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Thread: what do you do to get a new razor "shave ready?"

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    Default what do you do to get a new razor "shave ready?"

    I snagged up a new Dovo Best Quality 6/8 razor yesterday and am wondering what you guys do to get your razors "shave ready." I know how to strop and hone correctly, so that isn't part of the question. It seems that with all the reviews on new razors, you read that they aren't "shave ready." How so?

    I've restored probably 3-4 razors in the past couple months and come to the realization that they're crap lol. They were just too damaged and didn't have enough meat on them to correct. I did get one to shave ready condition but it was slightly uneven and it made all the difference in the world. My process of restoring was to bread knife on the side of the stone to even, then set the bevel with a 220, then to 1000, then to 4000, 8000, and finally a 12,000 Naniwa. I'd then strop with Flitz and then plain leather. To test I would run the razor across my arm, about a 1/4in above the skin and watch for it to cut the hairs in half. Then I would shave with it.

    What do you do to determine if a razor is ready to shave with? What is your process for readying a new razor?

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    Senior Member blabbermouth RezDog's Avatar
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    Hmmm. Where to start. I am a little stuck on your screen name. They are not knives so the process is different and the same. The part that is the same is that you need to develop a perfect apex and then polish it and refine it. The how the blade sits on the hone is completely different. I would almost never use a 220 with a razor. Skip straight past the 220. Tape the spine so you can keep it from damage until you get you technique figured out and then decide tape or no tape. Lapping hones is pretty important with straight razors. A loupe is your best friend. There are a few threads on what you are looking at when honing. The establishment of a perfect apex for the entire length of the cutting edge is the cornerstone of shave ready. You should be able to get a mediocre shave from a 1K honing with a properly developed bevel. Then it is the process of refining it. I really got a lot from gssixgun's videos. One on one is best when learning.
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    Quote Originally Posted by RezDog View Post
    Hmmm. Where to start. I am a little stuck on your screen name. They are not knives so the process is different and the same. The part that is the same is that you need to develop a perfect apex and then polish it and refine it. The how the blade sits on the hone is completely different. I would almost never use a 220 with a razor. Skip straight past the 220. Tape the spine so you can keep it from damage until you get you technique figured out and then decide tape or no tape. Lapping hones is pretty important with straight razors. A loupe is your best friend. There are a few threads on what you are looking at when honing. The establishment of a perfect apex for the entire length of the cutting edge is the cornerstone of shave ready. You should be able to get a mediocre shave from a 1K honing with a properly developed bevel. Then it is the process of refining it. I really got a lot from gssixgun's videos. One on one is best when learning.
    Thanks a bunch for taking the time to respond. Oh ya, I know razors are a totally different animal than knives. I own a jewelrs loop and used it a good amount while restoring the run down razors I got off of craigslist. They are VERY handy.

    What I'm curious of is whether you guys think new razors need honing or if a good stropping will do? Obviously the answer wold depend on one's ability to asses the condition of the edge. As long as the entire edge is 100% are there any final steps you take to get it right where you want it? Perhaps a stropping or maybe even a few passes on a 12,000 grit?

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    Senior Member JTmke's Avatar
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    I (grimace) shave with it first if it is new production. Usually just start a shave, give up and finish with a different razor.

    I want to know what people consider shave ready. Most are not. Then I hone them.
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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    I have only bought 1 brand new razor. For me the test for shave ready was a good stropping followed by a test shave. Found the edge to be shave able but not really up to my liking. Then it was off to the hones.

    It shaves as well as the vintage ones I have so I have not bothered buying any more new ones.

    Bob
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    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JGordonKnives View Post
    What I'm curious of is whether you guys think new razors need honing or if a good stropping will do? o get it right where you want it?
    I've had some that were 'shave ready' but more that weren't. Some that were shave ready, but not up to the standard that I'm used to. So it is a mixed bag. Nothing to do but try them and see where they are. Some needed a bevel set through finishing, others a touch up on a finisher, and still others a good stropping.
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    I guess when I started out, I got a bunch of razors that the sellers claimed were shave ready. They cut the hair on my arm, but none were comfortable. Such is life. So I hone everything that comes through my door as a matter of course now. No need to waste a good shave. I always reset the bevel.

    Testing ... well yeah, I got a loop. I'll use it if I remember. Sure I test it on my arm. A single hair or two anymore. I used to practically have bare arms at the beginning lol! But I'm a little more confident than I used to be, and in all seriousness, I test it on my face. I can tell if it needs to go back onto a stone or the strop in a stroke. And if it does ... cool, I got lots of blades ready to go.

    I don't know when I got so complacent about it all. I don't know if it was when I got ok at honing, ok at stropping, or if it was when I got enough razors that I would always have a blade ready if one wasn't working out.
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    Of the new razors I have bought, and that is a short list, two were honed by the seller and the other two I honed, and have honed a few new razors for others. It is part of the business model of manufactures that I do not understand. Why on earth would you deliver a product that requires to be serviced before it can be used. I did not have to put tires on my truck when I got it and I did not have to install all the software in my new computer.
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    At this point in time... gssixgun's Avatar
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    It is actually really simple to see why

    If you watch any of the Production razor vids like this Dovo one



    You are going to see them set the Pre-bevel on a Disc Platen Grinder while lifting the spine off the wheel at about the 4min mark.. then after creating that rough bevel she uses what looks to be a Coticule to smooth that rough bevel..

    IF

    Big if, the second stone actually hits all along the edge and removes the complete rough pre-bevel you will get a decent edge to shave with, (unlikely) if not then you have remnants of the rough Platen ground edge (often) touching your face

    This is why every now and then one hits but mostly No they are not shave ready, you have to get rid of the entire rough pre-bevel and get a nice smooth shave ready edge instead..

    Pretty much every production razor vid you watch regardless of brand, shows almost the exact same routine.. Now with so many of us SR guys having USB Microscopes the "Non-Shave Readiness" of Factory edges has become quite clear (pun intended)


    Edit:

    Honestly very few Factory Production Cutting tools from Hunting Knives to Lathe Gouges and Planer Blades have what an experienced honer/workman consider to be a "Work Ready" edge.. I know the first thing I do when I buy a new Factory edged tool is test it, then tweak it to my standards, SR's are no different
    Last edited by gssixgun; 06-04-2016 at 02:44 AM.

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    You might get lucky and get one that, with a “proper” stropping, but… How long have you been stropping?

    It can always be improved, much improved.

    First, when the razor was honed at the factory, it was honed with the spine off the stone, held by the honer’s hand. How steady was the hand?

    So at the least you will have to correct the bevel angle.

    If you hone your own, you must first set the bevel on a 1k or there about stone and not move up in grit until you are absolutely sure the bevel is fully set.

    Which method of testing are you using to ensure the bevel is set?

    And you cannot strop on Flitz and expect a smooth shave.

    Why? Well, exactly is the abrasive(s) in Flitz, and what is the grit rating?

    Don’t know what your “Honing” experience is, but you might start by reading the first 3 threads in the honing forum and pick up at least a 60X lighted loupe.

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