Maybe... I happen to like a very very small amount of pressure when I strop. Bad stropping angle? Most likely. Lifting the spine as you strop? Also likely.
4. I'd suggest trying 100 laps on the webbed fabric (start slow so you can make sure the technique is solid) followed by 150-200 laps of bridle... It may seem a lot, but, even if the edge doesn't improve, your technique will.

Good Luck. It may seem daunting, but it happens to us all. Now's your chance to pull out the win

Cheers,
Jeremy


Edit: I can't count... 4 comes after 3... not 5.

this is good - haven't yet got to the diamond spray (am planning to with the modular strop) but this has given me an insight into what to look out for and how important technique is. thank you and hope the edge sorts itself out with the laps that jeremy suggested.

Another vote for possibly too much pressure on the felt/diamond. Could've been lifting the spine but could've been too much pressure too. If and when I use my felt/0.5 diamond it is 10 laps light and fast. Hope you get it back to shaving well.

Hi,
I just want to clarify some things...

1) I've always got good result with my philly. So I would say my stropping technique is not the problem.
2) I didn't apply to much diamond spray on my felt, only a fine layer, no bubble at all. I don't think this is the problem.
3) I put less pressure as I can when I strop, I always try to put no more than the weight of the blade on the strop.
4) Yesterday night I did exactly the same steps I usually did after honing -> hone and Strop. The difference now is that instead of using the philly (which is now pasted) I use the bridle. I can't get the edge as sharper than what I got with the philly.

Conclusion:
Based on that, I can exclude Diamond spray and my stropping technique being a factor. My stropping technique is the same since at least one year now.

So now, is my new Bridle need to be more broken??

One more thing about the HHT, for me this test DOES work. When the hair pop easily, then I can tell you that my shave will be very smooth. When the hair doesn't pop, I know I'll get hard shave. It may not works for everybody, but I don't really understand how the HHT with always the same hair cannot be a sign of how sharp the razor is.

Thanks everybody to support me! :-)