Super-dumb question

[Scotto]

I have never even held a str8, so forgive my stupidity on this one. On some of the nice str8s with etchings, etc. on the blade, don't you wear it off when you are honing? Just curious.

[Laz in Tampa]

Yes, you can. Gold wash or bluing on the spine, fancy filework or etching can be "honed away". Some people put electrical tape on the spine when they are honing to protect it, and some say this is not good because it changes the angle of the edge. You do what you feel is right, it's your razor.

http://www.classicshaving.com/articles/article/590351/4057.htm
(The other articles in "How to and Why" are excellent sources of information as well)

If you have a razor that has bluing or gold wash on the blade or shank, this will wear off also as time goes by just from normal everyday shaving.

[Scotto]

Thanks, Laz!

[rtaylor61]

Scotto...just give in and get one!

Randy

[Scotto]

Such peer pressure! :a53:

[roughrider]

The gold wash looks amazing but I know it probably isn't going to last if the razor is used for daily shaving.

[AFDavis11]

I find that most of the beauty of the razor remains with the exception of a small portion of the spine which actually touches the hone. All of my razors look like shaving implements pretty quickly. I.E. they have that hardwater sorta gunk you might find on the top of a DE occasionally, despite efforts to clean the razor afterward. Scotto, no hurry. Learn all you can first, it'll save you lots of trouble later. I think a mans first razor shouldnt be the most expensive and beautiful one you can find, that should be your second razor (after you've learned how to maintain, not drop, shave with, hone, strop, and display the first one). My sixth razor is going to be really beautiful, I promise. :smile:

[Rik]

Greetings Scotto,

As alway only unasked questions are dumb. I think what's throwing you is the profile of a str8. Check out Classic Shaving's Article Basic Characteristics and Terminology (http://www.classicshaving.com/articles/article/590351/4038.htm) and look at the straight razor's profile. On a full hollow straight razor, the profile is concave so the only part of the blade that touches the hone and strop are the spine and edge. The bulk of the blade where the etching usually is is left untouched.

Full wedge razors have very little to no concavity. So any blade etching in this case would be removed from honing and stropping.

Hope this helps.

[roughrider]

All of my razors look like shaving implements pretty quickly. I.E. they have that hardwater sorta gunk you might find on the top of a DE occasionally, despite efforts to clean the razor afterward.


I heard people use CLR or other similar products to remove the hardwater spots/dull look.

[AFDavis11]

I'm sure thats true...but I don't worry about it. As Laz said, it sorta wears over time too. I figure its a razor, and I actually want mine to look used. I've found that alcohol cleans them off pretty well too.

[Rik]

I heard people use CLR or other similar products to remove the hardwater spots/dull look.
A very popular product for cleaning str8ts is MAAS metal polish. You can find it at Walgrees or Wal-Mart by the cleaning products.

[Joe Lerch]

I have never even held a str8, so forgive my stupidity on this one. On some of the nice str8s with etchings, etc. on the blade, don't you wear it off when you are honing? Just curious.
In normal use, a str8 is only honed occasionally. Once it is keen, it can be refreshed with a few swipes on a razor hone when the razor starts to pull a little. And if you keep it keen, serious honing is very infrequent.

Razors are designed to be honed flat on a stone. That is, only the spine and edge touch the stone. Since most razors are hollow ground, the gold wash and other decorative coverings don't touch the stone.

[Laz in Tampa]

In normal use, a str8 is only honed occasionally. Once it is keen, it can be refreshed with a few swipes on a razor hone when the razor starts to pull a little. And if you keep it keen, serious honing is very infrequent.

Razors are designed to be honed flat on a stone. That is, only the spine and edge touch the stone. Since most razors are hollow ground, the gold wash and other decorative coverings don't touch the stone.

Holy cow Joe, we agree on something! haha.

I think he was refering to etching and gold wash on the spine, not the blade itself. Gold wash or bluing on the tang will eventually wear off just from handling it, oils on your fingers, etc.

[Joe Lerch]

Holy cow Joe, we agree on something! haha.

I think he was refering to etching and gold wash on the spine, not the blade itself. Gold wash or bluing on the tang will eventually wear off just from handling it, oils on your fingers, etc.
Right. He was worried about grinding off the goldwash, which could easily be done in one sitting if it contacts an abrasive. I just wanted to assure him that normal honing won't do that, although I agree that handling normally will, in time.