Razor sharpening?

db said:
This one is for Wade. :) what do you use to sharpen your razor?
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It depends on what type of sharpening job is needed. Some new razors will come out of the box with a good shaveable edge. Others need a little work on a hone. Most shavers like the Norton 4000x and 8000x wet stones. I have 4000x and 8000x stones from Leevalley.com. I also have found I can get good results with 2500 grit microabrasive paper (sandpaper) and 9000 grit paper (0.5 micron) available from leevalley. I just lay these on a piece of plate glass and go. I use some honing oil on the 2500grit.

After that I usually strop on a strop loaded with veritius green compound (0.5) micron from LeeValley and I even have some 0.25 micron diamond paste, but this step isn't that important. After that I finish on a plain leather strop that's coniditoned with strop paste (fat, no abrasives).

Here is an article on razor honing and stropping:

http://www.classicshaving.com/articles/article/590351/4057.htm

Following the X pattern is important. I have also been told to hone with the heel of the blade leading and when you strop you want to have the tip leading. Basically you want to create very fine microscopic saw like teeth that have a bit of an angle to them so they slice better.

http://www.classicshaving.com has a lot of great products and resources.
 
Wade :) have you ever tried useing a smooth steel to burnish the edge instead of honing it? I would think this would also give you a sharp polished edge with the softer razor steels.
 
No I have not tried this. I would think this would ruin the edge of the razor and be to coarse. Have you tried this? I"m not sure how soft or hard of a steel they use in razors.
 
II said a smooth steel, not a grooved one. I haven't tried it on a shaving razor but I have used one on a very thin utility razor with good results.
 
Any idea what the grit value of smooth steel is? I still think it probably would give a bad result. Mainly because it would put to much pressure on the fine edge of the razor and roll the shaving edge. This is why razors are stropped on a wide piece of leather, so they don't bend over the fine edge.
 
Idisagree. Guess we'll not find out soon because my old razors are gone and you don't have a smooth steel.
 
Well, the reason I believe it wouln't work is this. First we have to realize how delicate the razor's edge is on a straight razor. Just touching it with your finger can fold it over and mess it up. The reason a leather strop is used is because the leather is soft, forgiving, and very wide. This puts minimal pressure against the edge of the razor as the pressure is distributed across the width of the strop. If a smooth steel was used the razor would only be making contact in a very pin point area, probably less than 1/32 of an inch. This small area of contact would put to much pressure on the edge and roll it. It would be near impossible to keep the edge straight as you alternate sides with your strokes. If a smooth steel would work, or be superior to a leather strop, you would see them in barber shops rather than a leather strop.
 
Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it will not work. Pressure could fold the edge but a light touch would fix that. Smooth steels are for putting the very tip of the edge back into line not to fold them over. The only way your going to fold it is to steel at a higher angle or use too much pressure. Light touch. Try it with a smooth screw driver, or end of a drill bit after your next shave. All the thearies in the world aint going to decide this. Only real way to find out is to try it. Btw I knew a barber who used a razor and keept it sharp but he couldn't sharpen anything but that razor at all.
 
Well, in some ways razors are easier to sharpen because you just lay them flat and they set their own angle. As far as folding the edge, I don't care how light your touch is, the weight from the razor alone would most likely be enough to fold the edge. Also are you stroking forward, or backwards like a strop? In my mind I can't imagine a smooth steel giving you a good shaving edge.
 
"Just touching it with your finger can fold it over and mess it up."
What happens when you drag it over your whiskery face then? :eek:
 
Fox Creek said:
"Just touching it with your finger can fold it over and mess it up."
What happens when you drag it over your whiskery face then? :eek:
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The hardest thing it should have to touch is your hair. I'm talking about touching your finger to the edge. When you shave the razor is passing over your skin at an angle (not pressing against your face perpendicularly) and your face should be wet and lathered to lubricate your face so the razor just slides along. Eventually the whiskers will mess up the edge and the razor will need to be re-stropped. Sometimes I have to re-strop in the middle of a shave.
 
vetkaw63 said:
WadeF is correct. The rest of you guys should send your razors to Lynn at www.straightrazorplace.com. He honed a razor that I bought from him and it is so sharp that I am afraid to shave with it.
Mike
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Lynn should come join us over here sometime. We could probably convert a lot of the knife folk over to straight razor shaving. :)

So what have you done to judge the sharpness of his hone job? I'd really like to compare one of his razors to one of mine to see if I'm far off or not. I hone and strop mine so they will catch and cut my fine arm hair above skin level. I'm not sure how else to test without the risk of damaging the edge.
 
WadeF,
Yes, that is how I tested Lynn's hone work on the Revisor that I bought from him. The hair just flies and NO pulling. I will not use it, untill I can get a razor close to that sharp. I have honed and shaven with six razors within the last week. They are not quite as sharp as I would like. They still pull on my upper lip. They are still a nicer shave than a safety razor though.
Mike M.
 
I don't suppose any of you have tried hair splitting (in the non-metaphoric sense)? If so how many cuts? :)
 
The game is, to postpone honing as long as possible, and to use the strop almost exclusively.If you carefully rub your thumb over the edge perpendicular to the edge, you should hear a high-frequent tingling sound and it should feel a little sticky. To detect any knicks cut very superficially over your nail. Any irregularity feels like a sudden obstacle. The nail method is not to test for sharpness, but for iregularities.You can also keep the edge towards a bright lamp; a sharp edge surface (not the blade) should not contain reflecting parts, because a sharp edge has almost no surface that can reflect. One of another technique ,make a cutting movement parallel to your arm, trying to cut a few hairs not directly above the skin surface, but 3-5 mm above. A sharp edge will bite into the hair, a blunt knife will not. If the hair test is positive but shaving not, the blade may be irregularly sharpened or the hardening process might be done incorrect. Try stropping again. A new blade must be stropped, and will prform better after a few weeks of use. 'The blade will be settled'. This is to encourage perfectionists.
For more information,please visit

http://www.venusworldwide.com/razors.htm
 
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