Shaving Sharp Grit ?

M

mach 5

Joined
Apr 13, 2012
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What is the coarsest grit you can achieve shaving sharpness with?

I use a belt sander, and can't produce a great shaving edge up to 1000 grit. My next move is leather strop with black compound (aprox 3k grit) which gives a fairly effective shaving edge, the leather with green (6k) is a hair popper, so somewhere between 1000 grit and 3k grit for me. I am curious if other techniques like the wicked edge for example will give a shaving finish with a coarser toothier finish. Can anyone shave comfortably under 1000 grit?
 
I second this. I would love to know this information. I have been working on my sharpening skills as well. Curious to see some of our experts ring in on this.
 
You can get a shaving sharp edge with any grit. Just sharpen so that no light reflects off of the cutting edge.
 
Off the top of my head, I have used 220 grit sandpaper on glass and have been able shave arm hair.
I have gotten better at freehanding since that was over a year ago, so I am not able to give a current standing.

Over the weekend, I will give it another go and see how I do. I might have some 60, but I definitely have 80, 100, 220, and up.
 
When you say "shave", do you mean like shaving with a razor.......or cutting a few hairs here and there with one pass at the right angle?
 
Snakebreaker said:
When you say "shave", do you mean like shaving with a razor.......or cutting a few hairs here and there with one pass at the right angle?
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lets say
quick easy clean pass on the forearm without too much pulling on the hairs

I can half pull/saw out hairs with coarser grits, but need to get over 1000 for a reasonably easy shave.
 
I've been able to produce shaving sharp with enough time and enough attention to detail with a 200 grit edge --- 400 grit regularly.
 
Rob_Mob said:
I've been able to produce shaving sharp with enough time and enough attention to detail with a 200 grit edge --- 400 grit regularly.
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I suspected the wicked edge might offer an advantage here, would love some pics :thumbup:
 
mach 5 said:
is that the edge pro apex you mean?

Also that avatar is awesome! just the right amount of tech and tradition, an RPG bow
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Yeah, it is. I'm sure the lower grits would also work- after the 220 grit, the edge starts to get use-able. I only wish it were as easy as the work sharp to use- all my blades would have a mirrored edge!

Thanks, man! Budget cuts and all....
 
With the coursest belt on the KO Worksharp, i can get it to shave pretty nicely. No tugging or pulling of hairs. Just need a bit more pressure to get a clean shave. I cant get a buttery, effortless shave until 2 belts higher though.
 
What are you trying to shave?

Top of you forearm? Against the grain or with the grain?

Face?Neck?

Not trying to be obstinate here but this goes back to
different types of testing, and having a level media
so we have a known controlled variable.

You can make steel shave at a heck of a lot lower than 1000 grit, depending on the steel .
 
I've been able to do it a couple of times with a file. Most knives on this sub forum probably won't respond to a file though.
 
mach 5 said:
lets say
quick easy clean pass on the forearm without too much pulling on the hairs

I can half pull/saw out hairs with coarser grits, but need to get over 1000 for a reasonably easy shave.
Click to expand...

you should be able to shave arm hair easily at 400 grit and above. my guess is that you are not getting rid of the wire edge or burr at the coarser grits. but that is only a guess.
 
WOW, I guess that I'm wasting my time sharpening out at 2000, then changing to 5000 to clean it up. But it sure polishes them up to mirror finishes and finger splitting sharp.
 
600 is a good combo of shaving arm hair and "aggressive tooth." really, shaving sharpness can be achieved at any grit--be sure to fully apex your edge (work each side to a burr) and get rid of the burr when you are finishing.
 
Ratman79 said:
600 is a good combo of shaving arm hair and "aggressive tooth." really, shaving sharpness can be achieved at any grit--be sure to fully apex your edge (work each side to a burr) and get rid of the burr when you are finishing.
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I support this statement. I find that to work well.
 
Start with an asymmetrical grind at 60 grit then buff the resulting burr on a paper wheel with black, green or white compound and you end up with the typical shaving edge of Busse Combat INFI from 1999 through 2002.

Some of those knives were so sharp, the knife did not notice where the hair ended and the skin started, and would just cut right into your arm.

Try to drag a long hair across and if you got the angle right, you could split the hair into several thicknesses, ending up with a hair that looked like a bunch of hairs.

Knives that when you rested a callused finger against the edge you just either cut slices of skin, or just plain got cut learning how to touch a truly sharp knife.

And remember, With Jerry doing all of the final sharpening, he spent less than a minute on each Asymmetrical knife's edge.
 
I think any grit can shave arm hair.
I go all the way up to 8000 grit, and it's a smoother shave obviously.
 
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