Can a SR be too sharp?

[Rusty Blade]

I hone my own razors and have since the beginning of my SR journey. I get great edges...but I have often wondered...can a SR be too sharp for comfort? I finish with a 12k stone and my edges are very comfortable. But I wonder for those guys who finish on a higher grit finishing stone can the edges get too sharp? Maybe my question is whether I need a higher grit finishing stone...

 

[Kentos]

For me, no. The more eye wateringly sharp the better. My skin seems prone to razor burn so I need a sharp blade that requires the least amount of pressure to cut.

 

[Jnatcat]

As my mentor has told me over and over, sharp is easy but sharp and smooth are hard. i used to use a 16K Shapton and i found the edges way to surgical but once I jumped onto JNATS and with practice and guidance from my teacher I was able to tame my edges down so for me to sharp does not work, some finish on 20K stones and like the edges alot and some finish on coticules which are far from 20K and like those to, i think you have to find a happy medium and if you hone on the side it's tough as you cannot please all the ppl all the time, so with all that said if you are pleased with your edges then thats really all that matters but nothing wrong with getting say a 16K or a pasted strop and kick it up a notch to see if you like it.

 

[Rusty Blade]

As my mentor has told me over and over, sharp is easy but sharp and smooth are hard. i used to use a 16K Shapton and i found the edges way to surgical but once I jumped onto JNATS and with practice and guidance from my teacher I was able to tame my edges down so for me to sharp does not work, some finish on 20K stones and like the edges alot and some finish on coticules which are far from 20K and like those to, i think you have to find a happy medium and if you hone on the side it's tough as you cannot please all the ppl all the time, so with all that said if you are pleased with your edges then thats really all that matters but nothing wrong with getting say a 16K or a pasted strop and kick it up a notch to see if you like it.

I started for the first few months with a pretty minimal kit -- 1k, 3/8k Naniwa stones and was able to produce a really fine edge. Then once I had reached the point where I was getting a consistently good edge on the 8k I kicked it up a notch to a 12k finishing stone and I could tell the edge was more refined. I don't think I will go higher...but this is what makes me wonder if it is possible to get too sharp of an edge. I think I have hit my comfort zone.

 

[kelbro]

I like them as sharp as possible. A 'Feather-like' edge is my target. I like to get BBS in one pass.

 

[Rugger007]

Can a razor be too sharp? For me the answer is no, it can never be too sharp, however sharp can mean uncomfortable. The sharpest you can possibly get your blade while having the shave remain comfortable is the key and natural stones are the only way to achieve this IMO. YMMV

 

[Jnatcat]

Can a razor be too sharp? For me the answer is no, it can never be too sharp, however sharp can mean uncomfortable. The sharpest you can possibly get your blade while having the shave remain comfortable is the key and natural stones are the only way to achieve this IMO. YMMV

Exactly to sharp can mean uncomfortable for me, I usually finish with slightly more slurry on my JNAT, this seems to tame the edge bit or sometimes if I go down to almost straight water I don't do many laps and use minimal pressure.

 

[Steve56]

Not for me. If it feels too sharp it isn't sharp enough. It's a common observation for folks learning to hone, 'boy I did too well on that one, it's too sharp!' Don't ask me how I know this.

IMO a 'too sharp' feeling is usually from an undercooked edge, either the bevel not well set or the entire length of the edge not uniform, usually the toe and/or heel areas not as developed as the center. Another problem is apparently with very fine synthetics on some steels, a false edge or fin may develop and break down while shaving, leaving you again with an edge that is not sharp enough.

Do you need a higher grit stone after the 12k Naniwa? Not a synthetic if your edges are comfortable. I'd be inclined to investigate finer edges along these lines. One, I'd try the lapped balsa with CrOx or FeOx or diamond paste per Slash's recommendations, it's cheap so if you don't like it you're not out much. Secondly, I have someone with a Suehiro Gokumyo 20k (and uses it) hone a razor from a fresh 12k edge and see of it gets smoother. The G20k is expensive so you probably don't want to shell out the money unless you KNOW it's what you want. It'll last forever though.

You might also consider adding a small Thuringian or jnat after the 12k. Small stones can be had reasonably and they're easy to use. Both can make very smooth edges.

