Do any of you find that even with a properly stropped razor before starting, you need to strop again during a shave? Perhaps even more than once?
I do so am wondering if this is normal?
Ian
I do so am wondering if this is normal?
Ian
Strop during a shave?
- Thread starter Beemer
- Start date
I don't do it myself but I know others that swear by it
If you have an edge honed at the right angle and a blade of quality steel you shouldn't notice a difference from the beginning to end of shave. If you do its likely related to your shave technique and scraping the beard more than shaving with too steep an angle.
- Thread starter
- #4
Scott,
Your term "scraping" is one that I hope I'm not needing to use. I do admit that I need to make multiple passes even WTG to that I am satisfied with the WTG shave. On starting the ATG I have felt the need to strop "to see if it will help" which it usually does although perhaps that feeling is psychological.
Ian
Your term "scraping" is one that I hope I'm not needing to use. I do admit that I need to make multiple passes even WTG to that I am satisfied with the WTG shave. On starting the ATG I have felt the need to strop "to see if it will help" which it usually does although perhaps that feeling is psychological.
Ian
Your welcome to send me your razor for a honing it sounds like it's time.
- Thread starter
- #6
Scott,
Thanks for the offer but here is a x200 image of my own honing of this Thiers-Issard 6/8 full hollow
Ian
Is that the blade your having trouble with?
- Thread starter
- #8
Scott,
Yes it is. After I set the bevel using a Norton 8000, I then honed it on the 8000.
Ian
Yes it is. After I set the bevel using a Norton 8000, I then honed it on the 8000.
Ian
- Thread starter
- #9
Scott,
Yes it is. After I set the bevel using a Norton 8000, I then honed it on the 8000.
I am a SR newbie. The problem is when I try to shave my chin against the grain.
Ian
Yes it is. After I set the bevel using a Norton 8000, I then honed it on the 8000.
I am a SR newbie. The problem is when I try to shave my chin against the grain.
Ian
Do you have a jnat? If not let me hone it for you. Its not sharp enough.
Its not that you need a higher grit stone its you need to max the edge you have. Try putting a layer of tape on your blade and if your taping already add another layer. Then using only the weight of the blade do about 5-10 laps and no more. Your close
Mastro Livi and his barber choose to palm strop mid shave..if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me, I often palm strop before the XTG pass. I don't know if I need to but it makes me feel better!
If it makes you feel better then Rock on man! I'm not saying there is anything wrong with stropping midshave. If it helps be my guest. I just know for me personally if I have to strop midshave I can make the bevel a degree or so steeper and it makes a big difference.
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I don't. I'm not an expert, but I don't think stropping mid shave should be necessary unless there's something wrong with the edge. And if that's the case, another razor will finish the shave. But I've never had an edge fail mid shave.
Never!
Like many aspects of the shave, blade "sharpness" is a personal preference. My experience, though, is that if it's not sharp enough for a complete shave, it needs more than stropped and should be properly honed. Also, the pictures show more scratches than I would like. If it was me, I'd take and finish the blade on fiber-optic media. It's a cheap solution to finishing.
Best,
Jerry
Best,
Jerry
Blades definitely degrade during a shave... which is unfortunate, since we want the sharpest razor to be during a final pass. Stropping during the shave is a solution to this problem... but in my opinion more trouble than I'm willing to go to. This leads me to MY personal process/reason for honing, collecting hones, testing hones, and tweaking dozens of different finishes on every razor I use. I'm striking to find the "sweet spot", where the edge is the sharpest and most comfortable I can put on each specific razor, while still not degrading enough during the shave it noticeably impacts closeness or comfort on the final passes.
Having said that... a Norton 8k finish is in and of itself pretty dull... which may make you use an awkward technique, which dulls even that (relatively durable) edge. As others suggested, you probably should try upping your initial sharpness considerably... THEN see if you still find stropping midshave necessary, and decide if you want to play around to find what finish allows you to do away with that hassle.
Having said that... a Norton 8k finish is in and of itself pretty dull... which may make you use an awkward technique, which dulls even that (relatively durable) edge. As others suggested, you probably should try upping your initial sharpness considerably... THEN see if you still find stropping midshave necessary, and decide if you want to play around to find what finish allows you to do away with that hassle.
No think about honing razor
Hmm Thiers Issard tough as nails steel. Same thing happened to me when I first started on a similar TI. My feeling is that you are just shy of setting that bevel completely. You try to hone the whole thing on an 8k grit stone that razor was probably just tickled a little and you didn't actually complete the edge. Stropping mid shave or between passes can be a symptom of this. I say redo it from the ground up 1k soup to nuts. once you get a good edge on a TI it should last a good long time and never have to strop mid shave unless you want to, but you wouldn't have to. Try looking directly down at the edge maybe with a loop. You might see a few shiny spots or areas of the bevel that haven't completely come together, if you see that you have your diagnosis. Good Luck.
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