Cheers, Steve

 

[dmatcuk]

I go to a pasted balsa strop after the Naniwa 12k. It seems to make the edge a little more comfortable to me. As mentioned above, it is relatively cheap to get one and give it a shot. I don't think that I would ever get a synthetic stone past 12k. If I want something more, I would probably give natural stones a shot. It's all a preference thing though.

 

[6Cuda6]

And dont forget....some blades prefer different stones or finishing techniques to possibly give you the edge you like ....an example is my Rituki, it loves a jnat and will give a one pass BBS on that edge but if i use a coticule on it the results are completely differnt.

 

[Jnatcat]

To me if you say refine your edge on a fine coticule or JNAT then go to say a 20K something synthetic or use CrOx or diamond spray then you no longer have a coticule or JNAT edge nothing wrong with pastes and sprays but IMHO when you use them coming off you natural stone that natraul edge is gone, i do have a hanging strop that the linen is pasted with .5 CrOx and when the edge starts to fail and stropping no longer works I gice it 5-7 weight of blade passes and that will usually do for another 8-10 shaves then i go back to the 4K and do my thing.

 

[Lmarkow]

Not if I'm honing it. No chance.

 

[David]

 

[6Cuda6]

Not if I'm honing it. No chance.

Like wise....hahaha

 

[Lmarkow]

How do you judge, "too sharp"? For those who can, how do you know it wasn't your lather that was "too weak"? Or perhaps stress at work causing you to shave with "too much pressure"?

 

[Rusty Blade]

How do you judge, "too sharp"? For those who can, how do you know it wasn't your lather that was "too weak"? Or perhaps stress at work causing you to shave with "too much pressure"?

My general rule of thumb is I don't shave with a SR unless I have the time to do it properly with good prep. Those busy or stressful days I know to pick up a DE or SE.

As for how I can judge "too sharp"...I don't really know...and this is why I asked the question. My experience so far...albeit limited, tells me there is a point during the honing/stropping process where a razor is both smooth and sharp. I can hit that mark with a 12k Naniwa stone. Since I don't have finishing stones beyond 12k I was curious to know if a razor can be too sharp...or over-sharpened. Beyond the 12k I am thinking there must be an upper limit to how much an edge can be polished...since that is all you are really doing beyond 12k. Not much metal being removed at that point. Maybe at that point the edge becomes unstable? Or maybe beyond 12k there is no point in higher levels of finishing stones e.g 20k? I don't really know. This was one of those questions that comes to my mind in the middle of the night when I am staring at the ceiling waiting until its time to get up and shave.

 

[seattleshaver]

What does going to a Thurigan after a 12k do that going to a Thuringian after an 8K wouldn't do? Just curious?

 

[6Cuda6]

My general rule of thumb is I don't shave with a SR unless I have the time to do it properly with good prep. Those busy or stressful days I know to pick up a DE or SE.

As for how I can judge "too sharp"...I don't really know...and this is why I asked the question. My experience so far...albeit limited, tells me there is a point during the honing/stropping process where a razor is both smooth and sharp. I can hit that mark with a 12k Naniwa stone. Since I don't have finishing stones beyond 12k I was curious to know if a razor can be too sharp...or over-sharpened. Beyond the 12k I am thinking there must be an upper limit to how much an edge can be polished...since that is all you are really doing beyond 12k. Not much metal being removed at that point. Maybe at that point the edge becomes unstable? Or maybe beyond 12k there is no point in higher levels of finishing stones e.g 20k? I don't really know. This was one of those questions that comes to my mind in the middle of the night when I am staring at the ceiling waiting until its time to get up and shave.

I beleive that after 12k its about trying to get the perfectly even none scratched and/or saw touth micro edge or some may call this " keenness"

Weither it shaves better i couldnt tell you but there are those out there that have taken this to the lab in search of just that...

 

[6Cuda6]

What does going to a Thurigan after a 12k do that going to a Thuringian after an 8K wouldn't do? Just curious?

I suspect same results in less time???

 

[seattleshaver]

A Thuringian isn't equivalent to 12k is it so how is more time going to make it any finer?